Managing Leadership Stress

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Raising Mental Health Awareness

Leaders are often thought of as well-known and wildly successful people who seem to be the epitome of success.

This "image" allows leaders to make coherent decisions that impact businesses and organizations.

It is also because of this "image" that makes it difficult for leaders to accept and address pressing mental health issues that they could be suffering from.

** Understanding Triggers** Routines that we follow on a daily basis can lead us to a state of an "auto-pilot mode". Because of this state, we are not usually aware of the beliefs that are driving our behaviors. In order to start self-awareness, we must be aware of what triggers and puts our mental health at risk. Identifying triggers will help you gain power and control over how you respond to those triggers.

Your need for awareness

Managing Stress and Anxiety Breathe in... breathe out.

** How Stress Works** Stress occurs when we feel that pressure is greater than our ability to cope. This triggers our Fight or Flight response. This response prepares the body to react to danger... ... making us either flee away from the stressor or fight and conquer it.

How To Manage Leadership Stress Step 1. Avoid Rumination

Wake up Interrupt the pattern of letting your mind wander into thinking about past events or things that have not yet happened by standing up, clapping your hand or small movements to bring your mind present and at the moment.

Control your attention The one thing you always have control over is your attention. Consciously put your attention on things that matter most and be singularly productive.

Let go Ask yourself this question: "Will continuing to focus on this help me, my people, or my organization?" If the answer is not, learn to let go of the negative emotions that can cloud your decision-making.

Mindfulness in Your Workplace Practice begets strength.

Improved Social Relationships Employees who exercise mindfulness are therefore more likely to show greater acceptance of peers and colleagues without reactivity resulting in positive interpersonal relationships.

Enhanced Task Performance Mindfulness is associated with fewer cognitive failures (such as forgetting, distraction, and blunders), which can therefore lead to improved performance in the workplace.

Strengthened Ability to Cope Increased mindfulness is also linked to lower levels of ego-defensive reactivity under threat, and encourages objectivity, both of which help people cope with workplace changes.

Select the different benefits of practicing mindfulness in the workplace.