Combatting Stress with Mentorship

In the professional world, we are all constantly up against a number of challenges inside the office, and within our own professional careers paths. It’s easy to let these challenges evolve into stress, which can then be physically manifested in detrimental ways. While we may all experience phases of stress at our jobs, it is important to step back to remedy the problem. There have been many studies and surveys performed that identify workplace tension as a chief source of stress and burnout for the American workforce.

Remedies for your stress are abundant, but now is the time to break away from your herbal teas and think about abstract ways to relieve your stress. A new study performed by researchers at Northern Illinois University found that the presence of a mentor may alleviate the personal stress that lead to work overload and burnout. Of the the 325 participants, those who had a mentor, or were participating in a mentorship program, were more likely to have lower levels of burnout.

From a professional standpoint, the value of a mentorship is absolutely priceless. The relationship you establish with someone willing to provide you with skills and advice, that you would otherwise never receive, goes further than simple professional development. The right mentor can help you establish long term career goals, make smart career moves, overcome workplace challenges, and help you learn new skills. A mentorship has the potential to provide you more than a graduate degree, your natural ability, or pure luck. If you see a mentorship opportunity, embrace your humility and approach the individual you admire. Remember to ensure you add value to your mentor’s time; work hard to demonstrate that their efforts are paying off for both of you.

Research showed that individuals displaying neurotic traits experienced lower levels of burnout, if they were receiving formal mentoring. They also reported lower levels of cognitive and emotional fatigue, while strengthening their level of confidence and self-efficacy. These emotions decreased their intentions to leave their respective organizations and their engagement in counterproductive behavior.

You should note that a mentorship can benefit your organization as a whole, but the presence of a mentor does not guarantee a stress-free workplace. There needs to be a dedicated effort in pairing mentors and mentees. To make the relationship effective, evaluate the needs with the skills set of a potential mentor. You should also consider personality traits, to ensure the two don’t come to a clash. With the right attention to detail, a mentorship can lead to many benefits.