Posted on: Monday, February 23, 2004

AT WORK
Taking small steps now can help reduce stress over long run

By Anita Bruzzese

Whether you're the manager of three people or 300 people, the thing that triggers the most stress is often the same: too much work, too little time.

There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to attend all the meetings, fill out all the reports, listen to employee concerns and respond promptly to customers, company brass or even your own mother. You can't seem to ever return all the phone calls, and your e-mail is beyond hopeless.

But don't despair. Even the busiest executive can find a way to clean out some of the unnecessary clutter. It's a matter of taking action now that will pay off in the long run.

For example, have you ever considered changing the message on your voice mail? It probably says something like, "Hi, this is Joe. It's Wednesday, and I'm not here right now. Please leave a message."

Instead, why not get right to the heart of the matter? "Hi, this is Joe. I'm not in right now. Please leave a message telling me what you need." That way, you can find the answer, and call back. Even if the person is not there, you can always leave your answer on their voice mail if it's brief enough. It may surprise you how many "yes" or "no" answers can relieve you from the stress of telephone tag.

Or, learn to direct more callers to your staff. By showing you trust your staff, they will step up and develop more confidence in solving problems that don't really need your direct input. And customers will develop stronger relationships with other employees, giving you even more time to get at work that needs your attention.

At the same time, this will help you get an idea of which staff members are in need of little or no supervision on a daily basis. This will aid in letting you assign them bigger projects that they will oversee without your handholding. By showing your employees you respect their abilities, you boost morale and productivity while giving yourself more time to make bigger decisions.

And for those employees who you may not feel comfortable delegating tasks to, begin by asking them, "What ... " questions. This puts the ball in their court, forcing them to think in terms of problems and solutions, and not just automatically passing the buck. "What do you think we can do to speed up this process?" is much better than simply solving the problem for them.

Another pressure point for many bosses is "stewing." This is when a manager has a problem or issue, and instead of getting insight from others, tries to solve the problem by thinking about it all the time. It leads to sleepless nights, a short temper and impaired judgment.

While certain issues would not be appropriate to discuss with others, there are many other times that brainstorming with staff members can not only relieve your stress, but lead to more creative solutions. This doesn't call for a big meeting — simply huddling a few people around a desk for 10 minutes to kick around ideas can relieve a lot of anxiety and put the issue into perspective.

Perhaps one of the most common mistakes bosses make is not knowing how to start or end the day. Many successful bosses have said the smartest thing they did to relieve stress was to start the day with a ritual they enjoyed — whether it was with deep breathing exercises, enjoying (slowly) a morning cup of coffee or reading the comics.

At the same time, ending the day on a peaceful note is critical. Stopping work at a designated time (not when the work was done) helps cap off the stress. Listen to some music, do some stretching exercises or finish the crossword puzzle. Do something that shows that at the end of the day, you remembered to take care of yourself.

Anita Bruzzese is author of "Take This Job and Thrive," (Impact Publications). Write to her c/o: Business Editor, Gannett News Service, 7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22107. For a reply, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.