If Work Is Stressing You Out, These 7 Tips Will Help!

It’s not uncommon to experience work stress when expectations are high.

However, no matter what kind of work task is stressing you out, there are plenty of ways to lower your stress levels to make work a more enjoyable environment.

1. Know What Your Stressors Are

Although it may seem easy to find your stressors, such as deadlines, person-to-person meetings, etc, it can take a lot more effort than you think to find out what really pushes your buttons and finding a solution to them. But, besides identifying what your stressors are, you also have to figure out how you should respond to your stress triggers.

For example, if someone asks you to meet a deadline, do you mumble back to them? Perhaps you just sit quietly? By better managing your responses, you can find new ways to be productive when your stressors are triggered.

2. Keep Yourself Organized

If you feel disorganized at work and reorganization can help lower your stress levels, you should find a way to keep yourself more organized in the workplace. Michael Woodward, a New York City psychologist, suggests that no one enjoys working in a mess, so it’s best to begin your end of the day routine by reorganizing your desk for the next morning. This way, you won’t be walking into a stressful environment.

3. Take Plenty of Breaks

Now, we’re not telling you to take a break every 10 minutes, but if you feel stress piling up, you should take some time to get up, go for a walk, do some yoga, or any other activity that can help relieve some stress. We also recommend taking a few minutes every few hours to do some meditation that can help focus your mind. Since meditation takes less than five minutes to do and can be done virtually anywhere, it is an effective break that can help you lower stress and reorganize yourself from the inside.

4. Cool Yourself Down

When you start feeling anxious and stressed out, there’s often a heating sensation in your body that causes a quick reaction. However, instead of reacting to this sensation, you should try to find ways to cool yourself down quickly. This way, you don’t do something you might regret. There are a few fun techniques you can pick up, such as breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. By doing this, you can hit the pause button on your stress, while calming you down in the process.

5. Mind Your Diet

What you eat and drink can play a big role in how you feel. Fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods can actually make you feel better, both physically and emotionally. On the other hand, junk food, sugary treats, and fast food can make you feel worse and more stressed out. In fact, if you eat these foods when you’re already anxious, they can make you feel even more stressed.

Instead of grabbing a mid-afternoon bag of chips, eat an apple. Also, you should limit your intake of drinks like coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol. These drinks can make stress worse too.

6. Exercise at Home

Scientists have proven that exercising regularly can help you to feel happier, more energized, and less stressed. These effects do not just happen right after you finish a good workout but rather, they stay with you all day long. After a long day at the office, try doing yoga or working out in your home gym. Running on a treadmill can be especially effective at relieving anxiety.

7. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important as it helps your body to recover after a long day of work. It is also crucial when trying to combat stress. Most people who are stressed out lie awake at night with thoughts racing through their heads. They may be thinking about what they messed up, what they could have done differently during the day, and what they didn’t get to do. No matter what you may think about while trying to fall asleep, it is important to learn how to shut these thoughts out so you can get a restful night of sleep.

Feeling stressed while at work is a fairly common occurrence, but it doesn’t have to be. With these seven tips, you can fight anxiety in the workplace. By getting organized, working out, and giving yourself a break, you can decrease your stress levels and have a happier day at the office.