Some stress can be useful. It brings with it a rush of adrenaline, a sharper focus and a burst of energy that can actually improve productivity. As a deadline looms, the stress can keep you on task.
Chronic stress, on the other hand, harms both your body and your mind. Constantly feeling worried, harassed, and overworked has a negative impact on productivity, not to mention your health and sense of well-being.
And while a glass of wine or a hot bath (or both) can calm you, neither is a tool you can use while still at work.
But there are a number of work-friendly ways to manage stress, and incorporating one or more of these into your repertoire will make you a better employee — and a happier person.
Here are seven simple ways to handle stress at work that will leave you feeling more organized and serene.
1. Write a daily to-do list
No matter how many things are on the list, getting them onto the paper and out of your head will increase your sense of control and reduce anxiety. A to-do list allows you to prioritize tasks, plan for tomorrow, and give yourself little pats on the back as you check off each item.
2. Keep a journal
Whether you scrawl a few notes about your day as you’re heading to bed or you wake up ready to tackle your morning pages, journaling is a tried-and-true technique for stress management. Keep a journal clears your mind of static and leaves you feeling more balanced. And you might discover things — concerns, needs, stressors — that will give you an opportunity take better care of yourself.
3. Remember to breathe
While you may not be able to run through yoga asanas while at work, you can always engage in some thoughtful breathing exercises, and breathing deeply and slowly will help turn off your fight-or-flight response. Exhaling for longer than you inhale is inherently calming.
4. Avoid drama
All workplaces have gossip and drama, but that doesn’t mean you have to join in. In fact, the more you can avoid the interpersonal dynamics of the workplace the less stressful your days will be.
This is not to suggest that you should be aloof or unfriendly, but making it clear that you’re in the office to work, not to socialize, will help you and your coworkers establish healthy boundaries and constructive workplace relationships.
5. Take your lunch break
Eating your lunch will help keep your blood sugar stable, but it’s equally important to get a change of scenery. That means it’s much better to leave the office for forty-five minutes than to devour a sandwich still sitting at your desk. Getting away will give you renewed energy when you return — even if you don’t go far.
6. Eat protein-rich snacks
Avoiding the candy bowl or the tray of doughnuts is not just good for your body — it’s good for your mind. Sugar provides a rush of energy, but that rush is quickly followed by a crash that leaves you vulnerable to feeling overwhelmed and irritable. Instead, eat nuts, protein bars, or jerky if you need a pick-me-up during the afternoon. The slow fuel such foods offer will provide you with steady energy.
7. Tackle one thing at a time
Multitasking is a myth. What you actually do is rotate quickly among the tasks you think you’re tackling simultaneously, and every time you switch from one task to the next you use up a bit of patience and self-regulation. Soon, you feel tired and stressed, and you’re not sure why. Instead, allow yourself to sink fully into one task at a time. The flow you’ll find if you do one thing only is both productive and healing to your nervous system.
The bottom line
It’s impossible to avoid workplace stress entirely, but your job should not leave you feeling wrung out every day. Using some (or all) of these techniques should increase your reservoir of inner peace and leave you better able to weather whatever your job throws at you.
