Why Are People So Stressed Out And Busy These Days? Is There Anything We Can Do To Gain Control Of Time?

More than half of the Australian workforce is stressed. 53% of the Australian workers surveyed feel over-whelmed with stress and pressure a significant proportion of the time. Stress related claims cost Australian business over $200 million annually. (References: ABS 2005. The Health of Australia’s Workforce November 2005 – Medibank Private)

When we think about stress normally we think about our heart pounding, flared nostrils, butterflies in our stomach, sleepless nights, irritability causing us to snap at colleagues and loved ones. However not all stress is bad. Day to day we require some levels of stress to help us focus to complete tasks at work or maybe achieve a personal best in our next 10k run. It is when our arousal level is too high for us to complete tasks effectively that stress is not productive. When we have excessive internal and external pressure for long durations then stress can be detrimental to our health. This is unwanted pressure that we need to reduce so that we can perform more effectively and be happier.

So why are we so stressed? In our fast paced lifestyles we don’t have enough time or energy to put in to our various commitments (partner, kids, work, hobbies health, friends, and mortgage to name a few). Our lives become unbalanced and leave us stressed and unhappy.

Productivity fact from Dr. Donald E. Wetmore, one of the foremost experts on Time Management and Personal Productivity.

•     95% of divorces are caused by a "lack of communication".

•     The average working person spends less than 2 minutes per day in meaningful communication with their spouse or "significant other".

•     The average working person spends less than 30 seconds a day in meaningful communication with their children.

•     The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage their time.

•     25% of sick days are taken for illness. 75% of sick days are taken for other reasons.

•     The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes, or approximately 7 an hour, or 50-60 per day. The average interruption takes 5 minutes, totalling about 4 hours or 50% of the average workday. 80% of those interruptions are typically rated as "little value" or "no value" creating approximately 3 hours of wasted time per day.

What are the solutions to gaining control of time?

There are 5 things that we can work on to gain control of time.

1) Time Management strategies

One of the best ways to organise your time is to have a system, procedures and a check list every day. How resourceful are you? Do you have a proper colour coded diary? A tidy work space? Effective filing systems? Effective database and backed up? Do you set meeting agendas? Abide by a few rules for answering emails? Do you divide your time into similar tasks throughout the week?

There will always be interruptions, It's how they're handled that wastes time.

2) Prioritisation strategies

 Do, Delegate or Delete. Firstly you need to ask yourself ‘what is the most important thing I can do right now?’ Do that first. Secondly what are your strengths? Work to them and outsource the rest. We are all guilty of taking on too many projects. We need to prioritise what is most important and practise saying NO to the other tasks.

3) Energy management

This is about identifying when you work best with your body clock. Scheduling work that requires you to be creative, at the times of the day your mind is most alert. It is also about fuelling up on foods that keep your energy levels even and choosing food that will boost alertness. Taking regular exercise will also reduce stress and increase energy levels.

4) Improve communication. 

We need to develop our communication skills. I’m sure we have all been in a situation where we have communicated to a colleague or partner and it has been misinterpreted. If we had communicated what we wanted differently the result might have been different.

5) Learning to go slow

This is about learning strategies (daily, weekly, quarterly and annually) to help you recover, reduce stress, and perform at your peak when you come back. Daily strategies might be taking 15mins slow time. Learn a technique called mindfulness, which helps focus on the present, and lets us reduce stress and anxiety. Try implementing strategies to help get more sleep each day. Weekly strategies include, massages, yoga/stretching/ slow walks in the sunlight, sex and going for a relaxing swim to name a few. Quarterly/annual strategies include making sure you have an off season (long Holiday)  and mini breaks every couple of months.