A busy schedule and tight deadlines can quickly increase the amount of stress we experience on the job. If left unchecked, work-related stress can slowly deprive you of your confidence, energy, and performance. Not to mention, things can quickly escalate into other health-related problems.
According to a study by Harvard, 65% of adults admit that their work contributes to stress. Not only that, but data from the American Community Survey and General Social Survey suggests that stress related to jobs might result in lower life expectancy. So, are you ready to deal with work-related stress? Listed below are a few tips that will help:
Reach out for help:
Often stress and anxiety on the job cause people to isolate and avoid group activities and conversations. However, it is necessary to address the issue before it starts affecting performance on the job. If you’re in such a situation, you can turn to your co-workers and friends to build a support system at work. This way, you’ll have someone to lean on when you’re in a stressful situation.
Many companies also appoint on-site counselors by hiring new resources or encouraging existing ones to upskill with an online masters in counseling and fill the role. If your company provides such a service, do not hesitate to knock on the counselor’s door when your need mental and emotional support to beat stress.
Identify your stress triggers
Everyone has different stress triggers. These can be specific words in a conversation, situation, or person on the job. This difference may lead you to ignore your stress signs without even realizing that there’s a problem, ultimately causing you to respond poorly to work-related stress. Therefore, you must identify what things at your office trigger an emotional reaction and cause stress.
Try to record what happens when you in specific situations and what triggers stress. Evaluate the actions of people involved, what was said, who said it, and what your reaction was. You can come up with a better coping mechanism when you know the cause of the stress. For instance, if you know that a particular person triggers a reaction, avoid being around that individual.
Work on your time management skills
Improving your time management skills often helps fight the feeling of being overwhelmed at work, which is a leading cause of work-related stress. People who tend to do everything at the last minute find themselves under constant pressure. If you want to burst the stress bubble at work, then sharpen your time management skills.
Start by making a priority list and rank tasks according to their urgency. It would help to set realistic goals. If you know you can’t pull off a task in the allotted time, don’t take additional responsibilities on your plate. Also, it is better to leave more challenging tasks for when you have more time on your hands. Organizing your tasks and managing your time will help you lower your stress levels considerably.
Pay attention to your physical wellness
A tired and energy-deprived body has adverse effects on mental health and causes inefficiency. Therefore, to strengthen the mind, you must strengthen your body. This is especially important for people who do desk jobs or sit in front of a computer all day. Your routine must consist of at least 30 minutes of any form of physical activity to get your body charged up. It can be anything daily during your lunch break, stretching your legs to under your desk, or even yoga if your office has a comfortable spot. With any form of active meditation, you should also throw in a little healthy diet for elevating your mood and boosting your stamina.
Learn to take a break
One of the factors contributing to workplace stress is the workplace itself. That is why, when given a chance, you should remove yourself from the work environment and enjoy your breaks somewhere peacefully.
Once you start overworking yourself for no reason, you are bound to burn out quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to relax from time to time. Take care of yourself by enjoying your free time doing things you like, whether it’s walking down to your favorite lunch place or catching up with your best friend over the phone. You can also try relaxation techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises.
Conclusion
Workplace stress can affect your professional and personal life if you don’t learn to read the warning signs. If you want to overcome the problem, you need to start working on your coping mechanism today. To deal with work-related stress, begin by identifying your stress triggers and then develop strategies to deal with them. You can also ask for help from friends, reach out to a professional, hook yourself up to physical wellness programs, and manage your time correctly.
