By Adam Turteltaub

No one would dispute that stress and compliance go hand in hand, but Scot Eibel (LinkedIn), a former chief compliance officer and currently leading Eibel Coaching and Compliance Consulting, warns that doesn’t mean it has to get out of control. There are steps we can all take to manage our stress levels.

One stressor to watch for is over vigilance.  While we all need to be vigilant, assessing risk and watching out for threats, it needs to be tempered. Resist the temptation, he warns, to engage in worst case scenario thinking, which increases stress and makes it difficult to focus on any positives.

Catastrophic thinking isn’t healthy for you or for the organization.

Another stressor for compliance professionals can be feelings of isolation. In some ways it is inherent to the job, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be absolute. Look to others in the compliance community for connections and build cohesiveness on your compliance team. Stress is much more manageable when you have support.

When it comes to those problems that seem too difficult to solve, take a breath, he recommends, and focus on what you can do. Don’t seek perfection but seek progress and remember that excellence doesn’t happen overnight.

Finally, don’t be afraid to set limits.  Compliance professionals can be, as he put it, “sacrificial people” who are willing to put others and the organization first. It’s noble, but sometimes you need to to say “no” or “no” and offer some advice.

Listen in to learn more about how better to manage your stress.

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