I was on a meeting with my boss the other day when he said to me, “Believe it or not, as the project manager you should be more stressed out than anyone—stress is a good thing!” To which I replied in my head, “What? Since when is stress a good thing? If I am stressed out, doesn’t that mean I don’t have all the projects under control?”
I’ve always been a calm, quiet person, and when I’m stressed, I don’t typically run around flailing my arms, yelling obscenities, and sweating from head to toe. My stress episodes usually involve getting even quieter, until I feel the tears coming and retreat to my car to scream and vent to my mom for an hour. Now that I think of it—sort of reminds me of my first day of Kindergarten. Anyway, because of this I’m pretty sure my boss thinks he needs to do anything it takes to make me more visibly “stressed out,” but I refuse to give in. Here’s some tactics I’ve been using lately that have kept me from pulling a Scarface in Half Baked:
1. Take a break: Whether it’s walk outside or reading the news online, taking your mind off of the stressful situation helps. I prefer walking outside and getting some fresh air—it’s an instant relief.
2. Think before you say anything: Under stress it can be easy to blurt out whatever is on your mind. Ten minutes later, telling your boss, “I did not get a degree in picking up sandwiches!” will not seem like the best idea.
3. Delegate: Don’t be afraid to ask for help—trying to juggle all of the tasks yourself will make you more stressed and less productive.
4. Exercise: Honestly, this is the best stress-reliever. Whether it’s going to the gym or taking a walk or run outside, it will clear your mind and blow off steam.
5. Clear your desk and desktop: As the saying goes, “A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind.” When your desk and computer are in disarray and you’re constantly searching for lost papers and files, it can be even more stressful. Make a folder that says “to file” on your desktop and put all of the scattered files in there for later organizing. And even if it takes sacrificing a lunch break, file all of your papers.
