Nine Proven Strategies for Coping with Stress

By John Almond - December 4, 2009

In a time of high stakes testing and accountability, political dissonance, tremendous fiscal uncertainty, ever-changing political directives, overwhelming paperwork, unparalleled student diversity, and waning public perception, public school administrators are under a tremendous amount of stress.

I would maintain that a limited amount of stress can actually be healthy.  It motivates us and makes us stronger as individuals.  

Too much stress, however, can make us irrational, and – quite literally – it can kill us.  While it is not really possible to eliminate stress, there are specific things that you can do that will help you reduce your stress level at work and better cope with it

Here are a few examples of ways to reduce your stress level and improve your effectiveness:

Improve your time management and organizational skills

Of the many things that you can do in this area, the best ones include getting a “to-do” list that works, asking for help when you need it, and refraining from setting unrealistic goals for yourself.

Relax and breathe deeply

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work or if someone is upset with you, a good thing to do is to breathe through your nose.  When you breathe through your mouth, you take in extra oxygen, and it is far more difficult to calm down.

Take more breaks from your work

Any type of break will do.  Get away from your desk, and go for a walk.  Exercise in general will help you reduce your overall stress level.

Lighten up

We all know that laughter reduces stress.  When you make a conscious effort to be pleasant, the people around you will also become more pleasant.

Learn to listen better

If you find yourself getting upset when someone disagrees with you, try to listen more and find the areas of common agreement.  While you certainly need to stand up for yourself, try not to be too rigid.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

There are some things that just aren’t worth worrying about, and there are some things that you just can’t change.  Above all, try not to worry about the things that you can’t control.

Get more sleep

When you are well-rested, you are simply less likely to get worked up.  At the same time, your energy level and ability to concentrate will increase.

Find a mentor

If you don’t have access to a mentor, a friend will do.  Having someone to talk to can greatly help to relieve stress.

Spend more time with optimistic people

Negative people will always pull you down to their level.  Choose to spend time with people who have a positive attitude.

While there are certainly many more techniques that can be utilized to help reduce stress, the most important thing is to recognize that your job is stressful, and do something to help you cope with that fact.

Editor's Note:  John Almond is the Director of District Support Services for the educational consulting firm Total School Solutions (TSS).