Stress-busting tips for busy admins

Are you running on empty? Juggling a to-do list that?s longer at the end of the day than it was at the start? Unable to relax, even at home? Here are some tips for getting your life back on track.

? Pinpointing the source of your stress is the first step to managing it. Are you working for several bosses who don?t realise they?re creating your unmanageable workload? Anxious about balancing family needs against work? Have you been dumped with extra responsibility ? organising a conference or putting together the company?s health and safety policy ? on top of a hefty day job?

? Delegation ? up or down ? is one solution. Report your escalating workload in a non-emotional way to your boss, providing measurable facts such as repeated overtime, phone calls at home, or reduction in colleague numbers.

? State clearly and unemotionally that you need support. Don?t burst into tears. Point out coolly that your department?s efficiency will be improved with smarter resourcing, or outsourcing.

? Start exercising your ?saying no? muscle. By telling your boss that a task can?t be completed effectively within the available time frame, the responsibility to find a solution becomes theirs rather than yours.

? Don?t blame yourself for your inability to cope. Instead, request a time-management course. We all have skills gaps that need addressing and training is the right of all employees.

? Adopt these simple stress-busting habits as routine maintenance: get an hour?s extra sleep, drink plenty of water, leave your desk at lunchtime, find some green space and re-connect with your breath to restore feelings of calm. Set times to turn your phone off at home and enjoy some real quality time with loved ones.

? As you feel your vitality and control returning, spare a thought for your colleagues. Why not suggest an organisation-wide stress-busting programme? How about lunchtime yoga, tai chi sessions, after work martial arts training, or runs in the local park?

? If global corporations like Google and Starbucks are putting employee wellbeing at the top of the agenda, so should your organisation. And guess what ? your newly empowered self can lead the way.

Nicky Whyman is Commercial Director of creative corporate event specialist KDM Events and an expert on employee engagement. Discover more at kdmevents.co.uk