Worklife stressing you? Try these five tips this week. Any job can
have stressful elements, even if you love what you do and do what you
love. When work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming and
harmful to both physical and emotional health. This is why we are giving
you simple tips on stress management in the workplace.
1. Track your stressors
Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. Taking notes can help you find patterns among your stressors and your reactions to them.
2. Take time to recharge
To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, we need time to replenish and return to our pre-stress level of functioning. This recovery process requires “switching off” from work by having periods of time when you are neither engaging in work-related activities nor thinking about work.
3. Develop healthy responses
Instead of attempting to fight stress with fast food or alcohol, do your best to make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise. Exercise is a great stress-buster. Yoga can be an excellent choice, but any form of physical activity is beneficial.
4. Relax!
Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises and mindfulness, a state in which you actively observe present experiences and thoughts without judging them. All these can help melt away stress.
5. Talk to your supervisor
Healthy employees are typically more productive, so your boss has an incentive to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being. Start by having an open conversation with your supervisor.
Would you have any other coping mechanisms you have used in the workplace?