The Professional’s Guide to Lowering Stress and Reaching Goals

The Professional’s Guide to Lowering Stress and Reaching Goals. The drive to achieve can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, high-achieving individuals are inclined to make things happen, push boundaries, and drive innovation. On the other, they also tend to hold themselves to impossibly high standards. Perfectionism has its role in the workplace, but it has to be balanced with a healthy dose of grace. Press Informant strives to bring you the best business news and advice, so we’ve created this guide for how to lower your stress and reach your professional goals:

Tackle The Big Stuff First

When it comes to finishing your to-do list, your impulse might be to knock out all the easiest tasks you can for that checkmark-induced rush. However, tackling the hardest or most stressful tasks first is a much better approach. This is because, generally speaking, your hardest task is actually several smaller tasks. Moreover, big tasks often make the rest of your job easier.

 

Say you’re starting a business. It might feel easier and more creatively satisfying to scout locations or dream up your logo, but it’s wiser to start with forming an LLC. Although this process can involve a little bit of red tape, it makes running a business easier and safer. Knowing your personal finances are separated from your business finances empowers the choices you’ll make later. Get a strong start so you can tackle the rest with confidence.

 

Approach Time With an Abundance Mindset

Perfectionists also tend to be overworked. More often than not, this comes down to looking at time with a scarcity mindset. It can easily feel like there’s never enough time to do anything, or that you’re always fighting a losing battle against the clock. Thinking of time as a scarce resource, however, only hurts you. After all, the way you feel about how much time you have doesn’t give you more time or take it away. However, it can make you use the time you have less effectively.

Instead, try to think of time as an abundant resource. This isn’t about working slower, it’s about trusting that you’re capable of setting an appropriate pace. More importantly, it allows you to let go of that clock-watching anxiety. Yes, there will be deadlines, and yes, many of them will be tight. There’s no avoiding this. Generally speaking, however, you should practice trusting that you have time to do your job without breaking a sweat.

 

Learn to Learn From Failure

 

Mistakes and failure can be one of the most trying events for perfectionists. When we hold ourselves to high standards, something like closing down a business or losing an account can feel earth-shattering. However, these moments always have something to teach us.

 

For example, you might be able to go into your next business venture with a better sense of how to succeed. A lost account might help you learn how to better handle client demands in the future. Focus on what lessons you can learn instead of beating yourself up for not being perfect.

Commit to Downtime

Finally, build plenty of true downtime into your schedule. Commit to being off the clock by turning off email notifications and avoiding the “one more thing” mentality after you’ve gone home. You deserve a break. Without it, you’re substantially more likely to fall victim to burnout. The stress of being always on can make you hate your job, and lead to less productivity down the line. Time off boosts creativity and energy and gives you the tools to succeed.

Keeping stress low as a professional can be a serious challenge, but it’s well worth it. When anxiety overwhelms you, you’re a lot less likely to succeed in your career. Keeping your stress levels manageable empowers you to meet your full potential.

Turn to Press Informant for the latest news in business, entertainment, health, and more.

 

Photo Credit: Pexels