We hear it all the time from leaders. The burnout is real. From managing fast-paced growth and change to the daily grind of tactical business initiatives, acute and chronic stress can wreak havoc on any leader’s success—even the most resilient among us!

Unfortunately, stress doesn’t just stop when we close our laptops for the night. Our bodies don’t understand the difference between a bad day at work and being chased by a saber-tooth tiger, so if you’re feeling stressed at work, that internal pressure is likely to carry over into other areas of your life.

❓What happens to a leader under stress? It’s very easy to fly off the handle when you’re overworked and something goes wrong, but repercussions of stress on ourselves and the people around us can be cause for concern.

❓We rely too much on our gut instincts. When we’re under stress, we tend to rely on our intuition and our “gut instincts” because we need to act fast.

❓We think we’re processing information faster than normal. Speed takes over the need for accuracy and precision, a fast-track to making preventable mistakes.

Here’s What Happens When We Take Steps To Reduce Stress

When we are less stressed, we are more deliberate about decision-making and are more open to seeing things from every angle.

While stress is a complex topic, and no one person’s stress response is the exact same as someone else’s, we have learned a few tips and tricks here at The Greenhouse that have been proven time and again to alleviate pressure and get you and your leaders back on track.

When we are calm, we are more able to use our analytical skills to make smart decisions. We are also able to align our decisions with the values and goals of our company.

So, how do you achieve this calm-like state in any environment?

Here are 3 easy tips to go from stressed out leader to inspired CEO!

#1 – Hang tight

Entrepreneurs know better than anyone that the solutions are out there; it’s just a matter of time and timing.

If something urgent or stressful comes up at work, wait to react or act until you’ve allowed enough time for your internal emotions to regulate.

Easier said than done, right? Well, think about it this way: While your instinct under pressure is to react immediately, this can result in creating mass stress—or even panic, if the situation warrants itself. Slowing down the rate of your reactions and communication gives you headspace to assess the situation and examine the problem from all angles.

Entrepreneurs often go into business to avoid the same situations they find themselves in yet again—lacking the understanding that there are real solutions out there to move the needle away from survival mode and towards professional success and personal satisfaction.

#2 – Surround yourself with the right people

We often put a lot of emphasis on finding the “best person” for the job, but that doesn’t make them the “right” person for the job. Read a recent blog post about Leaders vs. Doers to determine if you have the right people in the right seats.

The right people on your leadership team will help you build a stable, non-reactive work environment by supporting you and being a valuable resource internally when a potential crisis strikes.

#3 – Identify strengths and understand how to use them to your advantage

Remember why you pursued leadership or entrepreneurship? It probably wasn’t just for the money. It takes a certain drive—and specific strengths—to successfully grow a business and its people.

Whether your individual leadership style is bold or empathic, lean into the strengths that got you to where you are. This will help you regain control. Plus, simply recognizing your team’s strengths and communicating about them consistently will decrease stress responses by boosting confidence and resilience.

Looking to get a pulse on your company’s health? Take the EOS Organizational Check-Up.

The Organizational Checkup begins with a series of 20 questions that you rate your organization on a scale of 1-5. Each question corresponds to the Six Key Components® of any business. If you answer honestly, you can clearly identify what components are lacking and hold you back from breaking through the ceiling.

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Follow Patrick Metzger on LinkedIn.