Choosing Values Over Stress
You probably don’t have time to read this article; you’ve been eating in front of the computer, haven’t exercised for a few weeks now and you’ve bailed on your doctor’s appointment because you think you feel better.
You also don’t want me to tell you to relax- how can you relax when everyone around you is so stressed? How can you relax when there’s so much to do, so few people to do it and expectations and expectations keep piling up?
So instead of telling you to breathe and relax, I’ll try something else. I’ll try to appeal to your values. Pick the one(s) that speak to you the most and ask yourself - how can I be more aligned with my values?
Justice
I don’t think you believe in free labor. You’re paid for your skills; your analytical thinking, your attention to detail, and the expertise outlined in your job description. Being stressed is not one of those skills. Yet some employers will bank on your emotional investment to squeeze out more work, blurring the line between commitment and exploitation. Dedication should never mean sacrificing your well-being.
Health, including the mental type
Your body and mind are the foundations for everything else. Without them, growth and purpose will not happen. Investing in health is an act of responsibility, making sure you can show up for yourself and others tomorrow. Ask yourself - is this meeting, document, ticket, deliverable more important than my health?
Be the change
You might be a leader in the making - how do you want to inspire people? Sending emails on a Saturday night: is that the practice you want to model? Work the way you’d like your peers, team members and colleagues to work. Take breaks. Show them it’s possible to be great without burning yourself out.
Empathy
You’re naturally attuned to others’ needs. That’s great - me too! Can you extend the same compassion towards yourself? Being considerate of your own limits gives you the space to breathe, and helps you live this value better - you’re doing it for others, why would you be any different?
Productivity
Oh no, that's a value for you. I get it, I like being productive too. One of the oldest productivity tricks is basically to pause and assess the situation. For example, if you’re being bombarded by three different escalations while being in the middle of something due for tomorrow, you might get very reactive and of course very stressed. However,it will be more effective to take a minute and strategize; think what’s realistic, what’s not. Think what you want to achieve today (again, realistically) and then make sure you’re not getting distracted by anything else.
I could have mentioned more values here - purpose, connection, family, integrity and growth. Also, we all get stressed sometimes; we’re not going to eliminate that completely. I do think we can reduce such situations though. All I ask is that you try and advocate for yourself and for the values you believe in. One minute at a time.