If you ask people, it seems that work has never been this stressful. The economic situation all around the world, mixed in with the pandemic, caused many people to be laid off or worried about their positions. Also, with remote work and the return to the office, tensions are high all the time, especially if you’re gunning for that promotion or want to be noticed by your superiors. So, unfortunately, stress is an integral part of work these days. Instead of letting it consume you and cause burnout, here are a few techniques that can help you manage stress and show yourself in the best light:
Create a pre-work routine
Many people get up later than they should, scramble to get their kids ready for school, get stuck in traffic, and need to have only coffee for breakfast because they don’t have time for anything else. This routine causes them to arrive to work already stressed! And when you have a stressful morning, you’ll be more susceptible to stress later in the day as well. On the other hand, by starting your day with a relaxing breakfast and beverage, taking time to pamper yourself, and avoiding the morning rush, stress will roll off your back much more easily.
Avoid conflict
Conflicts at work can’t be prevented, but they can be avoided or at least minimized. Arguing with colleagues can seriously drain your energy and affect your emotional health. If you can, don’t hesitate to escape conflict at work. To do so, avoid gossiping, sharing too much of your personal information, and talking about politics, religion, and other tricky subjects. Also, if you can, choose to only work with people who are good at team assignments. And finally, if you get into conflict, know a few ways to handle it in the best way possible.
Organize your time
No matter if you’re naturally organized or chaotic, it’s always possible to improve your day and decrease stress by planning ahead. When you have a good schedule and stick to it, you can avoid the morning rush, prevent late sign-ins and spare yourself of a lot of hustling. Also, good organizing can greatly reduce clutter in your life and make you a more efficient worker.
Try meditating
Meditation is an ancient practice of focusing on one’s breath, action, or phrase to achieve mental calm, clarity, and stability. When talking about this popular practice, people imagine monks and gurus sitting in their lotus positions for hours, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Most modern practitioners only need 20-minute sessions of transcendental meditation twice a day to improve their focus, reduce stress and learn many new ways to battle negative emotions at work. Through guided sessions, you can reap the most benefits and maintain a healthy rhythm for your day.
Create a suitable work environment
Stress doesn’t only occur due to mental and emotional discomfort, but physical as well. For instance, where you work during the day (your desk, office, or cubicle) can be a great stressor. Maybe you’re stressed due to the pain of sitting in an uncomfortable chair. Maybe you can’t find some important documents in the sea of paperwork. Or maybe your office buddy is being super annoying with their rustling bag of chips. Even small noises like people chatting can make you frustrated, so do whatever you can to minimize distractions and keep your stress down.
Avoid multitasking
Once upon a time, we thought that multitasking was an excellent way to do more in less time, but as time went on, we realized that multitasking is essentially useless. There’s no way to do two tasks at the same time—we can just switch between tasks quickly. This switch can cause dramatic stress on the brain, not to mention the decrease in speed and accuracy. Splitting your focus can make you feel dazed and confused and it doesn’t work for most people. On the other hand, if you want to reduce stress, try using single-tasking.
Take a walking lunch break
Being active can do wonders for the stress that accumulates during your day at the desk. So next time you have a lunch break, try to get some exercise with it. For instance, you can walk to your nearby park and have lunch there or blow off some steam at your office building game room.
Handling stress at work doesn’t have to be impossible. With these practical tricks and tips, you can start and finish every day on the right foot and prevent many stress-induced issues in your life.