4 Tips on Managing Stress at Work

Everybody feels stress from time to time at work, but it’s important not to let stress control our lives. Unmanaged stress can lead to short term problems like headaches, stomach pains, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Long term, stress can lead to serious health conditions like depression, obesity and heart disease.

Here are our four tips on managing stress:

1. Keep a journal

Track your stressors, over a week or two note down what’s setting you off and how you’re responding to those situations. Note your thoughts, feelings, who was involved, where it happened, and what you did in reaction – did you eat an unhealthy sugary lunch, did you have an extra glass of wine at night? Taking notes can help you identify patterns and maybe help you break your stress cycle.

2. Break unhealthy responses to stress

If you notice from your journal that you are delving into unhealthy activities to manage your stress – junk food, alcohol, avoidance, too much TV – try replacing those unhealthy responses with healthy ones. Exercise is a fantastic way to manage stress. Join a yoga class, sign up to a gym, go for regular jogs before work. Exercise releases endorphins and makes you happier, it can also take your mind off your stresses and make you feel productive.

Other good responses include: taking time out to read, playing games with your family, or doing activities with your friends. Set aside time to do activities that bring you pleasure.

3. Create boundaries for work

In the smartphone age, it can be very easy to feel pressured into being available 24/7 for work. Establish some boundaries: don’t answer emails at dinner, switch off your phone after 7pm, take time out to not think about your assignments. It’s critical to disconnect from work and let yourself recharge.

4. Meditate

It’s crucial that you learn how to relax and centre yourself. Try meditating and mindfulness activities. If you can’t go to a class there are hundreds of quality apps you can download to teach yourself. Start with just a few minutes a day to focus, do deep breathing exercises, and let go. It may seem small, but by simply doing this every day you can apply this same focus to other parts of your life.

The American Psychological Association has great resources for dealing with stress: http://www.apa.org/index.aspx

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