Stress Management Or Time Management? Discover What you Really Need
Many people who suffer stress at work look for stress management training when, in fact, they need time management training.
People feel stressed when the load imposed upon them is greater than they can bear.
Excessive load on their mind and body is experienced as stress.
So, they seek stress counselling, but the root cause of their stress is a failure of time management.
Time Management
In management, there are three fundamental errors:
1. There is too much to do.
2. Doing too much.
3. Doing the wrong things.
In situations where people have too much to do, are doing too much, or are doing the wrong things, the solution is prioritisation.
Prioritisation is the answer to stress.
Prioritisation is the art of putting things in the right order.
There are three ways to prioritise tasks:
1. By value - the value can be determined by the consequences if the task is not done.
2. Deadline pressure - some things are urgent, others are not, so we do the urgent things first, even if they are difficult.
3. Logical sequence - some things must be done before others. For example, you must put your socks on before your shoes. You put the bolt on after the washer. If you do the right things in the wrong order, then it's wrong and has to be redone.
Procrastination Causes Stress
Another feature of people who are stressed is that they are commonly procrastinators.
Procrastinators put off doing the things they don't want to do.
When things are put off, the job doesn't disappear; it simply goes rotten.
When they return to the rotten job, they feel stressed because it's late, it's in a bad state, and the deadline is up.
Then they complain they are stressed and blame the work they procrastinated on for months.
It's not stress being imposed; it's that people create the conditions that put them under stress by procrastinating and not correctly prioritising their tasks.
The solution to stress management is often to improve time management skills and to stop procrastinating.
Learn to prioritise. (use this FREE Tool to Prioritise your work https://corporatecoachgroup.com/decision-making/by-priority)
Learn NOT to procrastinate.
And your stress will frequently disappear.
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in Stress Management
-
The Eight Minute Holiday: Stress Management System
Experience tranquillity without waiting for holidays through the "8-Minute Holiday" stress management system, transforming downtime into moments of serenity within your workday.
Read Article > -
How to Handle Stress
Not all stress is bad for you. Stress can be good for you. It depends on what kind of stress it is; and how you deal with it.
Read Article > -
Stress Management or Time Management? Discover What You Really Need
Feeling stressed at work? It might not be stress management you need, but better time management! Discover how prioritising tasks and avoiding procrastination can reduce stress and improve productivity.
Read Article > -
Coping With Stress
Stress cannot be avoided, so learn how to handle stress by keeping your different experiences in distinct and separate compartments.
Read Article >
Looking for Leadership and Management Training?
If you're looking to develop your Stress Management Skills, you may find this Leadership and Management Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 4 days, Birmingham, places available