Stress Relief in Customer Service: Which Stress Type Are You?

Work related stress unfortunately can’t be avoided completely in most jobs. As a freelance customer service agent, you can do a lot more for your work-life balance than you could in many other jobs (you can find out how to improve your work-life balance in this article) ((Artikel 19 verlinken)), but even in this job, there can be times that are more demanding. Difficult customers, high demand, or an especially challenging project that you have to familiarize yourself with first. There are many possible reasons. The way each of us perceives and deals with stress is just as varied. But only you know how stress affects you and what benefits you in a situation like that, so you can reduce it in the long term.

Here, we will show you different stress types and tell you which anti-stress methods fit which group!

1. The Angry Type

When work overwhelms you, or you feel mistreated, you immediately feel anger simmering inside you? You want to scream loudly, bang on the table, or tell others exactly what you think? In that case, you’re the angry type! Anger can be an outlet as long as you use it properly! But beware: Those who get angry easily are prone to overreact and hurt others with their words.

Strengths: It’s easy for you to stand up for yourself and you don’t just swallow your negative emotions, but you let them out before they get even stronger! You probably feel particularly comfortable with text editing projects. Here, you can vent without any of your customers noticing.

Challenges: Quick-tempered people sometimes find it hard to place or direct their anger properly without taking it out on others. When you get angry, take a deep breath and ask yourself: Why am I angry? Is my anger justified? What can I do to reduce my anger without treating anyone unfairly or even hurt them? And what exactly do I have to change to get over my anger?

Our tip: Don’t swallow your anger, let it out – but consciously and purposefully! It’s best to do this actively: Go outside and run, until your anger subsides, or get a stress ball that you can squeeze as much as you like!

2. The Sensitive Type

You take unpleasant or stressful situations personally and relate anger or problems mostly to yourself? In some moments, you feel offended or even attacked? Stressful phases trigger fear or sadness in you? In that case, you’re the sensitive type! Sensitive people are often very empathic and considerate when dealing with others. Those are qualities that benefit you in customer service! Sometimes, these people find it difficult to exercise the same leniency when dealing with themselves.

Strengths: You are mindful and face your feelings. You take your job very seriously, and you’re in it with your whole heart. Additionally, it’s a personal concern of yours to satisfy your customers. With these character traits, you’re perfect for inbound projects, where you can solve your customer’s problems and receive immediate gratitude and recognition!

Challenges: People that react sensitively to stress often let their difficulties get to them, judge themselves easily, and they get insecure easily. If you tend to behave that way, remind yourself who you are, what you can do and what you already accomplished, when you are in a stressful situation! Tell yourself that you will handle this situation, too, as uncomfortable as it may seem to you at that moment!

Our tip: Take a short break! Lean back and take a deep breath. If you want to, close your eyes while you do this. Just let negative thoughts pass you by. If this doesn’t work for you, think of something positive!

3. The Prudent Type

You always keep cool and don’t let anything or anyone get you down? Even when stressed, you appear relaxed and keep your negative emotions to yourself? You pull this off so well that others don’t even notice anything? In that case, you are the prudent type! Staying calm in stressful situations is a strength – but only if you feel this calmness on the inside, too! This stress type tends to just swallow their feelings and overwhelm themselves. Or actually ignoring problems and take them too lightly.

Strengths: You radiate great calm and sovereignty and probably have a great poker face. For your customers, you are solid as a rock. Because your level-headed manner creates trust and conveys security!

Challenges: Be honest when you ask yourself: Are you really as calm and prudent as it appears? Or do you simply not give your feelings any space and just ignore difficulties as long as possible, hoping that they will solve themselves?

Our tip: Admit to yourself that you are stressed and allow yourself to experience your emotions! Remove yourself from the situation for a moment: go for a walk, make some tea, or stretch a little. Do this until you feel genuinely calm and relaxed again.

4. The Disciplined Type

To you, stress is just an excuse because you are convinced that with discipline and motivation you can master even stressful phases effortlessly? If something does get too stressful, you don’t admit it to yourself? In that case, you are the disciplined type. Especially as a freelancer, discipline is crucial! Nevertheless, you should take care of yourself and know where your limits are!

Strengths: Disciplined people usually work in a well-structured way and counteract stress before it arises. And when things do get stressful, they typically don’t lose motivation nor control. With qualities like these, you are perfect for sales! This is where ambition and initiative pay off most!

Challenges: Those who believe they are always responsible for everything, usually expect far too much of themselves! In the long run, too many expectations can even lead to illnesses like depression or burnout.

Our tip: Regularly check whether your own goals and expectations are actually realistic, or if you took on too much. In addition to this, integrate conscious breaks and rest periods into your daily routine and find a ritual to end your workday. This way, you avoid too much overtime and overworking yourself systematically in the long run.

5. The Adrenaline-Junkies

You’re most productive when you’re under pressure? When others have already quit, work becomes interesting to you? You don’t really have a problem with stress – your problem is boredom? In that case, you are a real adrenaline junkie! As this type of person, you love thrills, and you seem to genuinely need a certain amount of stress! However, you should be careful not to overdo it and to take a breath now and then.

Strengths: You don’t perceive stress as a burden, but as motivation and turn pressure into energy! This makes you perfect for projects with a particularly high workload!

Challenges: Adrenaline junkies tend to put everything off until the last second or take on too many projects at a time. Unfortunately, this leads to the quality of their work suffering. In addition, they are always wired and therefore, they should plan for conscious breaks.

Our tip: Use stress for productivity, but to balance it out, you should also take regular breaks, so you can relax, for example every day before or after work. This could be a yoga session or a short meditation. As long as it helps you to calm down and recharge your batteries!