Stress is a real condition that can have serious emotional and physical ramifications on you and your employees.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it can lead to depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse, insomnia, and much more.
It’s important to have stress management tips in place before stress begins.
As with other behavior modification practices, the more you make stress management a habit, the more easily you and your employees will naturally be able to handle potentially stressful situations when they arise.
As the following article looks at, here are 7 stress management tips for the holiday season and any time of year:
- Schedule time for family
Your business calendar appointments are probably solidly locked in, but how about your family time? If you don’t take your family “appointments” seriously, it’s easy to push them off or forget about them altogether.
Schedule time with your family the same way you would with an important client.
Did you promise to take your wife Christmas shopping next Saturday?
Mark it in your calendar so you don’t forget and plan an afternoon of watching football instead.
Do the kids need a trip to the mall to buy gifts for friends?
Block out the day on your calendar, so you don’t feel like you should be doing something else. Spending time with family should always be your number one priority.
- Drink in moderation
Having a glass of wine or a cold beer after work can help to take the edge off, and help you make the mental transition from work to home.
But too much alcohol can hinder your personal relations, your health, and possibly your career.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation, not to excess.
- Practice meditation
Meditation is proven to be a great way to relieve stress, but it takes some practice to learn how to empty your mind of all thoughts.
Invest in a book or video to learn the art of meditation, and practice using it when you feel the world is tugging too hard.
At work, consider providing a quiet room where employees can meditate when they are feeling overworked or stressed out.
- Give
Giving brings up warm feelings that quickly quell stress and anxiety.
Implement a work policy where employees are charged with shopping for a local charity. Hand out gift cards so they don’t have to spend their own money.
Set aside an afternoon at the office for giftwrapping, and go together as a company to deliver the gifts to a homeless shelter, children’s hospital or nursing home.
- Go outside
Reconnect with nature to relieve stress.
Go for a walk, bring the kids sledding, or make an igloo in the backyard.
Breathe deeply and be thankful for the gift of life and the beauty of the Earth.
- Cook
Make a meal for your family. If you don’t know how, enlist the help of your spouse or kids.
Cooking will keep you busy and you won’t have time to think about your troubles.
- Write
Write down whatever is worrying you on a piece of paper.
Open up your soul and write it all down. Then light a match to it and burn it in the sink or an aluminum trash can outside. Your worries will float away like ashes on the wind.
Remember that stress can be avoided or solved.
You never have to let stress rule your emotions or affect your business.
Use these tips to help lead a more relaxed life.
About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices, including those that make employees and employers healthy.