State of Mind

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Reducing stress at work

The benefits of working in harmony

There are some things that people just can’t do alone. No matter how smart, fast or strong you may be, it’s a given that everyone can still achieve a whole lot more when we face things together. From solving a tricky problem to achieving a shared goal, cooperation is key.

Many hands make more than just light work

When trying to achieve a shared goal having more people means that the individual workload for each is reduced thus reducing stress at work.¹ But there’s a host of additional benefits which stem from working together than just that. Everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses – by bringing these together we often find that any shortcomings in our own skills are made up for by people who have greater strength or knowledge in these areas. Whilst we, in turn, can help with things that they may not find easy. Just as we are all more than the sum of our different parts, when people come together for a group project their overall strength and chances of success are greatly enhanced, enabling us to achieve far more as a group than on our own.

Having someone’s back

Working with others isn’t just about sharing skills for the mutual benefit of all. Working together is as much about supporting others as it is about being supported ourselves through any difficulties. Sharing the load means that everyone’s burden is a little lighter, that there is a strong pair of hands waiting to help when we threaten to buckle under the weight of a task, helping us to carry on just as we help others when they struggle. Having someone’s back is a great example of this mutual support. They are looking out for you, just as you are looking out for them.  Together we are standing as one against a common challenge.

Sharing the win

When we work together to accomplish a goal, success somehow seems the sweeter for it. And not only that: the end result is often better than if we had worked alone. Imagine a simple thing like cooking a meal for your family or some friends. Sure, you could do all the work alone but isn’t it nicer and easier when more people help?

In working together not only does everyone win, they all win better too! Teamwork isn’t just about facing challenges together – it’s a way of life that speaks of positivity and community.

1. https://blog.proofhub.com/top-11-benefits-of-teamwork-in-workplace-24a55b8ab46e [↩]