How to Manage Stress During Busy Work Periods

How you respond to stress is directly correlated to your level of success in your career and in life. After countless sleepless days, I found a 5-step formula to help me through it: How you respond to these critical moments will make or break you. I'm sharing the 5-part thought process I go through when my stress levels redline. Feel free to bookmark this if it's helpful: STEP 1) Accept the situation The first step is to accept the reality of the situation you're dealing with. Accepting the situation allows you to RESET YOUR EXPECTATIONS and move forward with a newly defined level of "success" that you can meet. *Breathe STEP 2) Remove the emotion Try to separate your emotions from it. By removing the emotional component, you can approach the problem more rationally and make clearer decisions. *Breathe STEP 3) Analyze objectively Why did this happen? Maybe it's because you failed to get back to them on time, or your competition is just better. Use this "failure" as input to improve! Process the reality of that, then go off and do what you need to do– believing that you will do what it takes. *Breathe STEP 4) Maintain an objective mindset   Your mindset determines how you relate to and deal with adversity. Approach challenges with a long-term optimistic mindset, rather than a negative one. An objective mindset allows you to see the situation clearly, assess the facts, and find an effective solution. *Breathe STEP 5) Avoid reacting from a place of fear I know, you want to respond quickly but you should probably rethink that so you don't make any impulsive decisions that can hurt you or your business. Instead, take a moment to breathe, process the situation, and think through your actions before responding. You'll notice there's one common thread that ties the steps together. You need to breathe. Breathing helps to calm the mind in that moment of fear, uncertainty, doubt, panic, or anxiety. When those things arise, you have to center yourself back to where your heart rate decreases and your mind isn't racing like crazy. ➝ Centering yourself physically allow you to make the best decisions mentally. Think about the last time you felt a visceral response to a nasty email from a customer. You want to retaliate with choice words of your own. But that helps nobody. When you're able to run through the above steps, you might be able to pull some helpful feedback out of that email. And you can move on with your day! You won't need this post until you do, but when you do - please re-read it. Derive confidence from this process. Know that you are capable. Control what you can control. Let go of what you can't. What's your best stress management technique? 

When I was younger, after intense periods of work, I would crash for days.  Looking back, it’s no surprise I was exhausted. I pulled all-nighters, worked for weeks without a single day off, and barely had time for myself—except for exercise, my one non-negotiable (thank goodness for that). But even with that lifeline, I often ended up sick. As a parent, spouse, and professional, I can no longer afford that crash or to get sick at the end of every busy period.  So I have to be intentional about how I approach intense periods of work.  In order to maintain my energy and my health during the busiest times, here are some of the things I do now that I didn’t do then: 1. I prioritize sleep.  Even when there is more that I feel I should do, I know I’ll feel infinitely better (and be more productive too!) if I get a good night of sleep.  2. When I enter an unexpectedly busy period, I reassess my priorities and calendar.  Self-imposed arbitrary deadlines get pushed.  Networking events get an extra hard look and often come off my calendar. 3. I set boundaries where needed.  This includes blocking chunks of my calendar for focused work and being transparent with colleagues about when their requests will have to wait due to more urgent legal or business priorities. 4. I seek support in all aspects of my life.  At Red Cell, I am fortunate to work with a fantastic in-house legal team and great outside counsel.  Plus, at home, my husband and I pay for help around the house (laundry, yard work, meal prep, etc.).  I lean harder into those support systems, and let everyone know what’s coming, when things are especially busy. What strategies do you use to navigate especially busy periods?

I've witnessed firsthand the toll that workplace stress can take on one's well-being. In today's fast-paced world, it's all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the demands of our jobs, leading to increased tension, anxiety, and decreased productivity. 😔 But fear not! I'm here to share six actionable strategies to help you effectively manage stress in the workplace and reclaim your peace of mind. 💼✨ 1️⃣ Identify Stress Triggers: Take a moment to pinpoint what's causing your stress at work. Is it tight deadlines, challenging projects, or communication issues? Understanding the triggers is the first step to managing stress effectively. 2️⃣ Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine. Take short breaks to breathe deeply, meditate, or simply focus on the present moment. This can help calm your mind and reduce stress levels. 🧘♂️🌿 3️⃣ Set Boundaries: Learn to say no when you're feeling overwhelmed. Setting boundaries with your workload and commitments can prevent burnout and give you more control over your stress levels. 🚫⏰ 4️⃣ Prioritize Self-Care: Make self-care a priority, both inside and outside of work. Get enough sleep, eat healthily, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that bring you joy. Taking care of yourself is essential for managing stress effectively. 💪🍏 5️⃣ Seek Support: Don't hesitate to reach out for support when you need it. Talk to a trusted coworker, manager, or professional counselor about your stressors and concerns. Sometimes, sharing your feelings can lighten the load and provide valuable perspective. 🤝❤️ 6️⃣ Create a Positive Environment: Foster a positive work environment by practicing gratitude, expressing appreciation for your colleagues, and finding ways to inject fun and humor into your day. A positive mindset can help you navigate stressful situations with resilience and grace. 😊🌈 #WorkplaceWellness #StressManagement #SelfCare #TinaMarieStCyr #TinaMarieandCo #BonfireCoaching #LifeCoaching #BusinessCoaching #CareerCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching 🌟 What's one small change you can make today to reduce stress in your workplace? Share your thoughts below! 🌟

