Top Tips For Managing Stress in the Workplace
Managing stress in the workplace is not easy. Everyone is likely to feel under pressure and stressed at some point. Reports show that the workplace and our jobs are the most likely reason why we might feel stressed, or suffer from long-term stress related illness. Long periods of stress can become a big issue, and as it can start to impact your health, lifestyle, happiness and relationships. Because of this, it’s important to recognise when you are suffering from stress. And, how to manage to reduce stress or even avoid it completely.
Understanding stress in the workplace
Stress can be caused by a number of factors, the most common being:
- Excessive pressure and unmanageable workloads
- Poor progression or lack of acknowledgement
- Work that doesn’t provide a challenge. or being uninterested in work
- Lack of support from colleagues
- Conflicting demands or unclear direction
Managing stress in the workplace
The first and most important step is to first understand the source of your stress. Try keeping a journal at work and noting down any points during the day that you feel particularly stressed and what the cause might be. Do this for 1-2 weeks to gain a better understanding of where the problem is coming from.
The next step is to develop healthy responses to your stress. Many people turn to food or alcohol during high periods of stress to help manage their unhappiness. But this usually makes the problem worse and doesn’t tackle the root cause. Once you have a better understanding of what causes you to feel stressed, you can change your response. If you feel particularly angry or stressed about a certain situation at work, take five minutes out doing something you enjoy. Take a walk, get a hot drink or read a positive book.
What you do outside of work matters too. After a long and stressful day it can be all too easy to collapse on the sofa with a glass of wine. However, yoga, massage, walking and exercise are all known to help combat stress. Try attending a yoga class or a relaxing massage a few times a week. This will help you unwind and take your mind off work.
It is also essential to establish boundaries. Today, many of us take work home with us. This can be physical work done out of hours, or monitoring and replying to emails at all hours and during weekends. It’s important to find time to recharge and step back from work. If you find it difficult to relax? Perhaps watching a film or TV in the evening without checking your emails is almost impossible for you? Try and take up a hobby. This will help you improve your stress levels, and distract you from thinking about work or checking emails.
If you are an employer, you could consider introducing a health focused benefit scheme to reduce the likelihood of your employees developing work related stress. Find out more about our corporate massage services here.
