One of the key strategies I employ is prioritizing tasks. By carefully assessing the importance and urgency of each task, I am able to create a clear roadmap for my workday. This allows me to focus on the most critical tasks first, ensuring that I am making progress on the most pressing matters. By prioritizing tasks, I am able to avoid feeling overwhelmed and can approach my work in a more organized and systematic manner.

I've found that the Eisenhower Matrix is a highly effective tool for prioritizing tasks and reducing work-related stress. One of my clients, a busy marketing executive, was struggling with constant feelings of overwhelm. I introduced her to the Eisenhower Matrix and helped her sort her tasks accordingly. She quickly realized that she was spending too much time on urgent but unimportant tasks, like responding to every email immediately, at the expense of crucial projects. By focusing on the important and urgent quadrant first, then scheduling time for important but not urgent tasks, she was able to take control of her workload.

I have been teaching stress release methods to the executives for 20 years. Important and Urgent (Do First): These jobs must be completed right away. Take care of them right away. Schedule: Important but Not Urgent: These chores help achieve long-term objectives. Make time in your schedule for them. Important but Not Urgent (Delegate): If at all possible, assign these responsibilities to others. Not Important and Not Urgent (Eliminate): You might want to consider delaying or removing these tasks.

By involving others in the decision-making process, I am able to gather different perspectives and insights that can help me make more informed choices. This not only reduces the pressure of making decisions on my own but also fosters a collaborative work environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

I worked with an entrepreneur who struggled with this issue. She would put off important decisions about her business strategy, always waiting for the "perfect" moment or more information. As a result, she felt constantly behind and stressed about her company's future. To help her overcome this challenge, we reframed perfectionism as a spectrum. Instead of aiming for perfect decisions, we focused on making "good enough" choices based on the available information. We also set realistic deadlines for each decision, creating a sense of urgency without overwhelming pressure. This approach helped my client take action more consistently. She began to see decisions as iterative rather than final, which reduced her fear of making the wrong choice.

By taking the time to assess your choices and their outcomes, you can identify patterns and behaviours that may be contributing to your stress levels. Reflecting on your decision-making process can also help you identify areas for improvement and make more informed choices in the future. Ask yourself below questions What decisions do I struggle with the most at work? How do these decisions impact my stress levels? Are there patterns in my decision-making process that contribute to my stress? Regular reflection allows you to gain insight into your decision-making patterns and behaviours, helping you make more deliberate choices that align with your goals and values.

Instead of getting overwhelmed by rigid plans or fixed expectations, I have learned to adapt and adjust my approach as needed. This flexibility allows me to navigate unexpected challenges and changes with ease, ultimately reducing stress levels. By staying flexible, I am able to approach work situations with an open mind and a willingness to embrace new ideas or alternative solutions. This mindset not only helps me make better decisions but also enables me to handle stressful situations more effectively.