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In the service rendering industry dealing with people every day can be hard on the nerve sometimes especially when you have to deal with difficult people or complaints regularly. Work place stress is one of the most common causes of job dissatisfaction.
Learning how to manage stress is important as stress impacts negatives both in work productivity and health (physical and emotional).
While you can’t control everything in your workplace, or the type of Customers you deal with. You are not completely helpless when it comes to dealing with stress.
The best resource you have to deal with stress is – YOURSELF. You can learn how to recognize stress and manage stress
HOW DO I RECOGNIZE STRESS?
Signs of excessive workplace stress
- Anxiety or depression
- Insomnia
- Frequent exhaustion
- Frequent headaches, stomach pain
- apathy or disinterest in work (frequent absences)
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope
- Social withdrawal
- Strained relationship with colleagues
HOW DO I MANAGE STRESS?
Stress if not properly managed can do unprecedented harm to a person either emotionally or by manifesting as a physical illness.
An employee who is ill cannot be productive or able to render Excellent Service
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Engage yourself in activities you enjoy – whether it’s sports, going to the gym, hanging out with loved ones, swimming, watching TV or reading.
Engaging in physical activity boosts health and makes you more immune to stress related disorders. Regular exercise is a powerful
GET ENOUGH REST
Lack of sleep weakens the immune system and leaves you vulnerable to stress and illness.
When you are tired, you are less patient and more easily agitated, which can increase stress
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Keep a sleep schedule and stick to it. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night
IMPROVE YOUR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Emotional intelligence affects our attitude and outlook on life.
It can also help to alleviate anxiety and avoid depression and mood swings.
A high level of emotional intelligence directly correlates to a positive attitude and happier outlook on life.
DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY
When someone “takes things personally”, he or she interprets what another person has said (or done) as a reflection of who he or she is, rather than as a reflection of the person who is speaking (or doing).Customers can say hurtful things when they’re reacting to unmet expectations.
DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY Remember the angry customer is really a nice person, and has temporarily become rude for a reason
TAKE A BREAK
Going on a vacation Reenergizes you and reduces the risk of heart disease
People become more interested and productive in their work after they return from a vacation
Vacations are not a luxury start thinking of it as a healthy habit. Take a vacation when you feel your body needs a break
It doesn’t matter whether your ideal vacation involves lounging on a beach, swimming, early-morning jogs, or visiting friends just make it happen. <
LEARN TO BE POSITIVE
Optimists tend to experience less stress than pessimists or realists because we’ve learnt how to see negative events as minor setbacks, and positive events as evidence of further good things to come.
I consciously trained myself to always focus on the positive outcomes of anything, as a result i bounce back quickly from unpleasant situations.
Believe in yourself and your abilities, and expect good things to happen.
AVOID JUNK FOOD
Junk food and refined sugars low in nutritional value and high in calories can leave us feeling out of energy and sluggish. 
A healthy diet, low in sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, can promote health and reduce stress
RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
Meditation, massage, or yoga have been known to greatly help people with stress.
No one can render exceptional Customer service, when the mind & soul are burning up with stress.
Find out which of the methods works best for you and stick to it. The most important thing YOU MUST DO is – Constantly practice & practice until it becomes second nature.
