Seven pieces of advice on handling managerial stress

Being a manager involves numerous stressful situations and troublesome interactions, plus frequently facing short deadlines. So it is no wonder managers often find themselves overwhelmed with work duties. Here are seven pieces of advice on how to handle stress and prevent it overwhelming you in your management position.

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These tips were published by the INSEAD Knowledge website.

Define priorities

First of all you must define your priorities. Even a manager cannot fight all evil and solve every problem. Define a few targets you want to achieve and focus on them.

Delegate work

One of the most important tasks of a manager is to learn effective delegation of work, ideally so you are never overwhelmed with tasks.

Plan relaxation

When planning your own work activities and those of your team, remember to plan active rest, pauses and relaxation for yourself too.

Don't be afraid to say no

Many managers are thankful for being where they are and it is hard for them to say no to their superiors. But a good manager who wants to work in a sustainable way must learn how to do this.

Don't take work home

Separate work from your personal life. Don't take work home, and don't allow work-related issues to stress you out or have a negative impact on your personal life.

Don't stress over what you can't influence

Come to terms with the fact that some things simply cannot be predicted, planned or influenced. And don't stress over the fact that some things just happen differently to how you would want them to, without your being able to do anything about it.

Exercise

Physical activity plays a key role in handling stress. Don't underestimate exercise, and occasionally do at least a little sport.



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Article source INSEAD Knowledge - INSEAD Business School knowledge portal
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