We can all be guilty of thinking of stress in terms of the Hollywood stereotypes. That is, if we’re not hot under the collar, clenching our fists, tearing our hair out or chewing on pencils like they’re made of liquorice, then whatever we’re feeling is just par for the course. Whatever we’re feeling – insomnia, low mood, poor digestion – is linked to something else entirely…right?
Wrong.
Stress is a shapeshifter, and it’s also an insidious presence that can gain a lot of power without us ever realising that’s what’s happening right over our shoulders.
When you’re the CEO of a company, you have a nonstop conveyor belt of thoughts demanding attention. Like a bottomless pit, there’s really no end to the list of things you need to consider on a daily basis, which means there is ample opportunity for stress to grow from a relatively small foe to something that looms large over you and, eventually – when you least expect it – overwhelm you.
Here are three forms that stress can take, so you can recognise it before you hit burnout.
- Forgetfulness and Inattention
Two sides of the same coin.
It’s easy to attribute forgetfulness and that fidgety ‘can’t focus on any one thing’ feeling down to your busy schedule. When every minute of your working day – and, often, your supposedly non-working day – is accounted for, it’s only natural that you constantly feel as though your mind is on other things…meaning it’s really giving nothing the attention it needs.
This is partly true, but forgetfulness and an inability to focus are also signs of a mind that is chronically scattered – which isn’t good for anyone. Higher cortisol levels (the stress hormone) become the norm as we constantly work to fight battles that our body assumes to be real, genuine threats.
While forgetfulness and inattention are problems in and of themselves, it’s even more important to recognise them as signs that your brain is overloaded and desperately needs relief.
- Irritability
Again, this one is all too easy to write off, since CEOs are supposed to have little time to suffer fools – and the kind of short fuse that just comes with having precious little time to spare in the day.
But irritability is another sign that you’re simply overloaded. Your brain is bursting with information, appointments, ideas, demands, worries, plans…when something small happens, it’s like the straw that breaks the camel’s back when, really, it should barely make a dent in your mood.
If you’re more reactive than usual and getting angry at yourself (or others) at the drop of a hat, that’s a sure sign that you need a break.
- You Can’t Unwind in the Evening
Everyone needs to switch off, even the busiest CEOs. Our minds aren’t designed to run 24/7 at full capacity, and even attempting to achieve that is a recipe for disaster.
Busy CEOs may need to try harder than most to achieve relaxation, but it should still be possible with the right approach. Some people may find that hhc flower promote a gentle sense of relaxation and calm, although the research still needs to be done to understand the true properties of hhc. Others will use herbal teas, hot baths, acupressure, or meditative techniques – or a combination of everything – to signal to the brain that it really is time to let go, even just temporarily.
Stress is an inevitable byproduct of running a successful business, but it shouldn’t be allowed to accumulate and cause wider problems in your life.
