I love my job, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t stress me out.
Stress can be positive. It means you’re involved enough to be concerned about results. But too much stress can hinder your performance and make you dislike the work you’re doing. The solution is to relax, which we all know is not as easily said as done.
It’s counter-productive to stress about how to relax. Instead, try these five easy tips outlined below to ease your mind when you’re feeling overwhelmed at work.
Calling Captain Obvious!
Before I dive into these fail-safe tips, here are a few no-brainers when it comes to workplace stress. First and foremost, limit your caffeine intake to keep your mind more alert and your body less on-edge. Also, review your schedule for the day before you get to the office so you know when you’re free time is, and have a mental map of where you’ll need to be and when. This will help minimize the opportunities for panic moments throughout your work day.
Also, exercise! A fit body means a sharp mind, and the two together equal more success and less stress. Mike Geary, author of The Truth About Abs system states that being mentally and physically fit ultimately leads to more success both at home and at work.
Now, without further ado…
Let’s get down to business
1. Keep a reminder of the things you love on your desk.
Maybe it’s a pet, your parents, or your significant other. It could even be a plant, or a Rubix cube. Personalizing your work space will keep your mind at ease and give you small reminders throughout the day that no matter how hectic the office can be, there’s a light at the end of the 9-to-5 tunnel.
2. Ask for clarification if when you’re unsure, and help when you need it.
No one gets to the top of the ladder without support on the way up. There’s no shame in requesting that your boss or colleague explain their expectations more descriptively if you feel like you may not grasp what they’re asking of you. Ensuring you do the job right is more important than saving face.
On that same note, it’s always better to succeed with help than fail by yourself. If you can’t complete a project on your own—whether it’s because you don’t have the bandwidth, skill set or experience—ask for help.
Getting in over your head is the surest way to create stress. So avoid it, and you’ll feel—and do—better for it!
3. Turn “working lunch” into “workout lunch.”
You’re entitled to some time off in the middle of the day. It’s called “lunch,” and most of us in the corporate world phase over it altogether, or bury it under a stack of paperwork while sitting at our desk.
But you need to stop, turn the computer off, and get out. Give yourself time to each a healthy lunch and hit the gym. If there’s no gym near your office, take a jog around the block. Give your mind and body a break from the monotony of work, and your stress levels will
plummet.
Isabel De Los Rios, author of The Diet Solution Program, reviews many testaments to the importance of working out and eating right. Over and over again, so many experts are stating that eating right and working out are critical factors for relieving stress, and living a happy life.
4. Turn it up!
Whether it’s during your workout at lunch or while sitting at your desk, flip your iPod on and pop your headphones in. Even if you’re not a music enthusiast, music is proven to reduce stress levels.
Pick something soothing, or try an audiobook, and let yourself relax into the sound while you crank away at whatever the task at hand may be—whether it’s running two miles on the treadmill at lunch, or filing reports from your laptop.
5. Let loose
I have a USB-powered Nerf canon on my desk, and when I’m feeling like I could pull my hair out and glue it to a letter of resignation, I turn to it instead. There’s no better way to take your mind (and your coworkers’ minds) off the everyday stresses of office life that to shoon their unsuspecting heads with harmless foam darts.
I work in a very laid-back office, though, so I wouldn’t necessarily suggest desktop artillery as the solution for everyone. However, give yourself time to indulge in water cooler banter, or start a fantasy hockey league, or invite a few of your coworkers for a standing happy hour every, say, Thursday.
You know what they say about all work and no play!
