There is no other way of putting this; the alternative to coping is burning out.

Award-winning speaker, author and thought leader Samantha Jung-Fielding – who specialises in motivational drivers, people dynamics, and corporate culture – recently spoke to a TNG online zoom meeting about the importance of coping to avoid burning out. “In a sense, everyone can say that they are ‘coping’ with something, right? Not thriving in that area but not crumbling either. That whole idea of not loving life but not hating it all at the same time,” says Jung-Fielding.

There are passive coping methods – the absence of thriving – unsuccessful coping strategies, and total burnout. However, it is the ‘successful coping methods’ that lead to productivity at home and in the workplace.  

Coping successfully means learning how to properly take care of yourself so you can continue to widen your capacity, which will lead to a fuller existence, which should inevitably spill over to your business life and boost your company’s health. 

Here are some ways of coping successfully to help you as an individual and also help your business.

1. Promote emotional awareness

Emotions subconsciously live in every decision that you make. That’s why people often preach and teach the art of mastering your emotions because an emotion untamed can lead you to make bad personal or business-related decisions. 

Especially when you are juggling a hundred and one things simultaneously, it’s essential to be aware when emotions are at play; it’s good always to pause and identify how a situation is making you feel and want to behave. This will begin to help you familiarise yourself with yourself. That awareness builds better leaders and team players.

2. Maintain strong communication

Count yourself lucky that you live in this 21st century where communication is supported and encouraged so greatly. This, though, doesn’t necessarily mean that the act of communicating is a simple task for everyone. 

Expressing how you feel and what you want can look a million different ways; communication isn’t linear, and its methods are not universal. Find the best way to express how you feel when you need help, what your expectations are, the vision for your company, and sometimes, how someone can do better.

3. Champion connection and control

Life is not supposed to be lived in isolation; when you choose to isolate, coping becomes very difficult. 

Consider your team as your community; when you are aware of your emotions, and you recognise that you need support, communicate to your team or business partners what that support needs to look like and create a working system of connection and dream building. 

Building a supportive and connected work environment starts with you, the person at the top. If your team is used to you being closed off and not letting them in at all, then that’s just what your company’s culture will be. Showcasing inclusivity to your team will keep you in control and make you a better leader.

As a business owner, your plate is always full, and coping with it all is difficult. All the tips to successfully manage with your workload sound very personal and may not sound like they can help your business. But looking after yourself, the person at the company’s head is the most important thing. 

It helps to humanise the job; you will start seeing people for people and their contributions to your business as more valuable. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your people.

 The Networking Group would like to thank Samantha for presenting to our online group recently and appreciate her sharing with our wider group. Connect with Samantha at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samjungf/