How to be more productive and lessen your stress

Psychologist Dr. Kathryn Cramer’s new book, When Faster Harder Smarter is Not Enough, sums up her view of today’s outdated work methods. "These times are hard and challenging even for the best and the brightest. So relying on your tried and true methods of doing business are not going to sustain you and help move you forward," she says.

Cramer suggests working richer and wiser to help achieve greater productivity and alleviate the stresses of your workday rather than harder and faster. "You need to develop new habits and strategies," she asserts. Such strategies include learning something new, such as a better way to make a listing presentation; concentrating on forming new partnerships and alliances, both professionally to benefit your business and personally; and identifying a sense of purpose in your job. She promotes incorporating these new strategies into your current way of doing business. "You don’t stop making phone calls to prospects; you just find a better way to identify those prospects."

While working richer and wiser may improve your productivity and lessen the rigors of doing business, nothing will eliminate stress from your life. However, some management experts contend that not all stress is bad; some stress may motivate you. The challenge of finding the perfect house for a client or leasing that tough-to-fill office building can excite you and bring great job satisfaction. But dealing with office politics or red tape can adversely affect your attitude and, in extreme cases, your health.

Hobbies and other non-work-related activities often are seen as frivolous; however, they recharge your batteries and alleviate "bad" workplace stress. Cramer points to studies that show people are more productive with 25-30 hours per week of good, concentrated work effort and 10-20 hours of time for hobbies, rather than using those same 10-20 hours for more work.

Scores of doctors, counselors, and researchers recommend countless other ways to cope with on-the-job stress like stretching, meditation, and positive visualization–exercises that inject a few moments of peace into your hectic day. Many also agree that focusing on the root cause of a potentially blood pressure-raising problem rather than getting bogged down in ancillary issues, such as personalities and politics, can help minimize its stressful impact.

Illustration © Artville.

Buyers & sellers, visit www.texasrealestate.com.
REALTORS®, visit www.texasrealtors.com.