The stress and strain of your work life can follow you home, and if these persist, they can have a negative impact on your health and well-being. The short-term effects of minor pressures of work can lead to health issues such as sleep disturbances, headaches, muscle ache, short temper, bad moods, and poor concentration. On the other hand, chronic stress leads to problems such as insomnia, low immunity, anxiety, and high blood pressure. Moreover, most of the people that experience excess strain and work-related pressure tend to address it in unhealthy ways that include overeating, unhealthy eating, smoking, and excessive drinking.
Taking the appropriate steps to manages stress can help you be happy and great moods at home and the office. Below are stress management secrets worth trying:
1. Track Your Stressors
Note down the various things or situations that get you worked up and stressed. Keep a journal of these stressors for a week or two as you also noted down how you respond to each of them. Pen your thoughts and feelings as well as any other information you deem important about your surroundings (which includes the physical setting, people, and circumstances as well as how you responded). Did you go for a walk, grab a snack, raise your voice, or go silent? The idea with this particular tip is to be able to find patterns among your reactions to the various stressors you face.
2. Develop Healthy Responses
Regarding how you respond or react to the different stressors, you should strive to have positive and healthy responses. Alcohol, smoking and binge eating is not the best way to fight stress. Stick to healthy answers, and you will have a mind and body that remains upbeat after working on your tensions. Exercising is one of the perfect ways of dealing with stress, and the same goes for yoga and meditation. The same can be said of any physical activity that gets your blood flow going. Playing games with family and friends also help. Reading a book can help you take your mind off things allowing you to calm yourself mentally and physically. While at it, try and reduce your caffeine consumption especially late in the day or at night. Also, avoid too much of the TV and computers at night.
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3. Take The Time To Reboot And Recharge
The body is naturally set to work for a particular period and rest for another during a 24-hour cycle. It takes a break from the busyness of life when we sleep. Similarly, it is wise to “switch off” from work where you and enjoy other things that are not related to your job. Also, try not to think about your work during that period. That idea is to disconnect for your professional life and related demands from time to time. Take a vacation for a few days, go hiking, do activities that allow you to relax and unwind. Get enough sleep so that your mind and body can rest, reboot and feel recharged.
4. Establish Boundaries
Many people in today’s digital age, feel pressured into being available 24/7 become of the many gadgets and the seemingly endless connectivity. As such, people can work at any given time. However, it is wise to establish boundaries between your home life and work life. Set some time for yourself away from work. For instance, you can make it a rule not to check your emails when you are off work or picking work-related phone calls when at home. While some people may have different preferences and opinions about blending their work and home life, it is necessary to establish clear boundaries to avoid bringing with you the stresses of work to your home.
5. Relax
Be mindful of what you do and your surrounding (where you are observant of things without judging) and do your best to stay positive. Such things help you to have better responses to stressors. Combine such things with exercising, meditation, and deep breathing and melting work-related stresses will not be a hurdle. If things get too much, talk to someone professional
When feeling burdened at work, a simple activity such as deep breathing can help. Alternatively, you can take a short break and go for a short walk so that you can allow your mind to relax. You can also listen to soothing music that calms and uplifts you.
6. Consult Your Supervisor
Most employers know and appreciate the fact that healthy employees are productive; therefore, most bosses invest in their workforce by ensuring that they have a conducive work environment that promotes the overall well-being of the employees. Part of such measures includes open communication channels that allow a worker to converse with the supervisor. The aim is not so much about giving complaints instead focused on the development of effective plans and solutions that help manage different issues that trigger stress and lower productivity. By talking to your supervisor and pointing out what you feel is slowing you down, you will be assisted to find suitable solutions. Systems can also be in place that can help workers identify employer-sponsored wellness resources that they can leverage to know what is expected of them and that encourage employee-to-employee support thereby fostering a productive atmosphere in the workplace.
7. Get Some Support
If you feel bogged down by stress from work, do not hesitate to accept the assistance of your family, friends, and colleagues. For instance, there may be stress management resources at your workplace that employees can use when seeking help on how to overcome the stress of work and remain productive. Check if your employer has an EAP (Employee, Assistance, Program) or if they refer workers to counselors if need be; the objective is to ensure that you get the necessary assistance and support as you try to manage or overcome stress.
