How to Balance Success With Your Mental Well-Being While Working in Sales
The pandemic has shined a light on the importance of mental health and well-being. Conversations around mental health have become less stigmatized, and services like remote therapy and meditation apps have become frequently talked about and widely used.
This shift has also carried over into the workplace. According to one report, budgets for well-being programs have increased 22%, reaching an average of $6 million in 2021, up from the average budget of $4.9 million reported in 2020. Mental health benefits have gone from nice-to-have to absolutely vital for a healthy and flourishing workforce.
It’s a huge step in the right direction for all industries, but this is especially true for notoriously stressful sales roles. I see it every day as a revenue workflow specialist who works with salespeople to make their jobs easier. Many of them are overtaxed, struggling with organizational challenges, and under immense pressure to deliver. One survey noted that the role of sales account manager was ranked as the second most stressful job, with 73% of respondents rating the role as highly stressful.
What can sales professionals do to balance success with their mental well-being?
Mental Fitness In All Aspects of Life
It starts at home. I view mental well-being through a holistic lens: if your mental health is suffering in one area of your life, it will eventually affect other areas. Salespeople need to make their personal well-being a top priority so that they can show up at work as their best selves. This could entail taking advantage of benefits at work, finding a therapist, making time to exercise, or starting a meditation practice. Someone who feels balanced within their personal life is much better equipped to deal with work-related stress and succeed in their role.
Additionally, taking steps to support your mental wellness at work is critical to ensuring that work-related stress doesn’t spill over into your personal life. For me, being in a state of mental well-being at work means that I feel challenged, yet capable. I don’t fear falling behind, or have anxiety about doing something incorrectly; I feel calm and confident that I can meet my goals for the day.
For salespeople, getting organized by tailoring your workflow to your specific needs is the key to achieving this. This means simplifying processes where possible and breaking down your to-dos to isolate the most crucial tasks. It’s easier said than done – working in CRM platforms can be tough: getting from point A to point B takes longer than it should, sorting through data can be tedious, and your focus can be broken when jumping between different tabs and running multiple programs. Software that mitigates these challenges alleviates stress, improves focus, and gives salespeople a better, happier way to work. Naturally, happier salespeople close more deals and generate more revenue for the business, so providing sales pros with the tools and support they need should be a top priority for organizations.
It’s pivotal that salespeople don’t silo their workflow during the reorganization process. This can be tricky when working in multiple programs that ultimately all need to end up in the same CRM platform. Having important information easily accessible not just for yourself, but also for people on your team, cuts down on duplicate work and opens the lines of communication. This is especially pertinent in the era of remote work, since we can no longer simply lean across our desks to share information. Having everything at your fingertips and ready to be shared at a moment’s notice is a must.
Recognize When You Need Help
Another way salespeople can support their mental well-being is by simply reaching out for help, whether that’s from management or team members. Sales demands an extremely fast-paced work environment, which can make people less inclined to slow down and examine where they’re having trouble. All too often I see salespeople grappling with inefficient processes (or other work-related problems), yet pushing forward and neglecting to get help. Reaching out for support is invaluable, especially for people who are neurodivergent and may process information and work differently than others. Speaking out if you’re struggling at work might inspire your company to rethink some of its processes, or make others who are facing the same problems feel less alone.
Achieving success in sales isn’t a linear journey. It’s all about creating a workflow that makes sense to you, being adaptable, and reaching out for support when needed. There are lots of highs and lows in sales – one minute you’re killing it, and the next you’re feeling totally overwhelmed. But by having a plan of action in place, and adequate support, salespeople can navigate these peaks and valleys while maintaining their mental well-being.
