Renewal season is one of the most stressful times of the year for brokers, with intermediaries working round the clock to ensure their clients’ best interests are taken care of.
While brokers are looking after their clients, they rarely find time to take care of themselves during the busy period, and with sleep perceived as an unaffordable luxury, these top tips could be just the anodyne you need.
Crack up
Find something to laugh at. Laughter releases endorphins and uses a significant number of muscles. A way that might help you crack up would be to watch a funny sitcom, read the comics section of the newspaper or call one of your funnier mates.
Ride the wave
Emotions fluctuate. Sometimes reminding yourself that “this feeling will pass” can help keep perspective of the temporary state you are experiencing and keep further panic at bay.
Assess your ‘self-talk’
‘Self-talk’ is the dialogue in your head. When you are stressed it can quite easily become unhelpful. For example, if you were to say out loud to others what you say to yourself, would it upset them? So say to yourself what you would say to help someone else.
Play it smart
Schedule your exercise into a routine with a trainer or a friend to make you more accountable. Do it first thing in the morning. Exercise needs to be just something you do regardless of your load. It will help you ultimately feel in charge if you continue to do it despite how busy you are. Plus there’s those endorphins again!
Just do it
Take constructive action despite negative feelings otherwise your feelings are controlling you instead of you managing them.
Sleep is recovery
When we are busy we tend to put ourselves last including our sleep. But how productive are we at midnight? Really? You will be more physically and mentally productive during the day with more sleep not less. And less cranky!
Tune in
Peak periods can overwhelm us easily. Take 2 minutes to literally check in with what is around you. Look at something in your environment like it is the very first time you have seen it- note the detail, the colour, shape, texture. Take a deep breath repeating ‘energy in’ and ‘fatigue out’. When we tune in, we are mentally hitting the reset button.
Remind yourself of your goals
Make a short to-do list. Include up the top why you are doing this current role.
What is the bigger picture here? Keep it simple by focusing only on one or two things at a time. Once you chip away at things they get done and/or you can achieve the results you are after.
Crank the tunes
Music has a powerful and immediate effect on the brain.
Choose the type of playlist wisely to maximise the benefit you need. When stressed, choose more relaxing music.
Read more in Vero’s online broker magazine.
