Business Manager Stress: Characteristics And How To Manage It

As you move up the organizational chart, it is more common to find positions of responsibility that, beyond the hours dedicated to working, also must adapt to all types of changing situations.

The power of having more things to decide about is a double-edged sword: it gives more room for maneuver, but at the same time, it can trigger a lot of stress. This is precisely what I will talk about in this article: stress management by company managers

Sources of stress in the daily life of the company manager

It is evident that there is great variability in the tasks carried out by company managers; However, in general terms it is possible to identify several common sources of stress in the daily lives of these senior officials Let’s see which are the most important.

1. Changes in the economic sector in which the organization is inserted

The great changes that occur from time to time in the economic field make facing high levels of uncertainty an intrinsic characteristic of a manager’s job. The responsibility of taking the helm when navigating this coming and going of information that is difficult to interpret falls largely on CEOs, department heads, etc.

Furthermore, as the economy increasingly depends on what happens in the digital world and in the financial markets, it has reached an extreme where major economic paradigm shifts can literally arrive in a couple of days And in the face of uncertainty, it is easy for anxiety and stress to arise.

2. Bad habits when delegating

Poor time management and mistrust (in turn, enhanced by stress and anxiety generated by work) are two of the most important ingredients that lead managers to adopt an incorrect way of delegating tasks to their subordinates. This way gives way to a vicious circle of stress

3. Lack of separation between personal life and professional life

Among managers, the problem of not knowing how to “disengage” their attention from their work is very common.

Nowadays, with the preponderance of laptops, Wi-Fi and smartphones, it is even harder to resist the temptation to use free time to get work done or to do extra supervision

Of course, in the medium and long term this is psychologically draining if not done in moderation, causing fatigue or even insomnia problems. When we feel weak, we are much more prone to stress, since our body begins to “burn” energy less efficiently.

4. Bad communication flows

The lack of information at key moments, errors caused by avoidable misunderstandings and even mistrust caused by lack of communication make up a source of stress that remains constantly active.

5. Conflict management

Wherever there is an organization, there are interests that partially coincide, as well as clashes of interests Therefore, it is not uncommon for conflicts to arise, formation of “sides”, intrigues…

Managers are forced to position themselves in the face of these types of conflict scenarios, as well as to apply measures that resolve them in one direction or another. This produces stress in two ways: through strategic implications (whether a measure has worked or not) and moral implications (whether there are reasons to feel guilty or not).

Psychological advice for managers

These are some recommendations to follow for those who have a very responsible position in a company (CEOs, middle managers and senior executives in general) and want to develop protective habits against the negative effects of stress.

1. Learn to accept discomfort

To manage stress and anxiety, it is important not to try to “block” the feelings they produce, since that would mean giving them more power over yourself.

Rather than trying to suppress these sensations in one’s own consciousness, it is better to accept that they exist , and at the same time not giving them more importance than they have in the here and now, focusing attention on more stimulating aspects. Psychological resources such as Mindfulness exercises help to achieve this.

2. Create clear schedules in your personal life

Many managers live their personal lives basically as a context in which to rest when work allows it.

This leads to some disorganization : the fact that company bosses and senior officials in general take away leisure time to dedicate to their profession is due, among other things, to the fact that their daily lives beyond the office lack structure, which makes it very tempting to dedicate on the computer for a while.

Against this, it is usually positive to establish a schedule with leisure and rest activities to do outside of working hours.

3. Assume that communication does not equal wasted time

In the business world, complaints are frequent about meetings considered “useless”, held only to comply with protocols that only make sense on paper. In reaction to this, Some senior officials fall into the trap of associating moments of communication with purely protocol events , that is, image; this is a mistake.

If a meeting dynamic does not make sense, the solution is to introduce the necessary modifications; Likewise, we must not forget the fact that on many occasions the most valuable exchanges of information occur spontaneously, in informal communication.

It is advisable stay close so that information flows do not encounter barriers before reaching decision centers of the company; This avoids a lot of frustration.

4. Create comfortable workspaces

Stress is a highly contagious psychological phenomenon; Where there are stressed people, there is a core of bad work environment that spreads through bad mood, tendency to irritability, avoidance of facing problems, etc. Sometimes what fails are the people, but in many others, what fails is the way in which they relate and coordinate, or directly the physical space in which your work takes place

Are you looking for professional assistance?

If you hold a position of high responsibility in an organization and you notice that it is difficult for you to manage stress in your professional role, I invite you to contact me

I am a psychologist with many years of experience in supporting individuals and companies and I base my work on the cognitive-behavioral model, one of the most effective and adaptable; Throughout a process of psychotherapy and coaching, I help people gain autonomy when it comes to modulating emotions and efficiently dealing with sources of anxiety and stress, among other goals. You can see more information about my in-person and online services on this page.