Tag: workplace

How To Relieve Stress in the Workplace

As much as we try to deny its existence, we all suffer from stress, especially in the workplace. Stress is not one to play around with as many studies have proven that it can cause real physical problems such as headaches, upset stomach, increased blood pressure, chest pain, and interrupted sleeping. It can also affect you mentally in the form of anxiety and depression. Now, they say the average business professional is dealing with 30 to 100 projects. That alone can cause massive amounts of stress on any individual. It is important not to let the stress consume you as it can cause worse side effects. Let’s take a look at some tips that can help you relieve stress in the workplace.

 

Exercise

Regular exercise has been known as a natural stress reducer due to its mood-boosting and endorphin-releasing properties. These studies which date back to the early 80’s have proven that regular exercise can improve your mood. A study in 1999, in fact, revealed that working out was as effective as antidepressants. Exercise can also help you focus more on positive thoughts rather than stressful thoughts. You will be training yourself to be in the moment and focus on your body’s movements, so it can work as a form of active meditation and have a calming effect on the body and the mind. Aim for at least thirty minutes of physical activity every day.

 

Get More Organized

Many times, the reason why you feel stressed is due to an overwhelming feeling of not having everything together. So, a great way to create a major reduction in your stress is by getting a better handle on your work through prioritizing and organizing. First, you want to set clear objectives of what you hope to accomplish. Then, you need to prioritize based on your goals. So, think about the things you plan on doing throughout the day and ask yourself if any of these are moving you closer to your goal. If they aren’t, then they should not be a priority. By organizing yourself and how you delegate the tasks for your day, you will start to have a better feeling about what you’re doing and thus have less stress on your mind.

 

Seek Support

If you notice that your stress levels are not improving, then you might want to seek some support. This could be from a fellow co-worker or your supervisor. Regardless of who it is, you will need to let someone know what you are going through so that they can direct you in the right direction of recovery. You should not feel like you must go through this by yourself. Your co-worker can give you tips on how they handle stress which can help you moving forward. Your supervisor can possibly give you fewer projects to work if the workload is becoming too much. However, you will never discover any of these solutions if you do not reach out.

Maintaining A Work-Life Balance

Trying to maintain a work-life balance has always been a major stress factor in the workforce. Even when work was strictly considered a 9-5 commitment, removing yourself from workplace responsibilities has always been a challenging task. Today, it is even more difficult due to the rise of mobile technology. We now live in a world where people are working in roles that they consider to be “always on” jobs. Whether they are at the office, or at home, they constantly find themselves doing something work-related (answering a call, replying to an email, etc.). It is important, however, that we strive to create that work-life balance so that we can live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. Take a look at these tips to help you maintain a work-life balance.

 

Respect Your Boundaries

You cannot achieve this balance if you do not respect your own boundaries. In addition, if you do not respect your boundaries, you cannot expect anyone else to either. You must work on developing a lifestyle of predictability, at least as it pertains to work. So, train yourself to know that once 5pm hits, you are done working for the day. That means no more calls, no more emails, and no more data tracking, etc. In the beginning, this will be tough to grow into because you will always feel like there is something more to do. However, this is where your boundaries come in. You have to show enough respect to yourself and your boundaries so that others can follow suit.

 

Pace Yourself

Many people who are hard-working and passionate about what they are doing tend to dive into many different projects at once. But, if you want to enjoy a healthy and productive life, you need to understand the value of pacing yourself. Yes, there will be moments when you need to amp things up and go full throttle, but there will also be times when you need to settle down and take things easy. Give your mind and body that needed rest, so that you can come back fully charged and ready to throttle back up again. Self-awareness will be crucial in these situations. You need to understand how much you can handle at any given moment and when you need to slow things down and take a break.

 

Enjoy A Social Life

So many people get caught up in their work and they forget to spend time with their friends and family. You should not limit your social life because of work as it will only lead to unhealthy relationships with the people you love. Make sure that you are setting aside time every evening to spend time with your family. If you have time on the weekends, spend time with close friends and catch up on things. Do not allow your work life to consume your social life because you will find that it may cause you to burn out very quickly, and you will lose all motivation to do anything.