7 Simple Ways to Deal With Stress at Work
Pressure and stress at work are common; every working individual has, at some point in their lives, experienced this. All jobs can be stressful, even if it’s something that you like to do. Work stress can be short-term, as the pressure by an incoming deadline or of having to overcome a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming and can have a long-term effect on both physical and mental health. According to surveys, work is cited as one of the most significant sources of stress. While it’s hard (and next to impossible) to avoid tension and stress at work, there are steps you can take to manage and cope with stress at work.
Sources of Stress from Work
Several factors may give you stress at work, here are some:
- Excessive Workloads
- Low Salary
- Lack of social support
- Work isn’t challenging
- Few opportunities for career growth and advancement
- Conflicting demands
- Unclear work performance expectations
- Interpersonal Conflicts
- Physical Discomfort
Ways to Manage and Deal Stress at Work
Start your day right and on a positive note
While this may not be the easy fix, you’d be surprised at how your day will turn out great by starting it on a positive note. Do you always rush your mornings preparing for work and even before arriving in the office, you’re already stressed? Having a stressful morning will highly affect how you’ll react to stress in your workplace. When you start your day right by having a healthy breakfast, good planning, and a positive attitude, you’ll find that workplace stress will be easier to handle.
Track your triggers and stressors
Maybe keeping a journal will be helpful for you. Write down your thoughts and identify which situations create the most stress for you and try to notice the pattern in how you respond to them. Records your thoughts and feelings. Write about how your days went by and how you reacted to certain stressful situations. By knowing your responses to these things, you’ll be able to assess how to do better the next time.
Develop healthy responses
Instead of fighting stress with food or alcohol, do your best to do healthier choices. Exercising is a great stress-reliever. Yoga is also a great alternative to release tension. Make time to do your hobbies and your favorite pastimes. Whether it’s watching a film, reading a book, having a picnic with family, or going out with friends, make sure to make time to do the things that make you happy. Getting enough hours of sleep will also help in coping with stress. Build healthy sleeping habits by minimizing stimulating activities at night such as phone and television use.
Establish Boundaries
Know that you can choose not to engage in work activities after working hours. In our world today, we often get the pressure of having to be available 24/7. This will just give you unnecessary stress. Establish boundaries and stick with them. Make it a rule that you are not going to check your emails when you get home or answer any phone calls during dinner. People have different preferences on how they want to blend in their work and home life, it’s up to you to create clear boundaries to take care of your health and avoid stress.
Avoid conflicts
Interpersonal conflicts at work can take a toll on your emotional health. Conflict among co-workers always happens, so it’s best to stay away from conflict if you can help it. Don’t engage in work gossip and don’t share too many of your personal opinions about politics and religion. Avoid being involved with people who do not work well with others and make sure you know how to handle conflicts when you find yourself in one.
Avoid multitasking
Multitasking is great and was once seen as a fantastic way to maximize time by getting more done. But then, people have eventually realized that doing two things at the same time affects their speed and accuracy. The focus shifts between the two things making the work on both things half-assed. Instead of multitasking, try to concentrate on one job at a time to stay on top of your tasks.
Learn how to relax
There are a couple of ways you can do to relax. Practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing can work wonders on a stressed mind. Start your journey by taking a few minutes each day to simply focus on what you are doing, like eating, breathing, or enjoying your food.
