Decrease Work Stress By Working As A Team

Have you been struggling with overwhelm in the workplace? Here are a few tips to help you decrease work stress by working as a team.

For the past few years, the Golden State Warriors have been my favorite basketball team. I just love watching them play. They’re entertaining, skilled, and you never know what you’re gonna see when they’re on the court. Most of all, they’re a team that’s big on teamwork. Some games Steph Curry is the star, other times it’s Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant. Sometimes it’s the players on the bench that pick up the slack. But, no matter the game, and no matter who’s shining during that game, you always see them working together when they’re on the floor. Team work led them to 3 NBA championships. They’re a fun example of how you can decrease work stress by working as a team.

But, team work isn’t just important in sports. When I go to work everyday, I realize how helpful and important it is. As a Pediatrician, my patients come in to see me. Sure, I’m the name and face on their appointment, but they have to interact with the rest of my team. From the receptionist at check in, to the Medical Assistant, to me, then back to check out. We work together to make sure its a positive, smooth experience. Working together, we run like a well-oiled machine.

If someone new comes into our office, we can tell right away if they’re a team player; they stand out. You either jump right into the team or you get left behind! Call us a clique, a gang, the mob – whatever you want to call us. We get the job done!

Why is a good team important?

Each person has a special skill set

In our office, especially during this last month before school starts again, things can get crazy busy. There are appointments to be made, patients to see, phone calls to answer, papers to fill out. It’s all magnified during this time. No one person can do it all. We all have our own roles, our own tasks to accomplish. I haven’t drawn blood in years, but I have a nurse who can draw blood from a newborn in seconds. Our scheduling a billing system can get a little complicated, so I don’t dare mess with it. I probably can do someone else’s job, but they’re likely so much better at it than I am. Each one of us is a valued member of the team, for the unique skills we bring to the table.

Creates a positive environment

When everyone works as a team, no one person feels overburdened or overworked. There shouldn’t be any frustration or bitterness since you’re all doing your share. You share the burdens, and also the rewards of your hard work. Because everyone’s “in this together” it creates a cooperative, positive environment. It helps when work can be enjoyable and not really feel like “work”.

Increases productivity and efficiency

Two heads are usually better than one. A well-run team can get much more work done than one person working alone. In our office, working together helps us to get our patients in and out in a decent amount of time, to make sure they have everything they need from us, and are well taken care of. If I was running a one-man show, I wouldn’t be able to get it all done well, nor to be able to meet the needs of as many patients.

This carries over to my personal life, too. Because I have a great team at work, I’m able to leave work on time, to pick my kids up, and to get them home and settled before it gets too late. I’m also able to leave work and work most of the time, and not have the stress of still having work to do when I get home. This helps me to be a happier, less-stressed wife and mom.

Minimizes mistakes

If you’re working alone, it can sometimes be hard to critique yourself, or to recognize when you’ve messed up. On a team, there’s someone else who can see when a mistake is made, and to help fix it. In our office, we check, double-, and triple-check shot records, prescriptions, and advice that’s given to our patients. If a mistake is found, it’s corrected, and that member of our team is given tips on improving and preventing more from happening.

How can you be a team player?

I won’t say that our office is perfect by any means, but here are some of the things that we do well most of the time, which helps our team to function well:

Help out in a role that’s not your own

No one should feel like they’re only there to do their “assigned job”. Sure, we all have our special skills, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help someone out who may need it. Our Medical Assistants will help with patients that aren’t assigned to the doctor they’re working with. Everyone helps out with paperwork, scheduling or phone calls when they’re needed. Most times, we don’t even have to ask each other for help – someone just recognizes the need and comes in as backup. The mindset is that if someone is drowning or just straight up having a bad day, you step in and help them out. Share their load, because you never know when you’ll need the help yourself.

Take turns being a leader and a follower

No matter your role in the workplace, there is always something that you can learn. I know a whole lot about pediatrics, but I don’t know everything there is to know. I don’t know every detail of my co-workers’ roles. Many times, even as a Physician, I step back and learn something from them. I let them take the lead, especially when its an area that I’m not as familiar with. Be willing to learn, and to take a back seat when necessary. No one likes a leader who can’t be a follower!

Be Respectful

No matter the position, it’s always important to talk to everyone with respect. There are varying levels of education and degrees in our office, but at the end of the day, we’re all human beings who deserve respect. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not always perfect. We have an office full of women, who can bump heads at times. In fact, we may have 5 different opinions on one topic. But, it’s important to listen to each other and to value the other person’s opinion. I find that when disagreements are handled and talked out respectfully, issues get resolved quicker, and we function a whole lot better as a team.

Accept constructive criticism

We’re all human, and we make mistakes. We don’t know everything. We mess up. One benefit of working as a team is that mistakes can be caught quicker than if you were working alone. But, for that to be beneficial, you have to be a good team player and accept your mistakes and any constructive criticism that comes after them. It’s tough to work on a team with someone who’s never ever wrong, or who can never just say “my bad, I messed up”. Mistakes are even worse if you don’t learn anything from them. It hinders your growth as a woman, and can mess up the progress of the team.

Get to know your team personally

This may not be possible in all work situations, but it’s helpful when you can get to know your teammates. Find out more about their family, their interests outside of work. You never know what you may have in common. It’s easier to have someone’s back and get things done when you care about them and their well-being.

What about at home?

Outside of the workplace, I teach the concept of teamwork to my kids all the time. It applies to their sports teams, at home with their siblings, and their group projects at school. My oldest daughter has gotten frustrated when she realized how unproductive teams can drain your time and energy and really bring you down. But, she’s also benefited from awesome games by her softball team mates when she may not be having a great day. I always encourage them to do their best, especially when they’re working on a team, because working together can produce 10x the results.

Same thing goes for marriage! Things are always better for my husband and I when we work together and are on the same page. For us, showing a unified front with your kids promotes better behavior from them. When we’re on the same page financially, we can do a whole lot more. In general, working as a team creates a more peaceful, happy environment in our home.

Just do it!

So, set an example of team work for your kids, your spouse, and your co-workers! We can’t do this whole wifey, mommy, working woman thing alone. We need help! And being a team player is one way to get that help. You just have to make sure you do your part!

Do you have any other ideas on ways to decrease work stress by working as a team? Share them in the comments below!

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