Tension vs Stress…

Tension in life means good things; 

It is a stretch you are taking to achieve something, 

Something which is in your control.

Something which you aspire to achieve.

Something you are passionate about and would like to achieve no matter what.

The tension comes in before a presentation, before an exam, or anything you want to achieve thru merit.

If you are avoiding “Tension” you are not growing.

Stress in life means bad things;

Stress is because you cannot control things, so you might not be in the right direction.

It’s better to either convert stress to tension or change your path to more tension less stress.

Tension is good, and stress is bad.

Choose to Be Kind to Someone Who Annoys You

When someone you work with annoys you all the time, chances are you assume the worst about them — and that mindset shows up in your behavior. But it’s important to be civil, and even compassionate, to colleagues, both because so much work is collaborative and because that coworker probably isn’t annoying you on purpose. Try to short-circuit your reactions toward them by making yourself do or say something nice.

For example, you could compliment them on an idea they raised in a meeting, or offer to help out with a project. Or say your colleague arrives late — yet again — to the weekly team standup. Don’t complain or roll your eyes, and don’t be passive-aggressive with a comment like, “Nice of you to join us.” (That may be your instinct, but fight it.) Instead, say something like, “Welcome. Grab a cup of coffee and we’ll get you up to speed.” This type of generosity of spirit is good for you and your colleague.

Practice Gracious Communication

Most of us want to communicate with kindness, but it can be challenging to convey warmth and compassion under frustrating, stressful, or maddening circumstances. 

Three practices can help you in your day-to-day interactions, as well as big, difficult conversations. 

First, meet confrontation with grace. This means wearing a smile and exuding patience and courtesy when an employee brings you difficult news or challenges your decision-making. An open-minded tone will signal that you’re there to listen, process, and problem-solve—not to reprimand or enforce your own authority. 

Next, give credit whenever you can. Recognizing your employees and showing them gratitude will engender their enthusiasm, hard work, trust, and loyalty. 

Finally, give people space and clarity so you don’t catch them off guard. Schedule conversations in advance or ask them if it’s a good time to talk—and give them a quick preview of what you’d like to talk about. 

These kind, simple gestures will give your counterpart an opportunity to prepare, and make it clear that you’re interested in listening to their response.

Leadership – it’s mostly about making decisions and backing them…

At the leadership level, it’s all about finding the right decision and sticking with your choices.

Don’t get swayed because of fear and pressure if you think something is right…put all your effort into it, yes, it might fail, but at least you tried. 

If your manager is a natural leader he will definitely back you up as long as your intent is good and you have put your heart and soul into making it happen.

In the end, most of the decisions will succeed only thru hard work and commitment.

Part of the Leadership Team…

Am I part of the leadership team, yes you are. You would have heard this and considered yourself part of the leadership team..but is it for real? Or is it just for taking up more work?

If yes, no issues to take up more work…but with that should come tenancy to take bold decisions to make things successful, to execute things in the right prospectives, and to earn those aha! moments.

So think if you are part of the leadership team. Are you really?

Stop Comparing Yourself to Your Peers

One of the benefits of social media is that it allows us to stay connected to old friends and former colleagues. But sometimes seeing other people’s successes can make us feel competitive — or even like we’re falling behind. There are a few strategies you can deploy to fight this uncomfortable feeling.

First, track your triggers. Identify what drives you to compare yourself to others. For example, is there a specific friend or colleague whose accomplishments make you feel insecure?

Next, reframe your thoughts. Instead of thinking of yourself as competing against that person, look at their accomplishments objectively. What can you learn from their progress? Then, counteract your self-doubt by doing something you’re good at — it’ll help you regain confidence and perhaps momentum toward your own goals.

And finally, let go of the “shoulds.” They often lead to perpetual insecurity. Instead, consider the possibility that everything you have chosen to do until now has always been the right path, regardless of what you think you were supposed to do — or what others are doing.

Give Yourself Permission to Dial It Back

You’ve heard it time and time again: overwork is bad for you. It hurts your productivity — and your health. So give yourself permission to dial it back, even just a little. Start by noticing the story you’re telling yourself about work.

For example, if you find yourself working on a weekend or responding to emails after hours, pause. Take a couple of minutes to reflect on and even write down why you’re doing this. What’s motivating you? Are you afraid of falling behind? Losing your job? Seeming uncommitted? Then ask yourself: Are these fears rooted in reality, or is it time to change the narrative?

Next, share your goal to dial it back with those you respect — a mentor, friend, or colleague who can not only hold you accountable but also give you some helpful strategies that they use to stay balanced and avoid burnout. Finally, go all-in on what matters. Take a careful look at your workload and recalibrate your schedule to spend less time on the tasks that drain you and more time on valuable responsibilities that bring you the most joy.