Managing Job Stress in a Struggling Economy
Improving Productivity and Managing Extra Demands
Oct 18, 2009
In a struggling economy where unemployment is high and job roles are ever changing, there are ramifications for those whom are employed as well as unemployed. There are significant sources of added job stress that are related to job insecurity through downsizing and corporate mergers, as well as through high turnover from burnout and fatigue. The coinciding impact of layoffs and the expectations for employees to increase performance to compensate for a decreased work staff, contribute to job stress, and can become difficult to cope with and manage.
With downsizing comes an increased responsibility for many workers. Employers expect one employee to blend responsibilities and take on tasks previously managed by numerous people. This can lead to work overload, which involves having excessive demands and too much work at one time, and causes fatigue and lack of productivity due to the person perpetually being behind in schedule. Similarly, jobs with high turnover tend to lack the congruence of establishing role responsibilities from lack of new employee training. This can lead to ambiguous job expectations where the employee is unsure of responsibilities and must self-manage and deal with problems without managerial support.
Improving productivity in a time of intense job competition is one way to begin managing the increasing work load of many positions and the stress of uncertainty in job security. Changing work habits and values are ways to begin improving personal productivity and balancing work responsibilities.
Improving Personal Productivity: Procrastination
Dealing with procrastination is one area to begin improvements. Having many undone tasks and playing catch-up can make things more confusing and lowers productivity when important tasks are continually not getting done.
According to DuBrin, one technique to manage procrastination is the WFO principle, which stands for “worst in, first out.” This involves focusing and completing the more cumbersome and time consuming task first to be able to better manage the other smaller tasks that can smoothly be completed afterwards. It can also be beneficial to break tasks into manageable chunks when a starting point is not apparent. Preparing a to-do list and setting priorities helps to stay organized and cuts down on major tasks that seem overwhelming.
A very important part of changing the habit of procrastination is to decrease the rewards and pleasures that come from procrastinating, such as socializing with co-workers, or surfing the internet instead of focusing on the task at hand.
Improving Personal Productivity: Work Habits and Skills
One major principle in enhancing productivity while managing stress is the idea of “working smarter, not harder.” This relates to taking the time to plan and prepare for the implementation of a task, and deliberately focusing on enhancing strengths and working on areas of improvement. This may require changing some values and attitudes related to work habits that have been established.
For instance, valuing orderliness and cleanliness provides the means to bypass time wasted on searching for misplaced items or information. Also, making an effort to maintain good attendance and punctuality provides immediate benefits of more time and involvement in the job. This is also a way to show an employer how engaged an employee is in the job by sheer presence, which ultimately improves productivity.
Lastly, overcoming time wasters, or those filler activities that consume large amounts of time, such as checking an email countless times, playing computer games, and surfing the internet opens up extra time to enhance productivity. Being able to focus on essential work activities when necessary each day will add up in the long run.
Balancing Work and Life
Within the process of deliberately improving productivity it is important not to disregard priorities outside of the job. Being aware of work habits also means making sure not to develop workaholic habits or traits. A balance between life and work is essential for managing stress and avoiding burnout.
Dedicating time to exercise, getting plenty of rest, and having a healthy diet are invaluable when managing a stressful schedule, and maintaining time for these crucial healthy habits is essential for improving productivity. Being able to exemplify what it means to be an engaged employee who is dedicated and willing to put in the extra effort, while still having time to devote to enjoyable and healthy leisure activity, is the balance that must be achieved in coping with job stress.
Reference
DuBrin, A. J. Human Relations: Interpersonal Job-Orientated Skills. New Jersey: Pearson. 2009.
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