The biggest causes of holiday work stress and how to handle it

The biggest causes of holiday work stress and how to handle itThe biggest causes of holiday work stress and how to handle itWith Thanksgiving already around the corner, the holidays are the perfect time to relax, see family and friends, and indulge in all your favorite treats - but that doesnt always make for smooth sailing at work.Staffing firm Accountempsrecently released data showing that for 32% of American workers, managing holiday and work commitments is the top office-related stressor this season.So the holidays dont do wonders for everyones mood. While 51% of respondents reported that theyre happier in the office when the holidays come around, 35% said their stress surges there at that time, according to the news release.Researchers surveyed more than 2,700 employees employed in 27 major cities in the U.S. Here are some of the findings, and what can be done to ease stress around the holidays.Heres how American employees feel during the holidaysRespondents said the most stres sful elements of working during such a festive time included returning from leisure time to a lot of assignments - plus the lack of employees to pick up the slack.Accountemps also rankedmajor U.S. cities in terms of how cheerful and how stressed out their workforces are during the holidays.San Francisco came in first as the happiest, with New York in second place and San Diego in third place. Cleveland and Philadelphia were the least happy, tied in twenty-sixth place.Pittsburgh welches the most stressed, with Philadelphia in second place, and both Cleveland and Salt Lake City tied for third place. San Francisco was the least stressed, in twenty-seventh place.Heres how workers and employers can make it throughBeing strategic can go a long way.Give employees a leg to stand onDont stretch workers too thin - give them options and bring in extra support.Michael Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps, commented on the research in a statement showing how employers can help.Between p rofessional responsibilities and rolleal commitments, its all too easy for employees to become overwhelmed during the holiday season. Managers can support their teams by allowing more flexible schedules and bringing in temporary staff to assist with year-end projects. Workers should take time off to enjoy the season with family and friends and avoid burnout that could carry over into the new year, he said.Walk it offThis could help during the holiday season as well.Albert Ray, M.D., of Kaiser Permanente Southern California, writes on the Society for Human Resource Managements website about how workers and companies can use exercise to combat stress.Sticking to a regular exercise program of brisk walking can boost a persons immune system. Even low levels of aerobic exercise help. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week is effective. Managers can add walking breaks or other exercise to meeting agendas. Scheduling 15-minute walking breaks during long meetings helps reduce str ess that might have built up. Employees typically come back refreshed and ready to work, he writes.Get organizedThe Accountemps research news release featured a suggestion about getting organized during the holiday season.Make a list and check it twice. Before leaving work, write down top priorities to accomplish the next day. Keep a separate list for personal to-dos. This will help you manage priorities, improve productivity and reduce stress during the holidays, it says.

The 4 Lessons You Learn From Leaving Work at 5 PM - The Muse

The 4 Lessons You Learn From Leaving Work at 5 PM - The MuseThe 4 Lessons You Learn From Leaving Work at 5 PM In previous jobs Ive held, I welches conditioned to think that leaving right at 5 PM welches a thing of the past. It just wasnt something people did anymora, so I stayed later, even on days when Id finished my work and was only running out the clock. But then I started working at my current day job and noticed plenty of people leave at (or around) that time on a regular basis. As foreign as it felt to me, I wanted to try it- just for a week, just to see if I could actually do it without getting behind.So I did, and heres what I learned1. I Needed to Be Intentional About Leaving Work at 5 PMAfter working late for the majority of my entire career, it quickly became apparent that unless I made it a point to leave at 5 PM on the dot, nobody would do it for me. Nobody would come to my desk and say, Rich, close your laptop. Its time to go home nowSo, that meant Id have to force mys elf to make it happen. For starters, I added a recurring block of time to my calendar every day at 5 PM, which I called Go home because you can. Not only did I have that alert on my calendar, I had a handful of other notifications set up that went off right at 5 PM and more or less made me feel like staying any later would mean I was breaking the rules. Since its nobody elses job to tell you to get out, you have to take matters into your own hands whether thats a Google calendar alert, a sticky note on your monitor, or even asking a friend to text you at 445 PM that its time to start wrapping up. Be creative and find something that works for you. 2. I Had to Get More Done During the DayWhen I finally got used to the idea that Id leave my desk at 5 PM, I looked at my calendar and thought, Wow, that is not a lot of time to get everything done. I quickly realized that I needed to maximize the time that I would be in the office. That meant taking fewer coffee breaks, cutting a couple of casual conversations short, and focusing harder on getting my work done. This extra push was a bigger adjustment than I thought it would be, but when leaving time did roll around, I left work feeling pretty good about how productive Id been in less time than usual. If you currently have trouble focusing during the day for long periods of time, consider trying out a few different strategies, such as Pomodoro Technique or finding your golden hours. 3. I Enjoyed My Additional Free Time More Than I Thought I WouldIts easy to think that youre doing just fine, even if youre staying at work late on a regular basis. You might not be tired, you might even love your work, but when you give yourself the flexibility to leave your desk on time when youre able to, youll realize how nice it is to have an another hour or two each evening for yourself. The additional time allowed me to spend more time catching up with my wife after work (instead of immediately plopping myself down on the couch and binge-watching an awful reality show). And because I had more of this quality time with my wife, I felt way less guilty about training for an upcoming half marathon on the weekends. And on a couple occasions, I was even able to catch up on one of my favorite, if not nerdy, pastimes browsing the stacks at my local comic book store. 4. I Realized the World Wont Come Crashing Down if I Leave Something for TomorrowHeres a lesson thats hard to learn until you start leaving your desk at the saatkorn time every night. While I didnt purposely miss deadlines because I needed to leave at 5 PM, I did take a harder look at my to-do list. And I realized I have an awful habit of obsessing over getting to inbox zero. The problem with doing this, especially near the end of the day, is that youll never get there. There will always be more messages coming in- but few, if any, that require my immediate response. In fact, a lot of the emails I read late at night literally said, This can wait until the morning. The truth is that few things are as urgent as we make them. Im not saying to put off everything until tomorrow, but know when youre just getting ahead for the sheer sake of getting ahead.Leaving work at 5 PM is admittedly very strange to me. So strange, in fact, that after leaving at that time every day for a week, I fell back into some old habits. Sure, sometimes it was necessary to stay a little later to meet a deadline, but other times Id get caught up in tasks or conversations that really could have waited until the following morning. And even though Im not perfect at leaving on the earlier side, walking out the door at the same time every day for an entire week has made me think more closely about how long I spend sitting at my desk. And the fact Im more aware of that in general is as good of a start as I could really could ask for.

