Juggling demanding schedules, managing a mountain of tasks, and anticipating your executive's every need – it's no secret that being an executive assistant is a pressure cooker.
Deadlines loom, email notifications ping incessantly, and I know that at least one of you has looked at your phone and shouted at it to JUST GO AWAY (or is that just me?).
Your job is to take away the stress from someone else, but that doesn´t mean you should allow yourself to be overwhelmed by it. You´re not a Navy Seal, and none of you signed up to have your adrenaline levels on a constant cliff edge. The constant stress that comes with this role can take a toll on anyone's well-being, impacting health, productivity, and overall happiness. The good news? You don't have to become a stress casualty.
This guide equips you with proven techniques to manage stress effectively, reclaim your calm, and thrive as an executive assistant.
Identifying Your Stressors:
Before tackling the solution, let's acknowledge the problem. What for you may be a walk in the park, for someone else might be overwhelming. The first step is recognizing your personal stress triggers and symptoms. Do deadlines send your heart racing, or do you thrive on the sense of urgency? Does multitasking leave you feeling scattered, or do you work best when you can spread your attention? Do constant interruptions cause frustration or are you someone who loves to have their day broken up (I literally cannot imagine anyone that this is true for, but research appears to suggest that you do exist!)? The key is to figure out what provokes stress in YOU, and then find solutions to combat it.
Pay attention to your body and mind. Common stress signs include fatigue, headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and changes in sleep patterns. Unfortunately, the symptoms of stress do not simply stop the minute you walk out of the office or close your laptop for the day. Recognizing these early signals empowers you to intervene before stress spirals out of control and starts to affect your everyday life. Online stress assessment tools can offer valuable insights into your triggers (although I personally find them to be quite stress inducing which seems to somewhat defeat the purpose) but the important thing is to take the time to pinpoint what elevates you from busy, to stressed, to overwhelmed.
Proven Techniques for Managing Stress:
Time Management and Organization
I know, you´ve heard it a million times, but that doesn´t stop it from being true. Feeling overwhelmed often stems from feeling disorganized and as though you are losing control of your time and responsibilities. One way to help combat this is by prioritizing what needs doing each day. Think about what needs doing daily, then weekly, then ad hoc. Make sure that your daily tasks are done first, in order of priority, then weekly etc etc. The quickest way to feel stressed is to know you have a task overdue, so try to avoid leaving it down to the wire. Remember, realistic deadlines are your friend. Don't be afraid to delegate tasks when possible and set boundaries with colleagues to avoid feeling overloaded. Remember, you can't do it all – and you shouldn't have to!
There are huge numbers of tools and apps that can help with this, so look for anything that might help you with your particular work nemesis and make it work for you. Remember, some of these tools are now so advanced that it can be like having your own assistant, so use them in full.
Communication is Key
Clear communication is key to managing expectations and workload. It isn´t your job to say yes to everything, and no one will thank you for taking on a million jobs if you can´t complete any of them properly. Talk openly with your executive about priorities and deadlines, and don´t be afraid to raise the concern about who can (and more importantly can´t!) delegate work to you. It can be intimidating to say no in any work setting, but it´s important to keep in mind who you´re directly reporting to. Whilst the accounting department may love you for taking on the planning of their monthly meeting, it doesn´t help you if your executive hasn´t had his travel booked.
Don't be afraid to voice your concerns and offer suggestions. Mastering assertive communication empowers you to say "no" gracefully when overloaded and set boundaries to prevent burnout. Remember, the key is to be proactive and not reactive. Being clear about what can and cannot be achieved allows you, and everyone else to have clear expectations and leads to a less stressful work environment for everyone.
Build Support Systems
Building a strong support network is crucial for navigating stressful situations. Not only do strong relationships in the workplace help to create a sense of camaraderie, but they create a valuable network of colleagues and friends that can help you during particularly stressful moments. Connect with colleagues who understand your unique role and challenges. Seek mentorship from experienced professionals in your field. Consider joining professional organizations to connect with peers and access valuable resources. If someone has a proven way of making a particular task easier, then ask them for advice. There is nothing to be gained by being too proud to ask for help. Acknowledge where your skillset is lacking and look to develop your skills. Your confidence will skyrocket as will your ability to manage your workload proactively.
Develop Resilience
A certain level of stress comes with the territory and no amount of task management, to-do lists or yoga is going to get rid of it. Whilst I don´t advocate for the idea of becoming heartless (actually I´m not sure that I know that it´s possible) it´s crucial to be able to compartmentalise your feelings. It´s certainly not an easy thing to do, but it´s important to be able to place things in perspective and know what is and isn´t important. Learn from your mistakes, sure, but don´t allow a single error to dictate how you feel about your ability to do your job.
Conclusion
Managing stress as an executive assistant is an ongoing journey, not a one-time destination. Experiment with different techniques, find what works best for you, and don't be afraid to adjust your approach as needed. Remember, prioritizing your well-being is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength and self-awareness. The first step to being able to manage your stress is by acknowledging it, and then you can go some way towards taking control of it.
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