Stress has it’s pros and cons. It keeps us busy, motivated, alert. It can also get in the way of progress. Allowing stress to run wild poses a risk to your mental health, physical health, personal relationships and job performance. Stress management tools are some of the most valuable skills a person can have. As workplaces get increasingly hectic, learning how to identify and control individual stressors is crucial to longterm success.
Fast Company spoke with a handful of business leaders about the tactics they employ to make the most of their job stress. Agency cofounder, Aaron Harvey, weighed in:
Harvey has had to overcome being, in his own words, ‘a giant ball of anxiety.’ After acknowledging that he is a less effective leader when he’s stressed, Harvey set out to explore tactics that could help him better manage his emotions.
He explains that he had a habit of leaving work to the last minute, and his procrastination had gradually become a major source of stress. “I eventually realized that I’m not really waiting until the last minute, I’m always thinking about it and chipping away at it, and when I sit down to do it with a compressed time frame, it actually works really well for me,” he said. “Now I no longer stress that I’m doing that, I honor that that’s how I work best, that’s who I am, and I accept it.”
Harvey explains that people often feel stressed when their instincts don’t align with how they feel they should behave, adding that gaining a deeper understanding and acceptance of the self can be helpful in overcoming unnecessary stresses.