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June 04, 2020

How to Become the Best Leader by Learning to Manage Stress



Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but it can also hinder your productivity and interfere with your ability to be an effective leader. As a business leader, whether you are the owner of a small business or the CIO of a large company, it may seem like stress is a major component of your career with no end in sight. While it is unreasonable to expect yourself to be able to completely banish stress from your life or have complete control over it, there are certain tactics and tools you can employ to better manage it. In order to have more power over when, how, and why stress affects you, you need to implement some effective stress-management methods, starting with these 5 recommendations. 



How does stress impact your ability to lead?

Before we dive into how to manage your stress, it is important to emphasize why it should be a priority. As a leader, all eyes are on you. And often, the way you cope with stress impacts not only you, but also your team. When you carry that stress with you day in and day out, you can project that onto your team, having a major impact on the work environment and productivity levels of those around you.

In order to be an effective leader, you need to understand what your stress triggers are, how you can handle them effectively, and how to prevent that from becoming an external force that then affects the work you’re doing. You want those around you to view you as calm, cool, and collected, and as someone they can turn to when they are stressed, not be afraid to add onto your already overwhelmed plate. 

What tools and techniques are available to manage stress?

There are several tools that you can use to better manage your stress including: 

  1. Natural stress-relief with CBD: You can use one of the safe and trusted CBD pens by CBDfx to discreetly find stress-relief at any point in your work day. Within a few minutes, you will feel less anxious and more focused, so you can get back to work with your best foot forward. 
  2. Mindful meditation: It might seem impossible to find any available time in your day for meditation, but even just a few minutes can benefit you significantly. Some of the most successful people on the planet meditate—from Oprah Winfrey to Jeff Weiner—so if they can find time, so can you. Use a meditation app like Calm that lets you meditate at the office or at home or listen to an audiobook.
  3. Virtual therapy: While you might not have time to go into an office, you always have your phone on-hand so why not take advantage of virtual therapy with LifeStance. Professional psychiatrists are available to listen to you and help you find ways to identify, cope with, and eliminate stress factors in your life in a healthy and efficient manner.
  4. Daily journaling: Many leaders practice daily journaling to help them channel their stress into an easy-to-understand format. By having your thoughts down on paper, you can more comfortably explore and strengthen your ability to take control. Use a leather bound journal by Jenni Bick for a professional appearance or go digital for the utmost convenience, whatever works best for you.
  5. Stress-recovery wearables: If your stress is seemingly out of control and impacts other aspects of your health like how much sleep you get at night, you can try a stress-recovery wearable that helps restore your natural equilibrium for better health and functioning. 

You can also make some changes to your routine, like setting more time aside to unwind at the end of the day, finding ways to delegate certain aspects of your workload, and working on your mentality around stress and your life to help reduce how it impacts your day.

While stress naturally comes with leadership territory, it does not have to consume your work or personal life. Take charge of your stress management and take back your sense of peace and calm. Avoid burn out, tame stress, and become a more effective leader. Whether you choose to implement one or all of your steps, taking any action is a move in the right direction. 



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