Does your work leave you drained?
In a world where we are constantly distracted, inundated with information and overwhelmed by seemingly endless need to keep up, it’s hard to find time for you. From the time we wake up in the morning, our minds are often thinking about the decisions we need to make.
For example, what to wear for work, getting the kids dressed, and ready, preparing breakfast, packing lunches, don’t forget your coffee or tea, all of this before leaving for work. Not to mention, dropping kids off at daycare or school. Now it’s time to fight traffic to get to work. One hour later, whoa la you arrive at work. You are already feeling the stress from the morning routine which can make work even more stressful.
To help you avoid feeling the stress of the day, here are some of my favorite hacks to eliminating stress on a day-to-day basis.
Positive Mindset
Start your day off right, don’t forget to wake up with a positive mindset, and give God thanks for all that he has done. Having a positive, healthy attitude will help you handle what comes your you way in the workplace.
Stay Organized
Wiping down your workspace, and clearing any clutter before you get started. By staying organized this will help you decrease work stress. Practicing good time management skills can save you time in the mornings, which means less rushing. Also, it will help avoid the adverse effects of clutter, and being efficient and happier in an organized workspace.
Breathing Exercises
Taking 10 minutes during the workday to refuel yourself will increase productivity, form stronger relationships with co-workers, and improve your work performance. Breathing exercises are a great start. Try closing your eyes and focus on taking deep breaths that fully expand your lungs. Breathe into the top of your chest, and breathe all the way down into your abdomen. By counting one in, one out, two in, two out, all the way to ten, you’ll reduce stress, increase your productivity, and mood. This simple act can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and calm the stomach. Practicing self-care is all about caring for your mind, body, soul, and spirit.
Stretch
Another simple step that doesn’t take long to add stretching in each day. It’s another excellent way to connect with your body and practice self-care. Try neck rolls. Relax and lean head forward. Slowly roll your head in a circle one side for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do this three times in each direction. Should rolls. Raise both shoulders towards your ears, then slowly roll them backward. Do this three times in both directions.
Avoid Conflict
Working with different personalities at work there are times when interpersonal conflict can take its toll on your physical and emotional health; and because conflict among co-workers can be difficult to escape, it’s a great idea to avoid conflict at work as much as possible. Stay away from gossip, try not to share too much of your personal opinions about religion, and politics. Steer clear of the people at work who don’t work well with others. If you end up in a situation of conflict, learn how to handle it professionally.
Take a Walk
Another way to release stress at work at the same time, your getting some exercise in during work on your lunch break. Walking encourages your brain to release endorphins a neurochemical that boosts your mental health, lowers your sensitivity to stress and, you feel amazing after a nice walk.
Diffuse Essential Oils
Essential oils are the safest and easiest way to deal with stress.
Diffusing pure essential has become popular today as a natural alternative, and it helps practice mind/ body techniques and can have an effect on your levels of stress and help bring on the calm.
Some of the most popular essential oils used to combat stress are lavender, geranium, sweet orange (a favorite of mine). Orange is uplifting like many of the citrus oils, and I feel relaxed, while I am diffusing it in my office. For instance, I have clients that love coming into my office as soon as I start to diffuse my essential oils, they say it makes them feel calm, and it’s inviting.
Six Steps to Relieve Stress
Lastly, taking steps to manage and reduce stress is essential for your overall health and wellbeing which is why I want to share with you a step-by-step guide to walk you through my process to reducing the stress in your life.
- Start to track your stressors. Grab a journal and document what situations create the most stress and how to respond to them.
- Create healthy habits. For those of us who are emotional eaters, we tend to fight stress with fast food or unhealthy food options. Find healthy habits to release your stress. Practice yoga or any form of physical activity is effective. Make time for your hobbies and favorite activities. It’s important to set aside time for the things that make you happy.
- Set boundaries. It’s best to establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. For me, I don’t check work emails from home in the evening, or answer my phone during dinner. Everyone may have a different preference when it comes to how much you blend your work and home life, having clear boundaries between these can reduce the potential for work-life conflict and stress that goes with it.
- Take at least 10 minutes during the workday to recharge and reset.
- Talk to your supervisor. Start by having an open conversation with your supervisor. The goal is to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you’ve identified so that you can perform at your best on the job.
- Having a support system is essential. Accepting help from a trusted friend, or family member can help your ability to manage stress. Most employers have stress management resources available through an employee assistance program. (EAP) or counseling and referral to mental health professionals, if needed. If you continue to have difficulties dealing with stress and you feel overwhelmed you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you to learn how to manage stress better and change any unhealthy behavior.
As you can see, you don’t have to feel stress on a daily basis. You are in control of your emotions and feelings. It’s all about mindfulness and making small changes in your life that’ll drastically improve your overall health and reduce your stress levels.
It is time for you to be healthier, happier, and a more peaceful, YOU!
Share in the comments: What’s your biggest struggle with reducing stress?