Stress Management for Young Executives

The workplace is one of the major sources of stress for employees. Young executives find themselves with more responsibilities and less time for relaxing. Because of the global financial crisis, a lot of older employees have opted for forced retirement, and some are laid off. It is obvious that the younger ones are left with the burden of doing the job of at least two people whose positions have been scrapped.

It is alarming to see the rise in statistics of younger people getting stress-related conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, insomnia and other sleep disorders, eating disorders, ulcers, and abnormal weight loss or weight gain. They also have difficulty in maintaining harmonious relationships, and a lot of it is attributed to work related stress.

So how should young executives manage stress in the workplace and do something that will lessen and in the long run, get rid of stress for a healthier mind and body, and better relations with colleagues and family members? These simple (but often ignored) acts can make a huge difference in stress management skills if practiced regularly and consistently.

1. Greet people with a smile. On the way to his office, an executive will most likely meet his driver, the security guard, the receptionist, and his secretary, before he gets to meet his staff, clients and bosses. Why save the morning smile and greeting for the bosses? Although there is no need to greet every person, greeting a person back when he says “good morning” is a good place to start. Once it has become a habit, it will be easier to initiate and greet others who have not yet developed the habit.
2. Stop and think before talking. When we are in a discussion with our colleagues, there are times that words just slip out of our lips and we later regret it, and it becomes a cause of stress. To avoid this, it is best for executives to hold back for a few seconds and think whether it is necessary to make a remark, or if there is a need to say something in a different way to avoid conflict.
3. Take deep breaths. Stressful situations will always arise, but the way the executive responds will make a big difference. Before responding to a certain situation, it is good to take deep breaths to help clear the mind, and get rid of subjective feelings and focus on the matter at hand with an objective mind. This also helps avoid a sudden rise in blood pressure.
4. Look at the bright side. Keeping a positive outlook even at the most stressful times helps the young executive go back on track and focus on the goal. When he is side tracked because of problems and blames other people for it, the goal is set aside with the desire to escape. This will only make matters worse. Positive thinking and positive self talk will get the energy back together towards reaching the goal.
5. Get rid of negatives. Increase the positives and get rid of the negatives—blame, excuses and apathy. Replace them with responsibility, acceptance and a desire to get the job done.