Even the most conscientious leader can have a high level of workload stress among their team. It may not be for any other reason than that each team member is intrinsically motivated in a way that is neither balanced nor healthy. If you have attracted passionate, energetic employees who also have poor personal boundaries or self-care habits, it’s almost inevitable that workload stress is or will become an issue. Working hard is not in itself a stressor. Working hard is not bad for our mental health if we feel we:
• have clarity about what we need to do
• are working regular hours
• take regular breaks
• have the necessary equipment, tools, skills and time to meet our obligations
• don’t have too many distractions or interruptions
• are adequately recognized and compensated
• work in a safe setting where we can speak up about concerns
• are doing something that is valued by our team or organization.
Review the list above and if any of these are potentially an issue you may want to start there to collaborate on effective ways to reduce work stress.