Are you popping ibuprofen and acetaminophen more often than you’d like in an effort to keep your head from exploding off your shoulders?
Although most of us have no choice but to work for a living, that doesn’t mean that it should be a painful process. Sure, you’re going to have good days and bad, but when the bad clearly outweigh the good, it’s time to make some changes.
Long-term chronic stress in the workplace not only affects your productivity, but it also affects your overall health. So, the sooner you get it under control, the better.
Here are 10 ways to help you do just that:
#1: Take regular breaks
Even if you have a lot to do and aren’t sure how you’re going to get it all done by the deadline, working without giving your mind and body any reprieve hinders you more than it helps.
You wind up feeling fatigued and you’re less efficient and effective.
Make it a point to leave your work station every hour or two for a few minutes. Take a little stroll or at least stand up and stretch. Give your mind a minute to clear itself and your body a chance to change position.
#2: Don’t eat lunch at your desk
Although it may be tempting to work while eating your sandwich or cup of soup at your desk, you’ll do yourself much more good if you at least move to a break area or, better yet, leave your work space completely. The change of scenery will help refresh you and energize you for the rest of the day.
That doesn’t mean that you have to go out to lunch every day and spend money you don’t need to. You can take your meal to the park or even just sit in your car. Meal time should be enjoyable, not stressful. And, the further you get from the work that beckons you, the more likely it will be.
#3: Learn to breathe
If you’re engaged in a high intensity project or find yourself in an emotionally charged meeting, it can be difficult to keep your cool. And, you certainly can’t always walk away to clear your head. So, the best thing you can do is learn how to breathe in a way that calms you.
One exercise that I learned in law enforcement was to breathe in to a count of four, hold it for four and then exhale for four.
This will slow your heart rate down and help you to focus without feeling stressed and anxious. Try it next time you can feel your pulse quicken and you should notice its effects rather quickly.
#4: Limit your hours
Yes, sometimes overtime is necessary (or mandatory), but if you notice that the hours that you’re putting in at work are affecting your overall quality of life, it’s time to rethink the situation. If you’re doing it for financial reasons, can you work less and still live?
If there is some other reason the hours are high (such as seasonal increases), is there some way to get the job done while still having a life?
You can’t always control the hours you work, but sometimes there are options that you haven’t previously thought of.
For instance, if you work overtime strictly to pay the bills, are there some expenses you can get rid of that would be worth the trade off?
#5: Take care of yourself physically
The more you take care of your body, the more your mind will be capable of handling whatever comes your way. Although people often think of them as two separate things, they are both parts of your body and they are very intertwined so what happens with each one dramatically affects the other.
Eat nutritious foods and get in regular physical activity. Get enough sleep at night and engage in activities that make you smile. The healthier you are physically, the healthier you are mentally as well.
#6: Keep it in perspective
Remember that work is just that – work. No one gets to the end of their life and wishes that they would have spent more time at work. So, don’t let this one area control every other aspect of your world.
Sure, you’re going to spend a lot of your waking hours doing work type activities, but the most important things in life are family and friends.
Keep in mind how blessed you are in these areas and let them calm you when the office or factory gets too much to take.
#7: Avoid workplace gossip
Nothing can zap your energy, stamina and drive more than workplace gossip. Getting involved in the “he said, she said” drama of your co-workers is enough to make the daytime soaps look like nothing compared to what you will hear from the cubicle next door if you listen long enough.
While it may be tempting to take part in finding out everyone else’s dirt, it can be more harmful than fun.
Not only do you risk breaking workplace friendships, but you may find yourself in the middle of something that needlessly causes you more angst than it is worth.
#8: Ask for help
If you’re being asked to do things that you either don’t understand or don’t know how to do, then don’t be afraid to ask for help. And, although it may be difficult to admit when you’re in over your head, it’s going to get even harder if you drown simply because you didn’t ask for a life preserver when you knew you were in trouble.
As an employer, I would rather have an employee come to me when they were unclear, uncertain or overworked than to not say anything and fail.
A team is only as strong as its weakest link so it’s important to ask for strength if you need it.
#9: Think outside the box
When you feel like work is going awry and there’s no way out, sometimes you have to think outside the box. All answers aren’t going to magically appear in front of you saying, “Pick me! Pick me!”
For instance, if you find that your work schedule makes it difficult to attend your child’s sports functions and that causes you stress, see if your boss will entertain the idea of flex time.
Or, if it is too noisy at work to concentrate, check on the option of working in a different office or maybe even telecommuting until the project is complete.
You may have some unconventional ideas, but if they work it would be a good thing. Besides, you won’t know your work options unless you ask, so don’t think something is out of the limits without questioning it first.
#10: Know when enough is enough
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what you do, you can’t seem to escape the stress and anxiety of the workplace.
If this is you, then maybe you need to consider whether it is worth it to stay employed by the company that is giving you grief or to stay in the field that is causing you so much angst.
While you certainly have to be able to work to pay the bills, it isn’t going to do anyone any good if doing so puts you six feet under. You have to recognize when you’ve had enough. It may be hard to make a major change like that, it may be necessary.
Work shouldn’t be something that you dread with every ounce of your soul. Not every day can be great, but the good days should certainly outnumber the bad. If they don’t, then you may have some serious considerations to make.
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