How contractors can manage stress

As a society, feeling stressed has become the norm, with the majority of people experiencing sustained periods of anxiety. A recent study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation showed that in the past year, 74% of people in the UK have felt so stressed that they’ve become overwhelmed or unable to cope. Never before have we been expected to fulfil so many personal and professional roles, with many people struggling to stay ahead of increasingly complex daily schedules. This can be particularly true for contractors, who work without many of the support structures that employment offers, not to mention the continuous need to find their next assignment. This year has been a tough one for contractors, with the effects of the new off-payroll rules hitting home in the public sector, and continuous uncertainty about further legislative changes. Here at Umbrella Exchange we know that contractors are a resilient group of professionals, but we wanted to mark National Stress Awareness Week by highlighting some simple coping strategies for managing stress that contractors might find useful.

Be organised: Feeling stressed is also a feeling of not being in control of the many tasks and responsibilities we’re asked to take on. When this happens, we need to take stock and follow some simple techniques for staying in control:

• Be realistic about what you can achieve. This means letting go of perfectionism and instead focusing in on goals. Instead of attempting to multitask, concentrate on achieving one task at a time and ticking it off your list. This will help you to see definite progress.
• Prioritise tasks according to their order of importance. While items with fast-approaching deadlines should come first, how you structure your day should depend on your personality and working style.
• Create a ‘safety buffer’ by building extra time into your deadlines so that you’re always working ahead. This will come in useful for unforeseen developments or holdups.

Be healthy: Exercise, nutrition and sleep are the holy trinity of good health. As they’re fundamentally interlinked, they can have a huge impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. It’s common for contractors to work long and erratic hours when completing an assignment, but taking care of yourself is crucial in combatting stress and maintaining a consistent standard of work.

• Psychology Today emphasises exercise as a primary way to reduce stress as it releases endorphins that increase our mood and energy levels. Experts recommend exercising at least three hours before bedtime, ideally late afternoon.
• Exercising at this time is beneficial because body temperature is related to sleep and it’s important to allow the body time to cool off before bedtime. Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function and it’s also been shown to strengthen your ability to cope when things don’t go to plan.
• Lack of sleep creates a vicious circle, the more tired you are, the more likely it is that you’ll reach for coffee and sugary snacks, but this kind of nutrition only leads to energy slumps and difficulties sleeping. Instead, contractors should drink plenty of water and stock up on healthy snacks with a low glycaemic index – nuts, yoghurt or habas (roasted broadbeans) – to keep their energy levels steady.

Be mindful: Mindfulness is the buzzword on everyone’s lips these days, but what does it actually mean for contractors who haven’t got time to sit around and contemplate the world? Put simply, being mindful means taking time out to gain perspective. How you achieve this is a personal choice, depending on what works for you. It might be taking a walk in the fresh air, listening to music or learning to incorporate relaxation or meditation exercises into your day. According to the American Institute of Stress, abdominal breathing for just 20 minutes a day can significantly reduce feelings of stress. What’s also important is that you become aware (or mindful) of the need to turn off your computer, ignore your phone and be present in the life you enjoy outside of work when you step out of work.

Be firm: People often assume that contractors have a flexible schedule that can be changed at a moment’s notice. As with friends and family, it’s important to let clients know what your usual work hours are and how to best reach you during that time. Even the best clients might push the limits of your contract, so be firm, especially when it comes to scope creep, and don’t be afraid of setting boundaries or asking for more time if tasks get added to the project. While you might want to impress the client and be flexible in accommodating their requests, contractors need to make sure they’re adequately compensated for the work they do and for the time they put in.

Be positive: As stressed out or overwhelmed as you may feel, trying to maintain a positive outlook will help. Although it’s often difficult to keep things in perspective when you feel overloaded, reminding yourself that, in the wider scheme of things, meetings, reports and deadlines are significantly less important than your health and your family. Try these tactics for improving your positivity.

• Designate a workspace and keep it organised. Even if you don’t have a permanent office or desk, you can personalise your workspace with little things that help to lift your spirits.
• Effective communication can help avoid potential confusion, mix-ups and unnecessary delays, all of which contribute to stress. It can also help to talk to your family, friends or a health professional to stop feelings of stress leading to isolation and depression.
• Exude the energy and confidence that you want your clients to feel about your work This is shown to have a reciprocal effect as positive people can change the atmosphere around them.

Be aware: Being aware of what’s happening in your professional sector can help you to anticipate situations that could create problems and avoid unnecessary stress. Keeping yourself informed about general politics and changes in legislation that can affect contractors can help to give you peace of mind by helping you to feel prepared. Similarly, if you’re struggling under a mountain of paperwork or losing sleep over your accounts, then taking advantage of professional services to support contractors can help to alleviate some of the pressure.

If you’d like to talk to one of our team about services that could help with some of your contracting needs, you can call us on: 0203 393 3881