Are you burned out? Welcome to the club. Who isn’t pressed for time and responsible for a million things to do? If you aren’t, then consider yourself lucky because you are not missing anything at all.
While some may view stress as a badge of honour, it is not great for your long-term health. There are all sorts of complications that can arise of being too stressed out, whether it is because of your job or daily commute. But do you have to bear the brunt every day? Not at all. You just need to catch your breath, smell the coffee, and hear the cellos.
Your mental health as an employee is important, so don’t get stressed and neglect to take care of yourself. Here are nine ways on how to cope with stress at work:
1. Go for a Walk
Being chained to your desk and chair will not improve your health – physically or psychologically. You need a break, and this does not involve looking at your phone. For 10 minutes or during your lunch hour, head outside, unplug from electronic gadgets, and walk.
Walking is one of the best ways on how to handle stress at work. It doesn’t matter where. Well, except you need to return to the office before your supervisor finds out!
2. Take a Breather
There is no harm in taking a breather throughout your workday. If this can help you to take control of your senses, calm down a bit, and allow your mind, body, and soul to recharge, then do it.
So, what does taking a breather look like? Here are some ideas:
- Stand at your desk and just stretch your muscles.
- Go to the window and look outside.
- Head to the washroom and splash water on your face.
- Visit the breakroom and just space out for a couple of minutes.
Whatever you can do to take a quick break you should do!
3. Have a Cup of Coffee
It might seem counterintuitive but having a cup of coffee is a great way to calm down.
Indeed, there is nothing more relaxing then a nice, hot, fresh, and delicious cup of java. Whether it is Tim Hortons or Starbucks or even the lunchroom black liquid euphemistically referred to as coffee, it can certainly help you to reduce your stress.
Coffee solves life’s problems, and it’s one of the sweeter ways on how to handle stress at work.
4. Perform Breathing Exercises
Have you ever seen someone perform breathing exercises? If so, then you probably think it is rather odd. And, indeed, it can be, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. That said, breathing exercises have been around for a long time and they are a great way to reduce stress.
You just need to know how to do it properly. But you can just begin by taking long deep breaths. After a while, you can progress to other more advanced breathing exercises that can do wonders for your health.
5. Create a To-Do List
One of the reasons why many of us feel stressed out at work is because we are overloaded with work, there are not enough hours in the day, and we are in disarray. You are behind the eight ball as soon as your day begins. Wouldn’t you feel stressed out, too?
There is a way to circumvent this problem, though. It is called a to-do list, which has been around for decades.
Either the night before or when you arrive at the office, create a list of things that need to get done during your shift. As the day goes by, check off everything that has been done one at a time.
By doing this, you are more organized, you know what you can tackle, and you will feel more empowered now that you know what needs to be done and what needs to be prioritized.
6. Monitor Your Peak Stresses
Let’s be honest: There are certain times in the work day where you feel more stressed out than others. It might be just before lunch or it could be an hour before you finish for the day.
Well, whenever it is, it is important to monitor your peak stresses and jot down when they happen. This is a clever trick because then you can adapt and determine what is causing the stress. Also, you can prepare yourself for the weight of the world and you can ensure that you can handle it.
7. Listen to Classical Music on Your Commute
Are you a fan of classical music? Well, if not, then you better start becoming a lover of Johann Strauss waltzes, Johann Sebastian Bach cello suites, or Enrico Caruso arias. Indeed, not only is classical the loveliest type of music around, it can also melt away the stress in your shoulders.
So, either on your way to work or on your way home from work, turn on your car stereo or crank up your smartphone on the train and enjoy the beautiful sounds of Sergei Rachmaninoff or Fredric Chopin.
8. Eat Right – Skip the Candy Bar
We are all guilty of this. We have a bad day so we head to the vending machine and purchase a chocolate bar and drown our sorrows in a can of Coca-Cola. Do you really think is a permanent, long-term solution to your problems? We hope not.
Rather than consuming empty calories, you should opt for healthier choices that can achieve many benefits for your physical and mental health. It might not give you that instant gratification, but it will provide long-term solutions to your everyday problems.
9. Stay Comfortable
Ergonomics is imperative in today’s corporate world. Considering how long we are confined to our workstations, a desk and a chair will no longer cut it. You may not think that your uncomfortable chair is producing stress, but it might be contributing to the stress you are enduring on a daily basis.
Your company may not want to invest in a good chair, so you may need to adapt by getting a back-support apparatus or something to rest your feet. There are many options to explore.
For years, you have taken on chaos and embraced stress to advance your career. Now, however, it is beginning to get to you, which is hurting your productivity, affecting the quality of your work, and impacting your professional relationships. We can only take so much stress in our lives. But you can alleviate it by employing the right tactics, from a coffee to classical.