We are constantly facing inflation worries, economic concerns, and more.
Research has found that the human brain is uniquely vulnerable to uncertainty. It has the capacity to imagine all the worst things that could happen. 1.
Have the recent concerns left you feeling stressed out?
Daily management of your client’s emotions can lead to high levels of stress for you over time.
Not to mention the usual stressors of being a financial advisor such as continuous prospecting, demands from compliance, and an ever-changing stock market.
A survey by FlexShares found that advisors have “an average stress level that is 23% higher than national norms.” 2.
So, how do you manage this inevitable stress?
Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, marriage, and family counselor believes that now is not the time to panic or lose your focus. “It’s so important to find solutions rather than getting caught up in despair,” Dr. Marshall said.3.
We need to start focusing on preventing and even reducing stress in our lives.
Making small changes to your routines and habits around exercise, sleep, and diet can go a long way.
Consider starting with just one of these areas:
- Maintaining Regular Exercise: Exercise helps your body to generate adrenaline which increases your heart rate and boosts your energy supplies.
- Balancing Work & Home: Be proactive in asking your company for some flexibility in your schedule when you need time to take care of yourself. Learn how to say no when considering taking on additional responsibilities that overextend you.
- Fueling Your Body with Healthy Food: Replace caffeine with healthy alternatives such as green tea. Green tea contains healthy antioxidants and an amino acid that helps calm the nervous system.
- Leaning on your Support Team: Find someone that you can express your frustrations and anxiety when things get tough. Even if it’s a fellow advisor.
As we are dealing with this uncertainty and feel understandably concerned about what’s ahead, we must try to not be consumed by it all.
Bottom Line: Learn to recognize the signs that you are becoming stressed because you are no good to your family, friends, and clients if you are stressed and unhealthy yourself.
1.https://elemental.medium.com/science-explains-why-uncertainty-is-so-hard-on-our-brain-6ac75938662
- https://go.flexshares.com/wellness
- https://www.abc10.com/article/money/managing-financial-stress-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-requires-focus-flexibility-dollars-and-sense/103-e9fcdbaf-dbcf-4ab9-8c6c-53105b295328