Workplace stress is somewhat inevitable when you are working 8 hours a day with over a hundred projects that need to get done.
According to recent statistics, 77% of people experience physical symptoms of stress. This includes – but is not limited to – low energy, headaches, upset stomach, nausea, aches, pains, tense muscles, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, frequent colds and infections, and loss of sexual desire.
These symptoms can range from mild to severe and have the ability to cause serious damage to a persons’ mental and physical health.
When stress gets too much, our fight or flight instincts tend to kick in which leads to the overwhelming urge to quit.
Well, do not be too hasty. We get that it can be hard not to take action when everything is getting too much. But there might be a better way out than up and quitting. Perhaps you can find a way to relieve work stress without throwing in the towel.
Table of Contents
Let It Go
We often have the need to control every aspect of our lives and when we realise that we can’t, we experience stress.
The problem is that there is no way to control every single thing that happens – especially at work.
So it can really help if you identify what is in your control and what is not. This way you can change the things that are and let go of what is not.
You need to accept that nobody has total control. Whether you work in the mail room or whether you are the CEO – there will always be things that are out of your control. The sooner you accept this, the better off you will be.
Schedule
Most of us go into our working days with a hundred things that need to be done and we try to tackle as much as possible.
Not only does this strategy have no order, but it is actually less productive. Research shows that it is more efficient and less stressful to plan out your day and the tasks you will do on a schedule rather than tackle as much as possible and see how much you get done.
At the end of the day, you will be more relaxed and not as exhausted.
This way you will have more energy to spend on doing the things you love, like spending time with your family or friends.
Eliminate Interruptions
When you are working you will have a tonne off interruptions that will interfere with your work and hinder your performance. On average, office workers spend about 2 hours of their days being distracted and deal with about 5 interruptions per hour.
This can break focus and not only lead to lower productivity levels – but also more stress.
In order to minimise stress, you need to minimise – or preferably eliminate interruptions and distractions.
You can do this by putting your phone on silent mode and putting it away, putting your Skype on “Do not disturb”, disabling social media notifications, and telling your co-workers to leave you in peace.
Diet and Sleep
It is important to get enough sleep and follow a healthy and balanced diet – it is even more important to do this when you have a stressful and demanding job.
We know that it can be hard to find time for sleep when there is so much that needs to get done, but you need to make time for sleep. Aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night – although 8 or even 9 will be better.
When you are busy working, it can be hard to find time to take lunch and often times you completely skip the meal.
Research shows that people who skip meals show far lower productivity levels due to hunger and lack of energy.
Even if you do not feel hungry – eat something. You will feel more energised and it will give you the ability to better handle stress.
Breathe
This might seem quite obvious but it often helps to take a deep breath when you are dealing with a stressful person or situation.
It is so easy to snap and quit when your boss is driving you crazy or that uptight co-worker is nagging you about some work-related matter. This is the perfect time to take a deep breath and just chill.
Breathing is a proven method of relieving stress as it allows more oxygen to flow to the brain.
Relaxation methods can also help when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Simply close your eyes, picture a serene environment such as the beach, and take a deep breath. Hold the breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale. If you repeat this 10 times, you will feel more at ease and it will be easier to not tell your boss off and end up a full-time Uber driver.