Stress management and good mental health in sales

You're thinking...

That's normal, rejection is part of sales. You may have also experienced situations where you were afraid for various reasons, such as not meeting your quota or because you were afraid of being rejected after trying so hard. Then you try to balance your personal life and wellbeing, but you find it difficult because you can't stop thinking about new customers or new strategies for closing a deal.

The sales industry is sometimes very emotionally exhausting because you often have to deal with feelings such as uncertainty and clumsiness. Most of the time, however, we actually tend to be too hard on ourselves, which results in poor mental health. No one expects you to be super confident, extroverted, and energetic every day. It's okay to feel a little bad sometimes.

Why is it important to maintain good mental health?

First of all, you should always prioritize your mental health and personal wellbeing. When you're stressed, you're unproductive. You come to work less motivated and engaged every day. In the worst case scenario, you even start to hate the work you once loved so much. For these and many other reasons, it is very important to take care of yourself and avoid stressful situations that lead to poor mental health.

We had the opportunity to talk to three industry experts: Moritz Aemisegger, Christoph Karger and Kira vom Hagen. They told us their best tips and practices for staying healthy when working in sales.

5 tips for good mental health while working in sales

1. Don't take it personally.

When someone says “no,” they're not saying “no” to you, they're saying “no” to your product or offer. It's important to do the necessary research before contacting a customer and be sure that your product or offering is of value to the customer. A big mistake that many salespeople make, especially at the start of their careers, is not doing this and not reaching out to anyone. Ultimately, they end up in situations where the customer is unlikely to ever buy, and the seller is frustrated and blames their sales skills. If you only make offers to people who need your product, you're less likely to hear a no.

“Remind yourself that the rejection isn't personal, you're calling on behalf of a company or a product, not yourself.” - Kira vom Hagen

2. Don't set unrealistic goals

When salespeople don't achieve their goals, it's usually because the goal has been set far too high. Constantly missing the target quota or other goals can easily lead to frustration. That's why you should set yourself an achievable limit so that you don't feel overwhelmed when you want to reach it. We recommend avoiding the top-down sales goal (where the sales target is based on the desired higher revenue) because it's not just about numbers. There are many other factors to consider, and some of them are beyond your control. For this reason, it is better to look at the results so far and build a strategy on them. Analyze what has worked in the past and how you can implement those activities or skills to increase your success rate, taking into account your personal priorities and wellbeing.

3. Limit your work area and working hours

If you want, you can work all day, there is always someone you can call or email. This can quickly affect your mental health. You'll work too hard to achieve your goals and you'll never be satisfied with your performance because there will always be something you could have done better. Your personal wellbeing will fall short of your priorities, which can easily lead to a burnout. To avoid this, you can find an activity that allows you to completely disconnect yourself from your work environment. Try a new sport or creative activity that forces you to switch off at least a few hours a week.

“I needed something to force me to switch off from work. I couldn't change my habit, so I had to change my process to become the person I wanted to be.”

- Moritz Aemisegger

4. Ask for help

No one expects you to be a superman. It's normal to feel overwhelmed at work, and it's okay to ask for help in situations like this. Sometimes you can find this support at work with a nice coach or mentor with whom you feel comfortable enough to open up. Or you can seek this support in a personal network, if you want. Sometimes just the feeling of being listened to you is enough to radically change your mood and make things appear in a different light. If you need help with something in particular, we recommend clear communication that describes what you need, why it's important, and how the person you're asking can help you.

“Be aware of your symptoms and that you're in a stressful environment. Be aware that it's okay to fight sometimes. Talk about your challenges. If you feel confident that you can do that with your manager, the managers should worry about working with a coach was a turning point for me.” - Christoph Karger

5th meditation

It's a simple practice that can be used just about anywhere. No one expects you to meditate until you reach the state of nirvana. You can meditate for a short period of time each day and see the tremendous benefits it brings to your life and mental wellbeing. Mindfulness meditation can help you focus on the present tense, which can improve your concentration. It helps you train your mind to focus on the present tense and gives you the opportunity to reduce your anxiety during stressful moments. It forces your body to slow down and think about yourself, which allows you to discover many positive qualities about yourself.

“Take time for yourself. If you set aside time (on your calendar) for exercise, a healthy diet, enough rest or meditation, these “difficult” tasks will be easy for you as they are planned in advance.” - Christoph Karger

One of our core values at Hyrise is taking care of ourselves. We believe it is extremely important to take time for what keeps us balanced. That's why we want to share these 5 tips with you and hope they help you stay motivated at work and improve your mental wellbeing.

Many people think of the sales profession as one of the most stressful. This widespread assumption comes primarily from the sales work environment decades ago, when salespeople were only paid on the basis of their sales commissions. Fortunately, this has changed, and many companies, particularly in the tech industry, are placing more emphasis on base pay and other benefits, such as bonuses, for reaching sales goals. Hyrise's hiring partners place great value on employee wellbeing by creating a work environment based on trust and respect. Are you interested in working for one of our partner companies? Apply and start a career in digital sales, we're happy to help you find your dream job.

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