Let's Deal With Work Stress!

Stress has been defined in different ways over the years. Originally, it was conceived of as pressure from the environment, then as strain within the person. The generally accepted definition today is one of interaction between the situation and the individual. It is the psychological and physical state that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to cope with the demands and pressures of the situation. Thus, stress is more likely in some situations than others and in some individuals than others.

The average business professional has between 30 and 100 projects on his plate. Modern workers are interrupted seven times an hour and distracted up to 2.1 hours a day. And in large firms, four out of ten employees are undergoing significant restructuring and therefore face uncertainties about their future. This may be the reason why more than 40% of adults say they stay awake at night with stressful events of the day.

Although stress at work is normal, excessive stress can affect your productivity and performance, your physical and emotional health, your relationships, and your private life.

Stress is not always bad. A little stress can help you stay focused and energetic and face new workplace challenges. Stay updated during a presentation or alert to avoid accidents or costly mistakes. In today's hectic world, working too often seems like an emotional roller coaster. Long hours of work, tight deadlines, and increasing demands can make you feel worried, exhausted, and overwhelmed. And when stress exceeds your ability to cope with it, it is no longer useful and damages your mind and body, as well as your job satisfaction.

You can see signs of stress in people's behavior, especially in behavioral changes. Acute reactions to stress can be emotions (e.g., anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue), behavior (withdrawal, aggressiveness, crying, demotivation), thinking (e.g., difficulty concentrating and solving problems) or physical symptoms (for example, palpitations, nausea, headache). When stress persists, neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, autonomic, and immune function is affected, which leads to mental and physical health problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, heart disease).

The factors listed below are the causes of stress at work.

• Fear of being laid off
• The pressure to perform to meet rising expectations but with no increase in job satisfaction
• Lack of control over how you do your work
• More overtime due to staff cutbacks
• The pressure to work at optimum levels—all the time!

A solution to these would be to adopt more effective strategies to reduce stress at work simply. Here are some stress management techniques to try.

Schedule Your Day For Energy And Focus

How do you start your day? Do you just get out of bed, dress up and leave for work?

Most of us go through the day using a "push, push, push" approach, thinking if we work the full eight to 10 hours, we'll get more done. Well, it doesn't work that way. It decreases your productivity level and increases your stress level, and you're left with little or no energy for yourself or family.

You should schedule breaks throughout the day to walk, stretch at your desk, or do a mindful breathing exercise. Also, try to get away from your desk or workstation for lunch. This will help you to relax, rejuvenate, and be more and no less productive.

Eat Right

Poor eating does more harm than good to the body, says Sharon Melnick, Ph.D., a business psychologist and author of just-released Success Under Stress, who advises eating a low-sugar, high-protein diet.

Your food choices can have a huge impact on how you feel during the workday. Eating small, frequent, and healthy meals, for example, can help your body maintain an even level of blood sugar. This maintains your energy and focus and prevents mood swings. Low blood sugar, on the other hand, can make you feel anxious and irritable while eating too much can make you lethargic.

Get Enough Sleep

"And when you're not sleeping well, you're not getting the rejuvenating effects." According to the CDC, an estimated 60 million Americans do not get sufficient sleep, which is a critical recovery period for the body. If racing thoughts keep you from falling asleep or you wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep, Melnick suggests a simple breathing trick that will knock you out fast: Cover your right nostril and breathe through your left for three to five minutes.

Make The Requirements Clear

One factor that contributes to the stress at the workplace is the lack of clarity of requirements. If you do not know exactly what is expected of you or if the requirements change in the short term, you may feel a lot more stressed than necessary.

If you fall into the trap of never knowing if what you are doing is enough, it may be helpful to talk to your supervisor and go beyond your expectations and strategies to satisfy them. It can reduce stress for both of us!

Keep Perfectionism in Check

Being a high achiever can help you feel good about yourself and excel at work. Being a perfectionist, on the other hand, can drive you and the people around you little nuts. Especially in busy, fast-paced jobs, you may not be able to do everything perfectly. But striving to do your best and then congratulating yourself on the effort is a good strategy. Your results will actually be better, and you'll be much less stressed at work

Create A Balanced Schedule

All work and no play is a recipe for exhaustion. Try to strike a balance between work and family, social and lonely activity, daily responsibility, and leisure.

Go To Work Early In The Morning

Have you ever arrived late at work? You immediately felt pressured and rushed to get things done. Even 10 to 15 minutes can mean the difference between hectic running and daily relaxation. If you're still late, stop using your watches quickly for more time and less stress.

Set Healthy Limits

Many of us feel obligated to be available around the clock or to continue to search for work-related messages and updates on their smartphones. However, it is important to meet times when you are not working or thinking about work. This may mean that you do not check emails or make any professional calls in the evenings or on weekends.

Listen To Music On The Drive Home

Listening to music brings many benefits and can offer an effective way to relieve stress after work. I have a friend who is an entrepreneur and always stressed out each day after work. But by the time he gets home, he seems to be in a better mood. What happened? He plays music on his way home each day.

Combating the stress of a long day at work with your favorite music on the drive home can make you less stressed when you get home, and more prepared to interact with the people in your life.

How do you manage stress?

What's your best stress management method?