Many thanks to Ryan Rivera for this guest post to TheFreeRangeTechnologist
Project management is a field that is dedicated to deadlines. Every resource needs to be properly accounted for, with each person managed in a way that helps ensure project completion both on time and on budget. It’s no wonder, then, that project managers are subjected to a constant barrage of stress. The closer you get to a deadline, the more the anxiety you experience, and that anxiety is going to lead to a poor quality of life and errors in your decision making.
This type of stress may seem like a regular part of the job, but it’s unhealthy for both your mind and body. As much as your experience may have taught you that you can handle that level of pressure, your body was not designed to be stressed every time you have a deadline, and studies have shown that your own anxiety is often placed on those you oversee. That’s why it should be a goal to find a way to reduce this stress as much as possible and work more comfortably even as you get close to end dates.
How to Reduce Stress at the Deadline
- Get a Grip on Life Anxiety
In many ways, anxiety is cumulative. The more you experience from other aspects of your life, the more you’ll experience when you’re dealing with deadline stress. So look for methods to control the anxiety you experience away from work. See a therapist if necessary, integrate relaxation techniques into your life, refrain from activities that cause stress (this includes the little things like watching horror movies or spending time with friends that cause anxiety) – the less anxiety you feel away from work, the less anxiety you’ll feel at the deadlines.
- Teach People and Use SMART Goals
The great project managers plan for every little aspect of a project and utilize their human resources as best they can. But even the best project managers rarely teach others how to utilize the ideas in the SMART goal system, including multiple smaller goals that help not only the staff member plan their projects better, but will give you a much better method of finding out if the individual is still progressing at a pace that shows they’ll be ready by the time you need them. That level of planning and knowing that you’re tracking everyone’s work well will decrease overall stress on the project.
Maybe there is something in the water, but far too many project managers use the actual deadline as a deadline. But often with large projects, there is ample time to invent a fake deadline that passes the stress on others to deliver on time, while you worry about keeping things on track. False deadlines give you plenty of time to handle any unforeseen errors, while still helping you put pressure on those you are waiting on to complete their projects.
Another issue that commonly affects project managers is withholding issues while you try to work a solution. But the more you hold back an important discussion (such as if there is evidence that the project may be behind) the more the stress of the deadline will be combined with the stress of waiting for the important discussions. Keeping communication open throughout will reduce some of the pressure you experience near to the deadline.
- Keep Track of Your Thoughts
Project managers should consider keeping a journal with them at all times. This journal is a place that you can write down any thought that comes to mind you need to remember. One of the interesting things about stress and anxiety is that when your brain has something that’s bothering it, it tends to increase your stress hoping that you’ll remember. Project managers often have thoughts roll through their heads while they work.
By keeping a journal with you, you can reduce some of the pressure you put on your mind. Write down anything that you know you need to remember, and review it as needed to help you keep track of those thoughts. This is a stress relief method that people use to help them sleep, but works just as well when you have a job that requires a considerable amount of mental energy.
Experience Less Stress at Deadlines
Japanese psychiatrists also use a technique known as Morita. Morita psychology focuses on the idea that when you have something that causes anxiety you embrace it like an old friend and move forward anyway, rather than try to suppress the stress.
Still, you should always look for ways to reduce your anxiety, because no amount of stress is healthy on your mind and body. Consider the above techniques and always look for new ways to reduce anxiety in your own life to make deadlines less stressful events and to help you maintain your mental health.
About the Author: Ryan Rivera has managed numerous projects, but his current goal is to help people – including project managers – reduce the amount of pressure they experience regularly. You can find out more anxiety information at www.calmclinic.com.
5 Techniques for Preventing Deadline Stress as a Project Manager
Many thanks to Ryan Rivera for this guest post to TheFreeRangeTechnologist
Project management is a field that is dedicated to deadlines. Every resource needs to be properly accounted for, with each person managed in a way that helps ensure project completion both on time and on budget. It’s no wonder, then, that project managers are subjected to a constant barrage of stress. The closer you get to a deadline, the more the anxiety you experience, and that anxiety is going to lead to a poor quality of life and errors in your decision making.
This type of stress may seem like a regular part of the job, but it’s unhealthy for both your mind and body. As much as your experience may have taught you that you can handle that level of pressure, your body was not designed to be stressed every time you have a deadline, and studies have shown that your own anxiety is often placed on those you oversee. That’s why it should be a goal to find a way to reduce this stress as much as possible and work more comfortably even as you get close to end dates.
How to Reduce Stress at the Deadline
In many ways, anxiety is cumulative. The more you experience from other aspects of your life, the more you’ll experience when you’re dealing with deadline stress. So look for methods to control the anxiety you experience away from work. See a therapist if necessary, integrate relaxation techniques into your life, refrain from activities that cause stress (this includes the little things like watching horror movies or spending time with friends that cause anxiety) – the less anxiety you feel away from work, the less anxiety you’ll feel at the deadlines.
The great project managers plan for every little aspect of a project and utilize their human resources as best they can. But even the best project managers rarely teach others how to utilize the ideas in the SMART goal system, including multiple smaller goals that help not only the staff member plan their projects better, but will give you a much better method of finding out if the individual is still progressing at a pace that shows they’ll be ready by the time you need them. That level of planning and knowing that you’re tracking everyone’s work well will decrease overall stress on the project.
Maybe there is something in the water, but far too many project managers use the actual deadline as a deadline. But often with large projects, there is ample time to invent a fake deadline that passes the stress on others to deliver on time, while you worry about keeping things on track. False deadlines give you plenty of time to handle any unforeseen errors, while still helping you put pressure on those you are waiting on to complete their projects.
Another issue that commonly affects project managers is withholding issues while you try to work a solution. But the more you hold back an important discussion (such as if there is evidence that the project may be behind) the more the stress of the deadline will be combined with the stress of waiting for the important discussions. Keeping communication open throughout will reduce some of the pressure you experience near to the deadline.
Project managers should consider keeping a journal with them at all times. This journal is a place that you can write down any thought that comes to mind you need to remember. One of the interesting things about stress and anxiety is that when your brain has something that’s bothering it, it tends to increase your stress hoping that you’ll remember. Project managers often have thoughts roll through their heads while they work.
By keeping a journal with you, you can reduce some of the pressure you put on your mind. Write down anything that you know you need to remember, and review it as needed to help you keep track of those thoughts. This is a stress relief method that people use to help them sleep, but works just as well when you have a job that requires a considerable amount of mental energy.
Experience Less Stress at Deadlines
Japanese psychiatrists also use a technique known as Morita. Morita psychology focuses on the idea that when you have something that causes anxiety you embrace it like an old friend and move forward anyway, rather than try to suppress the stress.
Still, you should always look for ways to reduce your anxiety, because no amount of stress is healthy on your mind and body. Consider the above techniques and always look for new ways to reduce anxiety in your own life to make deadlines less stressful events and to help you maintain your mental health.
About the Author: Ryan Rivera has managed numerous projects, but his current goal is to help people – including project managers – reduce the amount of pressure they experience regularly. You can find out more anxiety information at www.calmclinic.com.