Stress gets to us all.
Whether it’s work or home-related; it can leave us feeling drained, tired, stuck and unable to move forward.
To succeed in both your Veterinary business and life generally, you need to learn both how to minimise the likelihood of being affected by stress AND how you deal with the effects of stress if you get it.
Take the pressure off yourself, you’ll minimise the stress in your life, and learn to enjoy the now again
Five Easy Steps To Minimise The Stress in your Life
1. Learn to say “No!”
This can be a big hurdle to overcome for most of us. We are taught from an early age the need to be polite and as helpful as we can be, but this doesn’t do our stress levels any good. If you really don’t want to do something – say no!
If it doesn’t feel ‘right’, if part of your body is giving you negative signals, then that’s a sure sign that NO is right!
BTW – it took me a LONG time to learn this one.
If however, the thought of saying “No” to your nearest and dearest totally stresses you out, then start by teaching yourself to pause before you answer. You can then use this brief pause to think and feel if you really want to give a yes or no response… if you don’t know, simply say you cannot give an answer just yet, and you’ll get back to them.
2. Stop multitasking!
I’ve been BANGING ON about this one for over 12 years now…..
Remember the tortoise and hare? Slow and steady will win the day. Women especially are seen to be brilliant at multitasking, but juggling several things at once can really lead you towards a higher level of stress. Multi-tasking is a myth for men AND women.
If you find yourself trying to complete several tasks at once, then slow down and take a minute to pause. Is your heart racing? Are you holding your breath? Take a deep breath in and let it slowly go.
Now look at your ‘To Do’ list and prioritise your tasks. Work through it methodically and enjoy what you’re doing… not just the end results.
3. Listen to your body
Following on from the point above, learn to listen and take notice of what your body is telling you. Take the time to breathe, calm and compose yourself.
Is your body crying out for a rest? Take regular breaks from long tasks as well as in between smaller tasks.
If you feel the need to take a catnap, then have one and lose the guilt over it. Taking a break is the quickest way to feel rejuvenated.
Even better – get out in the fresh air!
If you can’t remember the last time you had a lunch break then schedule one! Just because you are busy at work, doesn’t mean you can’t have regular breaks and if you don’t then in the long term you’ll suffer.
4. Live in the now
Learn to stay present in the now. Are you constantly beating yourself over the head because you made a mistake yesterday?
How about last week or last year? The fact is that the past is gone and you cannot change it anyway.
Or maybe your eyes are firmly fixed on the big end goal? It’s easy to be seduced by your dream of what’s to come. Having a dream is great for motivation if it’s used properly but you also need to learn to appreciate the journey along the way too.
For me (and many vets who I have met along the way) it took mindfulness training, reading and meditation to learn to live in the now.
5. Lower your expectations
Lowering your expectations doesn’t mean you can’t aim high and, as per the quote by Norman Vincent Peale: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you may just land amongst the stars.”
But if you do land amongst those stars, are you going to feel disappointed because you didn’t reach your target?
If your aim is to get 10 new clients – are you going to feel disappointed if you only get 8?
Was 10 clients a realistic expectation in the timescale you set yourself?
Start by ensuring you’re not setting yourself up for a load of stress by setting unachievable or unrealistic expectations for yourself.
Help yourself, your work and your family team by adopting one or more of these strategies NOW.