5 Habits to Adopt to Get Promoted

5 Habits to Adopt to Get Promoted5 Habits to Adopt to Get Promoted3When you think about your career for the long term, where do you envision yourself in the next, say, two years? What about five years? 10 years? Do you have a plan to get where you want to be? What about the company you are at? Do you love where you are working and embrace the culture or corporate mission? Lots of times when I talk with clients, they have a clear desire to climb the ladder at their current company but are unkoranvers of how to get there and what steps to take. Here are five habits you should adopt in order to get promoted in your current job and throughout your career.When someone receives steady promotions, its because they already know what it takes to advance their career. You know these people- the ones who seem to keep moving up the corporate ladder while you sit and wonder why you keep staying put. In an article on LinkedIn, Marillyn Hewson, chairman, president, and CEO of Lockheed Martin, share s from her experience in 5 Habits That Can Lead to a Promotion.True, there are advantages to staying with a company and working your way up the ladder, but these habits will be good ones to develop no matter where you are working in the next decade or so.Here are some ways to be noticed and help get yourself promotedLook for ways to solve problems on the job.Anticipating, identifying, and creatively addressing issues shows leadership potential. You can share your suggestions and let your boss decide what to do with them even if your ideas go unused, your efforts will be noticed.Say YES to challenging assignments.Meeting those challenges gives you more opportunities. They may be way out of your comfort zone, but it will show your ease of adapting and prove that you are ready to accept any challenge the company is going to throw your way. Being willing to stretch confirms your dedication and flexibility.Keep track of your results.When theres a hard number to point to, it should be on your resume. Recording the evidence of your efforts validates your work experience when applying for another position. I encourage my clients to do this. Its important to keep track of your successes as you complete them. When you are in an interview with your boss, or for another position, they will want to know these results. Write them down and review them every six months.What are your companys leadership values?Look for ways to develop those qualities. Focus on your leadership experience including what you do to help, promote, and encourage others.Success is a team sport.Every leader is parte of a group that works together for a greater good. Work on making your workplace a better place to work and your efforts will be appreciated. As the old saying goes, There is no I in TEAM, so make sure to pass out the kudos where deserved.Your colleagues will appreciate your support and it will help meld your group into a cohesive team.You hold your future success in the palm of your hand. If you want to be promoted and lead, then start leading now. Your promotion will follow. And if youre pretty sure a promotion in your current job isnt in the cards, be sure to check out the latest flexible job listings to find your next great opportunityReaders, what tips do you have to get noticed and get promoted? Share with us in the comment section belowErin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, BS/HR, is a certified professional resume writer/career consultant andthe president ofProfessional Resume Services. She is anationally published writer and contributor of 14 best-sellingcareer books. She has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations of the prestigiousT.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award. members receive a special discount on Professional Resume Services