When you work hard in a mission-driven organisation it can be easy to burn yourself out. And sometimes it can be validating. I care so much. I am important to my team. I can push a little more to get that thing done.

I think a lot about the emotional effects of work. Especially work that we love. So what if we could untangle impact from stress? And how should we think about the role stress plays in remote work, particularly for those of us in leadership positions who model the energy and culture of our organisations?

On this week’s podcast, I talk to expert facilitator and mindfulness teacher Faith Bosworth about decoupling productivity from stress so that you and your team can get work done without losing your sanity or your joy.

What we cover: Symptoms of stress and reclaiming your calm

1. Stress is a symptom

Stress isn’t a necessary part of work, either in person or in remote life. In fact, stress is a symptom of something gone awry. It may mean that you or your team has begun to conflate being busy with being impactful, rushing from one meeting or task to the next in such a flurry that you’ve lost sight of why you’re doing the work to begin with.

One possible solution? Ask yourself if you’ve begun to value stress as a sign you are getting things done and spend more time focusing on actual impact rather than busy-ness.

2. Don’t confuse interpretation with information

Think about your last in-person meeting. You could read body language, you could debrief with colleagues in the hallway afterwards. In other words, there was depth and context to help you interpret what was said in the conversation. But we don’t have that context in remote settings. After a meeting we are left alone in front of our computer. Or worse, bouncing to the next call.

In the absence of context, our brains scramble to find meaning, often confusing interpretation (read, guessing) with information. We make assumptions about how colleagues feel or about what our manager wants, jumping to stressful conclusions. That was a disaster! She thinks I'm no good at my job! I'm no good at my job!

One way to get out of the stress spiral? Check if your fight-or-flight panic is being fuelled by fact or assumption. You could also schedule time with a colleague to debrief so you can check your assumptions.

3️. Team norms combat stress

Team agreements about how to work together can minimise stress. They can create clarity about modes of working, decision making, and agency. They can also empower team members to propose solutions to stressful situations rather than just feeling stuck and, well, stressed.

Does your team have a set of agreements about how you want to work together? If not, try starting a conversation about how you could approach making them. If you do have team agreements, have you looked at them recently or are they lost in a folder somewhere? As we approach the halfway point of the year, it’s a great moment to revisit this 'metawork'.

Want more ideas on combating stress and getting back to calm in remote work? Listen to the episode with Faith in full below, and drop me a line to share what resonates with you.

‍