Many people experience work-related stress, and while in small doses, stress can help you meet deadlines and achieve goals, when it becomes chronic, it can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Work stress can lead to health consequences that can be minor, such as flu or colds, to more serious ones, like metabolic syndrome and heart disease. While finding a low-stress job is hard (if not impossible), you can adopt some coping strategies that will help you manage stress effectively. In this article, we will explore some steps you can take to this end, so keep reading!
Identify your stressors
In order to handle stress, you must first be able to find out what’s bothering you in the first place. There could be some subtle sources of tension you may not even be aware of, such as chatter in the back, an uncomfortable workspace, or a long commute. The truth is that stress at work can stem from different sources, and since everyone’s circumstances are unique, you have to evaluate your own situation and be honest about what’s going on there to figure out what to do next. If a lack of engagement is the problem, you could struggle with a lack of fulfilment, which may cause you to feel stressed out, and in this case, a solution would be to talk about it with your employer. Or, perhaps, you are working in an environment with hazards and worried about your health and well-being. Unfortunately, many are victims of workplace accidents due to employer negligence. If a negative workplace culture is the reason why you feel stressed, you may want to consider looking for another company which prioritises the wellbeing of employees.
Whatever your stress triggers are, you can identify them by keeping a journal, where you write down people, events and places that cause you a certain emotional, mental or physical response. Consider how you feel in a certain situation ( e.g., hurt, angry, afraid) and what your reaction is, and brainstorm some ways you can resolve it.
Break bad habits that make stress worse
You may not realise it, but your negative thoughts and behaviour are only maintaining your stress levels high, so consider turning those self-defeating habits around. Suppose you have the tendency to focus on the downside of every interaction and situation. In that case, you’ll be quickly drained of motivation and energy, so instead, try to shift your mindset to a more positive one when it comes to work. When you experience a lot of stress for an extended time, you will find yourself jumping to conclusions and seeing all situations with a negative lens. If your boss doesn’t say “hi” in the morning, you may think they are mad at you, which is probably not the case. It’s essential to learn to distance yourself from negative thoughts instead of making automatic judgements that only make you feel worse.
Also, remember that many things that happen at the workplace are out of your control ( such as other people’s behaviour), rather than stressing over them, shift your focus on what you can control. Finally, be sure that you aren’t setting unrealistic goals for yourself because if you do this, you will only set yourself up to fall short. Remember that you only have to do your best, and don’t ask for more than that from yourself.
Manage your time properly
Feeling overwhelmed by work sometimes is also related to how you organise your time. It’s a good idea to plan ahead by making a priority list at the start of the work week and ranking the tasks based on their importance. To-do lists can be lifesavers when it comes to workplace productivity; however, you need to be careful, so they won’t get too big and overwhelming. You can use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance, breaking down the list by tasks that have defined deadlines, tasks that can be scheduled for later, tasks that you can delegate to someone else, and tasks that can be eliminated because they are not relevant at this point.
Automating tasks is a smart way to handle everything more efficiently, as it frees up valuable time and enables you to focus on the creative parts of your work, so find tools you can use to create simple or complex automations, depending on your needs.
Take breaks
Breaks are truly important when it comes to reducing stress, and they can lead to higher productivity and more balanced emotional health. According to research, small breaks (around 10 minutes or less) can be just as effective as long breaks when it comes to keeping stress levels low, and the good news is that it’s simple to implement them into your workday schedule. For example, you can take a 10-minute break once an hour or a 2–3-minute break a few times during an hour – it all depends on what feels better to you.
You may find it challenging to interrupt a good workflow session, and in that case, it could be helpful to set a timer on your mobile or computer to remind you to take that well-deserved break!
Try to keep a healthy work-life balance
Being available around the clock won’t benefit you in the long run – it will only lead to burnout. This is why it’s essential to keep your work life and job life separate and establish rules for when you will take phone calls or check emails if that’s the case. It’s essential to learn to disconnect mentally once you finish work hours, so do your best to turn off your notifications and set limits on the activities you will do in the evening that are related to work.
Obviously, maintaining a work-life balance means making time for your hobbies and spending time with your loved ones because these activities will help you recharge and contribute to your well-being.
The bottom line
Workplace stress can have major impacts on your health if you don’t manage it effectively. Luckily, there are some things you can do to prevent it from taking over your life and causing serious issues. Remember to set realistic goals and practise self-care, as they are key to staying productive!