Lifestyle / Health
How to minimize stress at work
28 Jul 2023 at 11:15hrs | Views
Work stress is inevitable, and there are some aspects of any job that can create tension. But long-term exposure to these stressors can lead to burnout and other undesired consequences for employees.
Whether it's conflict, yelling, or tight deadlines, knowing what triggers your stress can help you protect yourself from burnout. Developing healthy responses to work stress also helps you get more out of your job and your health.
Although you can't control a lot at work, but there are ways to minimize stress. Start with these tips:
1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
The "don't sweat the small stuff" mantra reminds us that many things that stress us out are not worth our energy. Unless your job is life-or-death, most problems you might face at work are not worth the energy and attention that you might give them. You can also learn to delegate some of the non-work-related stuff to others: ask your neighbor to do the groceries today or find someone to provide you essay writing services for free or any suitable payment to deal with your parallel study issues.
Leave work at work. This can be challenging but try to avoid working after hours or checking your work email at home, but make sure to leave yourself enough time at home to relax and spend quality time with friends and family. Having a healthy social support network and hobbies are great ways to help you relax. Also, sleep and exercise are important for a healthy stress response.
2. Take time away.
If you are a manager, encourage your staff to take breaks and unplug from technology during their shifts, focusing on breathing exercises or mindfulness. Emphasize that taking a break from their electronic devices during lunch is important to managing workplace stress and keeping their health and well-being in check.
Learn what triggers your stress, and focus on avoiding those situations. This can help you avoid the common responses to stress like a headache, stomachache, sleep disturbances, high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, and weakened immune system.
3. Talk it over with someone.
Workplace stress is a common problem and, if not addressed, can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and depression. Learning how to manage it can help you stay healthy and happy, even at the office.
Talking to a friend can be helpful when stress levels are high. A trusted confidant can be an empathetic listener and a supportive resource for changing unhealthy habits.
Often, workplace stress is caused by things you can control. For example, if your boss gives you too many assignments or has high expectations, consider talking with them about it. You may also be able to reduce your workload or find ways to improve your performance.
4. Be willing to compromise.
Work stress can lead to burnout, a condition that affects an individual's physical and mental health. Common signs of burnout include overwhelming exhaustion and cynicism.
One way to combat these negative feelings is to be willing to compromise. When you encounter a stressful situation, consider how you might be able to find a middle ground that alleviates your tension without jeopardizing the bigger picture.
Managers can also do their part to help reduce workplace stress by clearly communicating with employees about job stability and responsibilities.
Additionally, they can encourage their staff to seek help from employee assistance programs and counselors if needed. In addition, they can promote healthy habits like exercise and sleep.
5. Resist perfectionism.
Aiming for perfection isn't always bad, but many people take it to the extreme. This can lead to a lot of stress because, as Drake points out, "the all-or-nothing mindset is often unrealistic."
One way to combat this type of thinking is by being selective about your work. Maybe some tasks don't need to be flawless, but others require more time and energy.
Another way to change your thinking is to start noticing what's good about your work - or other people's work. This will counterbalance your critical thoughts about yourself or other people's accomplishments.
6. Flip your negative thinking.
Positive thinking reduces stress, while negative thoughts increase it. Identify areas of your life that tend to trigger negative thinking, such as work, daily commute, or relationships. It may be helpful to note when and how often you have these thoughts.
Consider if they are based on one of the common cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, or pessimistic thinking. Identifying these negative thought patterns and learning how to replace them with more helpful ones can help reduce their impact on your well-being.
Try visualizing your negative thoughts as a cloud, bubble, or leaf that floats away. Alternatively, try thinking about something else that brings you joy or peace.
7. Don't try to control the uncontrollable.
Stress can be a normal part of work, but too much can negatively impact team morale and productivity. Managers can help their teams keep stress levels down by demonstrating positive leadership and staying calm in stressful situations.
Also, if you can't control the situation, like a sudden crisis or unexpected project deadline, focus on changing your reaction to it. For example, if you are easily distracted by email, calls, or instant messaging, try setting aside specific times of the day to check and respond and eliminating distractions in your workspace. Breaking larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks can also decrease stress by feeling less overwhelming. And if you need to, seek professional help to learn healthy ways of dealing with stress.
Final words
Anyone who has ever held a job has experienced work stress. But long-term exposure to high levels of work stress can become overwhelming and harmful to both your mental and physical health.
Over time, chronic workplace stress can lead to a psychological syndrome known as burnout. Common warning signs of burnout include exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of inefficacy.
Fortunately, you can reduce stress in your life by recognizing knee-jerk habits and negative attitudes that exacerbate it. And you can create healthy responses to it, including getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet. You can also learn to manage your workload and prioritize tasks effectively. And you can seek support from family and friends or take advantage of employee assistance programs.
