April FAQ - Stress Awareness and Management

One Friday each month, I dedicate the post to discussing some recent questions I have heard from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts on them allows me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership or just a situation you would like some additional insight into, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question:

Our jobs in retail are often very stressful for different reasons. It isn’t just busy seasons, but there is always something that seems to cause stress. How do you handle that?

There is no doubt we are continually subjected to stressful situations in our world of retail. However, I have found that stress is often what you make of it. Things I found extremely stressful early in my career became minor inconveniences as my experience and exposure changed over time. Certain things always remain stressful, but there are ways to work through them to reduce that anxious feeling and the burden it places on our mind and body.

Some days it feels like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders: people, sales, operations, customer experience, and a thousand little things in between. I have often joked when talking about Store Managers that the “Store Manager pose is that of someone holding up an extreme weight over their head - carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.” That is the picture of stress.

If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2022 Stress in America report, 87% of respondents said they felt overwhelmed by constant crises over the past two years, and 73% felt burdened by global issues. Almost everyone feels stress.It is not unique to retailers; just watch an episode of The Pitt to understand how emergency doctors and nurses see stress. The goal isn't to eliminate it completely. Manage stress in a way that keeps you strong, balanced, and moving forward can actually work to your advantage instead of seeing stress always as a burden.

Here are some key strategies that can help:

1. Understand Where the Stress Is Coming From

Not all stress is the same. Sometimes it’s rooted in reality, a tough situation you need to deal with. Other times it’s built from assumptions, anticipation, or fear about what might happen. Before you can manage stress, you have to figure out what’s triggering it.

Ask yourself:

• Is this something real that I need to address?

• Or am I making it bigger in my mind by worrying about it?

Understanding the source helps you decide the best next step.

2. Face It Head-On

One of the best ways to deal with stress is to address the challenge directly instead of letting it build in your mind. For example: if you know your store isn’t where it needs to be for an upcoming visit, don’t hope nobody notices. Bring it up first. Share what’s happening and what you’re doing about it. If you need to have a difficult conversation with a team member, don’t put it off. Many times, the conversation will go better than you expected, and people may even thank you for addressing it.

Avoidance creates more anxiety. Facing issues head-on reduces it.

3. Write It Down

When everything is swirling in your mind, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. One of the simplest ways to manage stress is to write things down. List what’s worrying you. List what needs to get done. List questions you need to ask. I have found this to be one of the most successful ways to clear my head and settle my nerves, even when it is 2 o’clock in the morning. Writing the things down that are swirling in my head is the way I can get back to sleep. Seeing it on paper makes it tangible. It turns vague anxiety into clear action steps. Plus, once it’s written down, your brain doesn’t have to carry the load all by itself.

Thinking about it adds more stress. Writing it down makes it tangible and actionable.

4. Focus on Breathing and Resetting

Your breath is one of the fastest tools you have to reset your mind and body. When you feel stress rising, pause and take a few deep, intentional breaths. Box breathing is a great technique to reduce stress quickly. Utilized by U.S. Navy SEALs, box breathing is a powerful tool for managing stress in high-pressure situations. This technique involves four simple steps: inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold again for four seconds. It's designed to calm the nervous system and improve focus.

"Box breathing bleeds off excess stress and gives you a handy, on-demand tool to avoid taking on any more stress than you can handle."
— Mark Divine, former Navy SEAL and creator of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind fitness programs

Scientific studies have shown that deep breathing techniques like box breathing can significantly reduce the production of stress hormones such as cortisol, leading to decreased anxiety and improved mental focus. In a 2017 study, participants practicing deep breathing exhibited lower cortisol levels and increased attention spans.

Taking a few minutes for focused breathing can reset your mind and help you re-approach challenges with a clearer, steadier head.

5. Reframe the Situation

Stress often comes from how we think about a situation. Instead of telling yourself, "This is going to be awful," shift the story in your mind:

• "This is a chance to show what I can do."

• "I’m excited for this opportunity."

• "I can handle anything that comes my way."

It takes practice. But reframing stress as a challenge and opportunity instead of a threat and fear builds confidence over time. Even seasoned leaders feel anxious when facing new situations. They’ve just learned to channel it differently.

Michael Hyatt says something that sums this up pretty nicely, “we have survived 100% of the challenges we’ve faced so far.” It is funny to think about, but completely accurate.

Stress is often what we make it. Reframe it for yourself to be an opportunity, not something to be afraid of.

6. Build a Real Support Network

Leadership can feel lonely if you isolate yourself. You don't have to face everything alone. Build a few trusted relationships that allow you to bounce ideas off of, call for fresh perspectives, or have honest conversations about any situation. Don’t be afraid to have some of these discussions or share your concerns with anyone on your team. Being open about stress doesn’t make you look weak, it makes you human. It builds trust. It shows you’re real and authentic. Sometimes you’ll get great advice you wouldn't have thought of. Sometimes, just talking it out makes the weight feel lighter. Either way, you're better off than trying to carry it all by yourself.

Stress will always show up in leadership, that comes with the role. However, it doesn’t have to be a burden you are saddled with. And you certainly don’t (and shouldn’t) have to carry the weight by yourself. How you handle stress allows you to see beyond the moment and towards the opportunity it presents. Recognize your stress (and causes) early, face them head on, write them down, reframe, and lean on others for support. As leaders we choose the responsibility that comes with leading others. We get to support others and find solutions, we don’t have to. That subtle reframing can make a world of difference.

Get leadership tips and new articles you can use directly in your inbox. Join the thousands of other leaders continuing your leadership development journey with Effective RetailLeader.com. 

DISCLAIMER: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns commission from qualifying purchases. Other links to third-party products and services may also be affiliate links.