With so many pressures in today’s work environment–from tight deadlines to constant change–stress has become a normal part of everyday life. While there is good stress–the pressure that causes us to try hard and reach farther - there is also unhealthy and bad stress. Bad stress affects both our mental and emotional health and it becomes hard to focus on self-care. However, there are different ways to combat stress which can enable you to become kinder to yourself. Practice this simple pneumonic: HDWMQ - How Do Workers Maximize Quietude”: The key is to find an activity that you can do that brings stillness, calmness, or quiet into your environment or life. H) Hourly - Use a mindfulness app at the top of every hour during the workday, 1-minute visualization of a happy time in your life, 5-minute hug moment with a loved one or pet, get a laugh from a funny Instagram story,  you tube clip, or tictok. D) Daily - Take a nap, go for a walk, exercise, practice grounding, or  listen to relaxing music (I enjoy music with no words to decompress after a long workday). W) Weekly - Make time for your favorite hobby or passion (painting, crafting, sports, cooking, baking, volunteering, gardening), journaling about the aha moments, wins, and challenges from the week, go on a relaxing date with a friend, family member, or partner. Two of my favorite weekly habits are solo Friday Oysters & Champagne and weekly date nights! Tip: Never miss another date night by scheduling them on your calendar months in advance. My friends and family joke that I’m the only person they know who does this. See a pic of me enjoying a crab cake lunch at the BWI Marriott Hotel. M) Monthly - Pamper yourself to a spa day at home. Take a long shower or bath, exfoliate your skin, apply a face mask, trim your nails, refresh your hair, and massage tense muscles with some tiger balm. Q) Quarterly - Treat yourself and reflect in a new space. Go to a new area, city, state, or country to do something you enjoy with no time limits. Reflect on your last quarter and celebrate your commitment to taking time out of your day to give yourself the gift of self-care. While stress may be inevitable, you do have a choice as to how you manage it.  You do not have a choice as to WHEN bad stress arrives in your life nor can you control it from happening in the future. However, there are several self-care habits you can practice to combat stress. By treating yourself kindly, you can improve and sustain your emotional and mental health, too. Even though stress is an everyday part of life within the workforce, you can model self-care to your teams as you continue to grow as a leader. Just think, you might influence others to emulate your behavior and prevent burnout. “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~ William James

🌼 April is National Stress Awareness Month 😅 I was featured in Turner Construction Company's March #WorkLifeBalance Newsletter where I was able to share key strategies I use to help achieve some sort of equilibrium and reduce the stress in my extremely jam-packed life. Here are the main tips I recommended: ✔ Buffer Time Between Meetings: Schedule meetings for 45-50 minutes instead of a full hour to allow for smoother transitions and extra prep time (you can change this in your Outlook settings). If there is travel time involved to get to a meeting, block this off in your calendar too so nothing gets booked back-to-back. ✔ Revisit Commitments When Circumstances Change: Be transparent about your workload and priorities. Don't hesitate to delegate tasks to someone else or request more time. It is important (and okay!) to be transparent and honest in these situations. ✔ Set Clear Boundaries: Establish boundaries to maintain a healthy balance between your personal and professional time (ex: only 1 evening work event per week). Communicate these boundaries to colleagues and supervisors for mutual understanding and accountability. ✔ Empower Yourself: You own your schedule and have the power to dictate what your day looks like. You will always have options and flexibility when things are thrown your way *if you communicate properly*. Make sure to regularly assess your strategies and adjust accordingly. ✔ Maximize PTO: Utilize your paid time off to recharge and/or pursue your passions. Keep track of holidays and PTO allocations using excel or a similar tool to plan strategically throughout the year and use your days to their full potential. Don't let your value time off go to waste! Finding balance and reducing stress is an ongoing journey for me, but I actively try to keep learning and adapting. Any other tips to share? ⬇ #buildingthefuture #selfcare #reducestress #wellnessatwork #boundaries