How science can help us to combat the emotional stressors of leadership 🔬

It’s no wonder that Leaders are feeling the pressure now more than ever. 

Competing priorities, endless meetings, decision fatigue, and high expectation levels, it’s becoming harder for Leaders to step back and realign themselves.

That's not to even mention the sense of responsibility that comes with leading a team.

In fact, 80% of people in Leadership positions feel these pressures and are leading from a place of stress!

In this article, I’m going to explore how we can recognise the signs of stress and use science to combat them.

Emotional responses are easily triggered – what impact does this have? 💡

It doesn’t take a lot for us to be triggered and for us to feel our emotions.

Worrying that your latest strategy might not be successful, or that your upcoming deadline might be unachievable.

That’s all it takes for our stress hormones to be released, resulting in both mental and physical affects, like:

✅ Difficulty concentrating 

✅ Over or under eating

✅ Struggling to sleep or feeling exhausted

✅ Physical reactions – racing heart, sweaty palms, muscle tension

✅ Burnout

✅ Low energy and mood

Not only that, but these symptoms can persist and accumulate over time, leading to a (potentially dangerous) compounding effect.

So what we need to be asking is...

🤔 How do we allow ourselves to take a step back and realign?

🤔 How can we manage the impact of these stress-inducing situations?

There are a few easy things you can start doing today:

The 3 simple (science-backed) steps to counter leadership stresses 💡

A great way to recognise stress in the present moment and act on it is by following the ABC sequence:

A - Acknowledge 🧠

When you’re busy, it’s easy to push away the idea that you’re stressed because you ‘don’t have time to be’.

In reality, the first steps to combating stress is to acknowledge that you’re feeling it.

Next time you’re feeling stressed, pay attention to the physical and emotional responses you’re having, acknowledge these responses and try to understand what’s causing them. 

B - Break/Breathe 😌

The next step is taking a moment, calming yourself and focusing on your breathing.

A great technique is breathing in for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 and release for 7.

This helps to reduce your heart rate and bring you back to the present moment.

Having some time away from the situation that causes this stress is also a good idea.

When you’re doing something you enjoy, your brain is releasing endorphins, also known as ‘feel good chemicals’, which help reduce stress levels and improve mood. Personally, I find getting outside in the fresh air to be a huge help when I’m feeling stressed.

It clears my head, allows me the space to think and bring myself back into the present moment, as I connect with nature.

C - Choose 👍

Make a choice about how to respond to these feelings...

✅ What has triggered the emotion and why? Name the emotion.

✅ What is the outcome you’re reaching for?

✅ What is within your control to change?

Consciously choosing your reaction rather than reacting out of awareness (which is the risk) can help you respond to these stressors much more effectively.

Remind yourself what matters most to you – maybe you could create a short motto that you keep on your desk, or a phrase you repeat to yourself when you feel stress taking over.

Whatever it is, make sure it’s something that helps to reduce these physical and mental impacts and helps you to turn the feelings (your experience) of stress into a positive action.

By following these 3 simple steps, you can start to build even more resilience and benefit from the insight gained because you explored how you feel and why.

Even just this step will make a powerful difference.