Over the past few years, the incidence of mental health skyrocketed, which attracted the attention of workplace leaders.
To respond to this epidemic, mental health professionals and workplace associations started emphasizing the importance of direct discussion about the impact of stress and mental health on the well-being of employees and their performance.
However, the mental health of those leaders is often neglected due to excessive worry about performance and company output.
In this article, we will address the pressure faced by workplace leaders and the right steps to handle this issue.
Leaders and workplace pressure
Being in a leadership position does not translate into immunity against the pressure of the workplace. In fact, this pressure escalates as you climb the leadership ladder.
Most notably, new leaders are prone to feeling overwhelmed with the idea that tens or hundreds of people’s lives are dependent on their performance and executive orders.
Sources of stress are diverse and include:
- Making difficult decisions in the workplace
- Maintaining coordination and coherence between different departments
- Supporting the team of diverse individuals
- Second-guessing every decision they make
How to monitor your mental health
First of all, you need to keep in mind that stress is a normal part of the job. When you are working in a fast-paced environment, expect to get tired, have sleepless nights, be extremely busy, and struggle with every new challenge.
However, these issues may turn normal sources of stress into something pathological.
Overall, it can be very challenging for the leaders themselves to evaluate their mental health well-being and decide when things become abnormal.
The best approach is to watch out for symptoms of burnout, which are generally the early signs that something is not right.
Check out this article to catch early signs and symptoms of burnout.
How to handle workplace pressure more efficiently
Over the years, researchers came out with numerous approaches to build a solid foundation to handle workplace stress and pressure.
Here are some steps you can take to improve your quality of life:
Sleep better – several studies identified sleep deprivation as a risk factor for depression, irritability, cognitive decline, poor memory, and other mental health issues. Sleeping 7–8 hours per night in a healthy environment will boost your resilience to stressful situations.
Practice stress reducing activities – mediation, yoga, and listening to music are all effective practices that significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Many world leaders have their own rituals to preserve their mental health during stressful times.
Exercise more often – regular physical activity lowers the risk of anxiety, depression, and many other mental health disorders. Experts recommend maintaining mild to moderate physical activity (even 15 minutes a day).
Seek the help of professionals – after you try different approaches with no success, it is time to get the professionals involved. Seeking the help of a mental health professional will undoubtedly improve your symptoms and boost your performance.
Takeaway message
As a leader, you are in obligation to maintain stable mental health since you can easily fall into the pitfall that entraps millions of people every year.
We hope that this article managed to shed some light on the mental health of leaders in the workplace.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
