The American Institute of Stress published this study where job pressure was ranked as the number one cause of stress among Americans. The stress factors ranged from tension between co-workers, to issues with bosses, and work overload.
Regardless of your job profile, workplace stress affects us all. They could be detrimental to your mental health, which is why it is important to nip it in the bud and manage it while you still have the chance.
This article talks about 5 effective ways to help you manage stress at your workplace.
Let’s begin:
Keep an organized workstation and schedule
Don’t let things get ahead of you. A cluttered desk and a disorganized schedule can be the biggest cause of stress at the workplace. Take back control of your environment to feel less overwhelmed.
This article provides enough proof to conclude that a cluttered desk increases stress and anxiety levels.
If you let things pile up and keep putting it off till tomorrow, it will never get done and one day the mess will be so extraordinarily out of control that you will have to waste an entire day cleaning it.
The simplest solution is to take a few minutes each day to tidy up your workstation before you start working. Neatly stack your paperwork, remove old paper dishes, clean out coffee mugs, and take out the trash.
Maintain a calendar and organize everything in it from meetings to personal errands. This will not only help you keep track of things but help you in reminding of personal errands as well.
Go for a walk
This study showed that taking walks during lunch breaks gives employees a much-needed afternoon boost and increases productivity while relieving them of stress.
While another study published in the journal ‘Public Health Rep.’ concluded that increased interaction with nature during a workday can significantly decrease perceived stress and generalized health complaints in employees.
So, if you feel too overwhelmed by work or if a meeting went sour with your boss, just take a quick stroll around a nearby local park to feel much better.
A morning walk before coming to work will also garner good results.
Don’t try too hard to ignore the distractions
With modern offices so adamant about breaking down walls and having open conversations, it can be difficult to concentrate on your work if the person next to you is a pen-tapper or there is a group gossiping 10 feet away from you.
Trying to tune out all the noise can be rather counterproductive. Don’t stress out by thinking about the work you are missing out on just because someone else is causing a ruckus.
Give in to the noise! Observe the effect it is having on your body. Once you observe your tense muscles, tightened fists, popping veins and clenched jaw, you can will yourself into calming down.
Call a friend
Calling a supportive friend or even your mother when you are feeling down can help elevate your moods as talking to a loved one causes the release of the feel-good hormone, oxytocin.
It can also help you get another perspective for the situation you are in as emotions might have clouded your judgment. Another set of eyes will show you the situation for what it is and help you calm down.
Stop stressing about being stressed
Stress is not always bad. This study shows that some amount of stress is good to push you to the level of optimal alertness, behavioral and cognitive performance.
So give stress a chance. For all you know it can be a positive factor in your life.
If it is debilitating, then of course, it needs to be taken care of, but if it’s pushing you to be your best self, let it do its work.
Take a few deep breaths
Not everything is worth blowing a gasket for. If you think that something is stressing you out, just step away and take long, deep breaths. Slowly inhale through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.
You can also try to meditate for a couple of minutes. Focus on a single object or idea and clear your mind of all other thoughts. Couple it with relaxation techniques. Try tensing a muscle group for a moment and then releasing it.
Once you are done, you will come back refreshed and will be able to see the situation in a whole new light.
Keep a journal
Writing about things that are making you feel stressed can help you keep track of stress-inducers so you can avoid them if possible. Other than that, journaling is also great for your mental health.
You can do as little as writing in your journal a few minutes a day for it to be beneficial.
Conclusion
Work should never come in the way of a person feeling happy and stress-free. Stress does not only affect your emotional well being but long term stress can cause health problems as well.
To ensure that you are not letting your workplace stress get to you, try the following 7 ways to help you manage it:
- Keep your desk clutter-free and organize your schedule in advance.
- Take a short afternoon walk, preferably in a park.
- Give in to the distractions and you will find that you don’t even notice them anymore.
- Call a friend or a family member either to rant or get perspective on your situation.
- Stress is not always bad. A little amount of stress can push you into becoming better. Don’t fight it too hard.
- Engage in breathing exercises paired with meditation and relaxing techniques.
- Start journaling to understand your stress inducers.
Author’s Bio:
Aditya Sharma
An advocate of enforcing office solidarity and forging harmonious relations with co-employees, Aditya lives and breathes Hiration — an AI-powered online resume builder and platform to help job-seekers find their way in the treacherous job market.