Whether it's conflict, yelling, or tight deadlines, knowing what triggers your stress can help you protect yourself from burnout. Developing healthy responses to work stress also helps you get more out of your job and your health.
Although you can't control a lot at work, but there are ways to minimize stress. Start with these tips:
1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
The "don't sweat the small stuff" mantra reminds us that many things that stress us out are not worth our energy. Unless your job is life-or-death, most problems you might face at work are not worth the energy and attention that you might give them. You can also learn to delegate some of the non-work-related stuff to others: ask your neighbor to do the groceries today or find someone to provide you essay writing services for free or any suitable payment to deal with your parallel study issues.
Leave work at work. This can be challenging but try to avoid working after hours or checking your work email at home, but make sure to leave yourself enough time at home to relax and spend quality time with friends and family. Having a healthy social support network and hobbies are great ways to help you relax. Also, sleep and exercise are important for a healthy stress response.
2. Take time away.
If you are a manager, encourage your staff to take breaks and unplug from technology during their shifts, focusing on breathing exercises or mindfulness. Emphasize that taking a break from their electronic devices during lunch is important to managing workplace stress and keeping their health and well-being in check.
Learn what triggers your stress, and focus on avoiding those situations. This can help you avoid the common responses to stress like a headache, stomachache, sleep disturbances, high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, and weakened immune system.
3. Talk it over with someone.
Workplace stress is a common problem and, if not addressed, can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and depression. Learning how to manage it can help you stay healthy and happy, even at the office.
Talking to a friend can be helpful when stress levels are high. A trusted confidant can be an empathetic listener and a supportive resource for changing unhealthy habits.
Often, workplace stress is caused by things you can control. For example, if your boss gives you too many assignments or has high expectations, consider talking with them about it. You may also be able to reduce your workload or find ways to improve your performance.
4. Be willing to compromise.
Work stress can lead to burnout, a condition that affects an individual's physical and mental health. Common signs of burnout include overwhelming exhaustion and cynicism.
One way to combat these negative feelings is to be willing to compromise. When you encounter a stressful situation, consider how you might be able to find a middle ground that alleviates your tension without jeopardizing the bigger picture.
Managers can also do their part to help reduce workplace stress by clearly communicating with employees about job stability and responsibilities.
Additionally, they can encourage their staff to seek help from employee assistance programs and counselors if needed. In addition, they can promote healthy habits like exercise and sleep.
Aiming for perfection isn't always bad, but many people take it to the extreme. This can lead to a lot of stress because, as Drake points out, "the all-or-nothing mindset is often unrealistic."
One way to combat this type of thinking is by being selective about your work. Maybe some tasks don't need to be flawless, but others require more time and energy.
Another way to change your thinking is to start noticing what's good about your work - or other people's work. This will counterbalance your critical thoughts about yourself or other people's accomplishments.
6. Flip your negative thinking.
Positive thinking reduces stress, while negative thoughts increase it. Identify areas of your life that tend to trigger negative thinking, such as work, daily commute, or relationships. It may be helpful to note when and how often you have these thoughts.
Consider if they are based on one of the common cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, or pessimistic thinking. Identifying these negative thought patterns and learning how to replace them with more helpful ones can help reduce their impact on your well-being.
Try visualizing your negative thoughts as a cloud, bubble, or leaf that floats away. Alternatively, try thinking about something else that brings you joy or peace.
7. Don't try to control the uncontrollable.
Stress can be a normal part of work, but too much can negatively impact team morale and productivity. Managers can help their teams keep stress levels down by demonstrating positive leadership and staying calm in stressful situations.
Also, if you can't control the situation, like a sudden crisis or unexpected project deadline, focus on changing your reaction to it. For example, if you are easily distracted by email, calls, or instant messaging, try setting aside specific times of the day to check and respond and eliminating distractions in your workspace. Breaking larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks can also decrease stress by feeling less overwhelming. And if you need to, seek professional help to learn healthy ways of dealing with stress.
Final words
Anyone who has ever held a job has experienced work stress. But long-term exposure to high levels of work stress can become overwhelming and harmful to both your mental and physical health.
Over time, chronic workplace stress can lead to a psychological syndrome known as burnout. Common warning signs of burnout include exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of inefficacy.
Fortunately, you can reduce stress in your life by recognizing knee-jerk habits and negative attitudes that exacerbate it. And you can create healthy responses to it, including getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet. You can also learn to manage your workload and prioritize tasks effectively. And you can seek support from family and friends or take advantage of employee assistance programs.
Source - Byo24News
