As a business owner, creating and maintaining a sense of wellbeing for yourself as well as your staff, is of high importance and currently a topic of much discussion, reports Simone Milasas.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has stated the following:

• A total of 3.2 days per worker are lost each year through workplace stress
• Stress-related workers’ compensation claims have doubled in recent years, costing over $10 billion each year^.
• A survey of over 5000 workers indicated that 25% of workers took time off each year for stress-related reasons

Given this information, any business owner looking to build and grow a successful company needs to look for and implement pragmatic solutions that will cultivate a culture of wellbeing within the workplace. Happy, thriving, stress-free employees have greater lives which adds value not only to them personally, but also to your organisation.

Here are 5 things that you can start using today to reduce stress and overwhelm for you and your employees, thus creating a culture of wellbeing where everyone can thrive.

1.   Change the way you look at stress

Perhaps you have decided that stress is the result of circumstances. This point of view puts you at the effect of stress. It suggests that when difficult things occur, there is nothing you can do other than worry and feel overwhelmed. As an example, let’s say that your company revenue has been decreasing over the past few months, you have lost a few quality employees, and the new software system you invested in is not meeting your expectations. You begin focussing on what isn’t working. These circumstances, that are not going as planned, have you up at night. You are weighing the loss, worrying about the money and telling yourself you do not know where to go from here. All of these things are choices. All of these choices are what create the stress. Stress is an invention, it is something you create and something you choose. When you begin to recognise this, then you can make a different choice and that different choice will create a different experience.

There is a tool from Access Consciousness which you can use to assist. For every point of view that you have, say, “Interesting point of view. I have that point of view.” Keep saying it until you feel lighter. When your point of view is not necessarily true, simply interesting, you can let it go. Now, choose a different point of view. One that will create what you desire.

2. Let go of the mindset of ‘There is too much to do.’

A major source of stress is the mindset that there is too much to do. How many things do you have on your ‘to-do’ list right now? When you look at that list, whether you have an actual written one or it simply runs in your mind, what occurs with you and your body? Notice the contraction? Notice the overwhelm? There certainly is no sense of well-being when you are stuck in the mindset of having too much to do.

Any time you are stuck in this mindset or any other, ask a question. Questions take you out of the autopilot of negative thinking and stress and open the door to possibilities you could not previously see. A great question to ask is, “What can I be today?” Our society places a lot of value on doing when actually who you are is what allows you to create faster and greater in your own unique way.

3. Do something for you

One of the greatest assets that you have in business and in life is your awareness. Awareness is not cognitive, nor is it linear. Awareness is somewhat like intuition. It’s your ability to know and perceive things without having the actual information or facts available to you. When you are frantic and overwhelmed, you are cutting off your awareness. Reclaim it! Get up and go do something for you. Even if it is for a minute or two. Walk around. Make a phone call. Water your plants, put your feet in the earth, connect with nature. Do something enjoyable for you and your body and before going back to work, ask, “Where is my energy required right now? Is it required right now?”

4. Micromanaging creates stress

Micromanaging projects and staff creates stress for you and your employees. Rather than trying to control all the moving parts and pieces, become useless. Most people don’t wish to make themselves useless because they think they will lose their jobs or will not be considered valuable. What if it is the antithesis of that? What if the actual value lies in making yourself useless? When you choose to be useless, your stress goes down, your employees are empowered to step up and enthused to create which provides a sense of well-being for them as well. Everyone is creating more because everyone is brilliant at what they are choosing.

5. Access Consciousness Bars

The Access Consciousness Bars is a tool that I have used for over 20 years, and it is one of the most valuable things that I have found for dealing with stress and overwhelm. Simply put, the Access Consciousness Bars are 32 points on the head that when gently touched create relaxation and a sense of well-being.

There are practitioners all over the world. Find one near you and book a session. Offer Bars sessions to your employees as well. Even if you offer them a 20 – 30-minute session once per week, it has the potential to dynamically reduce stress.

Creating a culture of wellbeing within your organisation can begin today. When you or your employees are experiencing stress, remember that stress is a choice and ask, “If I weren’t choosing to be overwhelmed, what am I aware of?” Invite your staff to ask this question as well. Take time to do something for you each day, even for a few minutes, and encourage your employees to do the same. Become useless as a manager and watch your team members step into their brilliance. Last but certainly not least, discover and explore the Access Consciousness Bars. The results with regards to reducing stress all around the world are significant.

Imagine operating a business where business does not equal stress and overwhelm. Imagine a business that works for you and from your awareness and choices includes the entire world and has a global perspective.

What if you chose a business that is focused on what you can be that will create a change in the world. We require a change in the world, and it all starts with you.

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