How to Reduce Stress Personally and Professionally

The heat is on! July 2023 officially became the hottest month of the year since records have been kept, and some scientists say it was likely the hottest in 120,000 years! And, our backyard here in Phoenix, Arizona has the dubious distinction of achieving the highest average monthly temperature of 102.7 during the same month. Yes, we know it’s a dry heat, but so is an oven! 

Do you know what else may be heating up? Your projects. We are well into the back half of the year when deadlines are looming, financial results are getting locked in, and your projects may not be where they need to be. The resulting stress and anxiety may be hard to manage, and it can start affecting your professional and personal life.  

How can you manage this stress? Consider the following suggestions that pair stress management techniques for your professional career with those for your personal life. 

Professional Stress Management 

Start with managing job stress by: 

• Managing Your Time - “There’s just not enough time in the day,” says everyone. That’s true, but there is also a lot of time each day, week, and month. Are you optimizing the time that is available and jealously guarding it? For example, starting work 20-30 minutes late each morning or taking undue time to talk with co-workers can all burn into the time you have available to get things done. 
• Delegating Responsibility - Yes, we know that nobody can do your job as well as you, but, if you are a PMO or Project Management leader, a big part of the job is delegating tasks to others. Identify activities on your plate that others, with a little bit of guidance and training, can perform. Everybody wins in this scenario. You free up more time, reduce stress, and someone learns new skills. 
• Managing Risks - Much stress is caused by the feeling that something might go wrong, or having to deal with the consequences of what has gone wrong. Having a robust risk management plan in place for projects will substantially reduce this anxiety. Monitoring risks, and reviewing mitigation plans with executive leadership and project sponsors will reduce anxiety. 

Personal Stress Management 

Then, implement these stress management techniques into your personal life. 

• Regular Exercise - “Who has time to exercise?” you may ask. You should, after you’ve implemented the professional management suggestions above. Even a 15-30 minute walk each day greatly reduces stress levels.  The benefits to mental and physical health are profound, and the endorphins, dopamine, and other chemicals released during exercise will greatly enhance your mood. 
• Sufficient Sleep - Getting sufficient sleep allows the body to rejuvenate itself. It helps to improve cognitive functions, physical performance, heart health, and yes, stress reduction. Studies show that 7 to 9 hours of sleep are what most adults need to gain these benefits. The trick? Not doing that “one more thing”, or watching that “one more show”, or scrolling through “one more video” that carves into your sleep time. 
• Limit Caffeine and Alcohol - Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant. If you regularly consume both, think about the roller-coaster ride you are putting your body through! It’s hard to go cold-turkey with both but give it a shot. You’ll probably end up with a light-to-moderate headache for about a week as you wean off of caffeine, and cutting out alcohol will make you feel better immediately. The benefits are better sleep, more time to exercise, and increased energy and clarity of mind for your professional life. 

Managing stress is not rocket science, and we’ve heard the above suggestions for years. Try some, or all of the above, to take some heat off of you and your projects, and reduce stress and anxiety at the same time.  

Now, if it would only rain!