Ananya, a dedicated corporate employee, found herself in a quandary. Her current role required her to juggle multiple projects, meet tight deadlines, and handle last-minute requests from her superiors. The pressure took a toll on her, and she began to experience severe stress and anxiety.
Realising she was reaching her breaking point, Ananya approached a counsellor for advice. This support proved invaluable for her. The counsellor shared with her practical tools to manage stress and maintain her mental wellness.
The counsellor’s advice was clear: Ananya needed to learn to say ‘no’ and speak up when overwhelmed. Gathering courage, she reached out to her manager. She explained her situation, conveying that she needed help in prioritising her tasks and delegating some of her responsibilities. Initially resistant but the manager gave in to her persistence for delegating some of her workload.
Taking matters into her own hands, Ananya spent the weekend carefully planning task delegation to her capable colleagues, ensuring their comfort with the workload. It paid off. She now had a more efficient project team, and her stress levels took a dive.
Despite the reduced workload, Ananya was still constantly checking emails and working late into the night on many days. Her work-life balance was nearly non-existent. Heeding the counsellor’s advice, she set some boundaries, shutting down her computer and silencing work-related notifications after the workday. Her manager and overseas clients took some time to accept this change, but Ananya’s dedication and value to the company made the transition smoother. She now had time to recharge and be with her family.
Motivated by the early success, Ananya wanted more. She decided to be more productive and valuable to her company by meticulously planning her day. She created to-do lists, prioritised tasks, and set realistic time expectations and milestones. Using time management techniques, she stayed focused and even found time to take regular breaks, including short walks to clear her mind. These changes significantly reduced her stress levels and she felt happy after a long time.
She began connecting with her colleagues, sharing experiences, and discussing common causes of stress at the workplace, offering social support to those who couldn’t reach out to counselors. This created a sense of warmth and camaraderie.
By implementing these practical strategies Ananya transformed her high-stress situation into one of balance, productivity, and improved mental well-being.
If you, too, find yourself overwhelmed by the demands of your job, don’t wait. Take action now and make your well-being a priority. Remember, life is precious, and you have the power to make the most of it. Start your journey to a healthier work-life balance today.
Ananya was a dedicated corporate employee. But she was feeling increasingly weighed down by the demands of her job. Her role required her to manage multiple projects, meet tight deadlines, and handle frequent last-minute requests from her seniors. As the pressure mounted, she began to experience severe stress and anxiety.
Realizing that she was at her breaking point, Ananya decided to utilise her company’s counseling services. She found this support invaluable in providing her with practical tools to manage stress and maintain her mental wellness.
The counsellor advised her to learn to say ‘no’ and speak up when overwhelmed. Taking out courage, she approached her manager and politely explained her situation, acknowledging that she needed help prioritising tasks. Her manager was initially resistant but based upon her insistence, he agreed to delegate some of her workload to other team members.
He rather asked Ananya to come up with a plan. Ananya spent the weekend planning task delegation to her capable team members. She carefully assigned responsibilities, making sure her colleagues were comfortable with the workload. It proved successful. The project team worked together more efficiently, and Ananya’s stress levels decreased somewhat.
Although her manager had lightened her load, Ananya found herself constantly checking emails and still working late into the night on many days. Her work-life balance was nearly non-existent. She still felt besieged with her remaining tasks.
This was a pivotal moment for Ananya. She recognised it was necessary to set boundaries and she did so. When her workday ended, she would shut down her computer and silence her work-related notifications. This allowed her to recharge and spend quality time with her family. It did take time for her manager and the overseas clients to understand and accept this. But being a valuable employee, it wasn’t too difficult.
With her boundaries in place, Ananya was better able to manage her tasks, but she still needed to improve her productivity and organisation. Thus, Ananya started planning her day meticulously. She created to-do lists and prioritised tasks setting realistic expectations of time and milestones. She used time management techniques to stay focused and productive. She began taking regular breaks, which included short walks to clear her mind. These changes significantly reduced her stress levels and increased her efficiency.
Though Ananya had made great strides in managing her stress, she recognised that she needed additional support to maintain her well-being. She started connecting with her colleagues to share experiences and discuss common stressors, creating a sense of camaraderie.
By implementing these practical strategies and embracing open communication, she transformed her high-stress situation into one of balance, productivity, and improved mental well-being.
