MANAGING STRESS WHILE AFFECTING OTHERS
By John Sawaya Tracy (Musician, Content Creator, and Manager)

“Mrs. Normand called in sick today, again. I can’t believe she abandoned us like that without sending us today’s plans for the event”… True, working in event planning could trigger many features when it comes to stress while trying to balance your workload with your life issues. But at the same time, many individuals forget that we are also human and that we still require special treatment in order to succeed. But what if this special treatment you wished you could receive from others came directly from you

1. Just whistle while you work

We’re all familiar with the Disney song and yet we forget its true meaning. Even though you might not be cleaning your own home for a living, being in your workplace should be a fun time – for everyone. Most work environments tend to be tensed and very serious. We’re working around the clock to deliver in a timely manner. We’re all acting as mature, responsible and serious individuals who use reasoning over intuition. “Acting” is the key word here. Playing is reserved for kids, not for adults. Right?

Wrong. It’s good to take your job seriously, and it’s even better to go through your day in a playful mindset. I remember in the early 2000s, PIXAR films were famous for having a playground, breaking the laws of the corporate world with their flat-based environment. They’ve figured it all out before anyone else. Play with your clients, play with your staff members, make jokes, make your boss feel appreciated, and be the person that inspires them to make the most of their day. And once this is in place, you’ll notice how your day gets lighter and lighter, then shorter and shorter. Work on achieving your goals, but also on having fun. Above all, be yourself.

2. Breathe

In a fast-paced environment, it is rather easy to forget one major element: we are human. Humans breathe. We inhale, then exhale. It’s one cycle, the cycle of life, that repeats continuously until our last moment on earth. Stress, anxiety, and worrying about numbers all collaborate in making us forget we need to breathe. This can be done throughout the day by simply thinking about it. So every time you feel tensed or start feeling muscle-twitching, center yourself, align your body and breathe deeply in a moderate yet stable rhythm. Others call it meditation, I call it breathing. No wonder free Yoga classes have seen such growth in companies lately… And even though you might be running around, there is always a way to center yourself and breathe. You can’t possibly hold your breath until the end of the day!

3. Let the App do the work

You might think I’ll start bragging about meditation apps, not really. In truth, I believe in technology when it comes to planning and project management. There are numerous online platforms that you can embed into your workplace for your team to use while preparing for a big conference for instance. Trello or even Monday could be a good fit depending on your workflow. Have you ever tried doing your groceries for a party without having a list ready? Well the same applies to your workflow. How do you expect to remember the big plan and the steps to take for your event when you can’t even remember what’s on your grocery list? Let the App do the job for you; not your scrapbook.

It will give you and your team a large view of the goal while spreading confidence throughout.

4. Assess yourself

If you are struggling with the stress of going to work, meeting deadlines and having everyone ready for a launch, it means that your “problem” is bigger than you. Your workload or the idea of work is eating you up. Whether you need to get over it, or change jobs, you get the final saying. But what I can confirm is, whenever your job becomes a big problem, assess yourself.

Ask yourself the following questions:

“Who am I”

“What am I worth”

“What is my mission”

Do you see the big picture? A challenge should not jeopardize your objectives. Reassess yourself and try to rediscover the mission you had in mind before starting this job. You’ll notice that perhaps it’s not as bad as you thought it was and that you are more than just a job.

Another approach in order to affect your team is to always remind everyone around you of the mission statement your company holds or the nature of the event you are all trying to deliver. It is rarely mentioned and people tend to forget why they’re there while concentrating on the small details. This is where using an App gets handy.

 5. It’s not real

This is a fact and you already know it. A feeling only exists when you allow it to. Once you acknowledge that, you’ll notice how you, alone, can change your perception of things. You’re surrounded by wolves who wish to see you fail, this might be their mission. Forgive them, they’ve lost touch with who they are and the reason why they took this job in the first place. They use traps to succeed because they’re incompetent. Be above these people, stick to your mission and above all, remember that your sensations are a figment of your imagination.6.

6. What is the worst thing that can happen

Last but not least, have a plan on how things could happen if you fail, or whether your fears will actually take place in the real world. Imagine all the scenarios possible on how things could go wrong just as your mind has carefully elaborated. What is the worst thing that could happen? Getting fired? To be honest, this is never a bad scenario. Getting fired means you are on fire for new adventures and greater possibilities. It’s a new start in your life, the one you’ve been longing for ever since you started working for this company. Losing a client could also mean you need to learn something new or get more knowledge in the areas where you think you have failed. But in most cases, our fears get resolved in a surprising way. And if your coworkers bail out at the last minute, it might also be a good opportunity to replace them with new talent.

Summary

Stage fright is common for performers and speakers, but it is part of the job. They need the adrenaline flow and excitement before they head out to the audience. But once this becomes a daily habit, even when outside of work, your physical and mental worlds are at stake. There are ways to control it but at the end of the day, you are the only one that can make a difference in your life while making an impact in your workplace. Find the trick that works best for you and for your team, and when everything fails, reconsider the bigger picture you had in mind.

Remember: it’s never as bad as you’ve imagined.


John is a musician, voice coach and founder of The Voice Guru channel on YouTube. His passion for learning has led him to be part of several fields such as management, education, art direction and writing. By coaching singers, and by managing a team in a unionized environment in academia, he was able to make an impact in his workplace by understanding the importance of being a true leader. Always ready for a new challenge, John has recently developed interest in video editing and communications. He believes in advancement, and every new experience is an opportunity to grow and to develop the multiple talents every single one of us holds.

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