With the untimely death of yet another young talent from a communications agency in the Philippines [i] comes a sombre reminder regarding the seriousness of overworking and stress. Is it worth the 'martyrdom' as quoted by the victim's ex-team member?

Diligence may be regarded as one of the virtues and core characteristics of the Asian life view [ii] but it is really like sodium in diet: Too little or too much can be life-threatening but just the right amount is essential for the body to be healthy and happy.

With Singapore raking the longest working hours in 2016 (among many other years)[iii], it is paramount that precautionary measures be taken to prevent burnouts. Hence, Brand Inc. shares the three -ATEs to manage workload and stress.

DelegATE

Yes, tweaking a design, brainstorming, preparing reports, corresponding with clients are all part and parcel of an agency life, and are not hard in isolation. However, work is typically a greater sum of many lesser tasks. When all these tiny tasks accumulate with close deadlines, even the most brilliant of minds would collapse from stress.

To avoid this, a team of colleagues must be viewed as a supportive structure within which tasks can be coordinated and delegated. When delegating, set out basic instructions and only check on the progress periodically. Note that micromanaging defeats the core purpose of job delegation and is not sustainable when workload and complexity intensify.

CommunicATE

A 2011 Holmes Report showed that poor agence de communication tunisie  in the workplace can cost up to a staggering loss of $26,041 per worker per year[iv]. In a busy environment, certain aspects and details can be overlooked from time to time and these errors have proven to be counterproductive.

The myth that people working in an agency are great and infallible communicators needs to be dispelled at once. While the first may be true for the position they hold, the latter, however, is a fallacy for no one is infallible.

The key to effective and efficient workplace communication is the selection of the appropriate avenues. Text messages, social media and emails are some of the tools generally used. While they do serve their purpose, face-to-face interactions are preferred whenever possible as the direct and personal connection helps to ensure clarity and prevent misunderstandings.

PRoTip: Say it right, say it twice. It isn't necessary to always repeat what was communicated but always verify with the other party if the message was completely understood. When need be, get the receiving party to repeat.