How To Reduce Stress At Work

In the current economic climate and the threat of companies going under, no wonder there are more people suffering from work related stress. Admitting that you are not coping under the pressure might make you seem weak to your boss but what is it doing to your health?

Signs of stress at work

There are classic signs that your body is trying to show that it is not coping with the pressure:

• Feeling low and depressed, this is a long time feeling that just won’t shift.
• Headaches and pain in the neck area are real indicators that you need to take action now.
• If you lose interest in a job that you know you love but just don’t have the passion for, then it could be the stress you are under, so before you quit make sure it is the right decision for you.
• Fatigue, your body and mind just seem tired all the time.
• Drinking more alcohol, using it to help you sleep or drinking more over the course of the week.

How you deal with these signs is important, it is not about brushing them aside and pretending they just aren’t there and eventually they will go away, they won’t and they can get worse.

It is important that you learn to deal with the stress you are feeling, it is removing this from the body that helps the healing process. Some people choose to play sport, others take medication to rectify the problem. Whatever you do though, don’t ignore the signs.

Look at your working schedule and see if there are ways that you can reduce the stress, it could be as simple as leaving home earlier to get to work less frustrated and rushed. Are there any items that you can delegate to others? Having a better-organized schedule at work can reduce the stress; know the time you need to complete a project and break this into your working schedule.

What is really important and an area that your employer should insist on, is taking breaks. I have worked for companies that have filled the diary up so much and put so much pressure on to reach unrealistic targets that I haven’t even had as much as a drink for hours as there just wasn’t the time. Yet my manager was always out of the office on a break.

How to deal with stress at work

You need to look at how you deal with stress and how this affects the others around you. Be more mindful of what your reactions are and remember to watch others for the signs of stress too.

Aim to build relations with colleagues, those people who are able to inspire others and manage office conflicts can be respected members of any team. Remember that your own actions can and will affect the other people around you. Knowing when you need to take a break is important, as much as knowing when other people need to take 5 too.

It is not possible that you will be a perfectionist and it is important to let things go. Changing your mind-set from negative to positive to have an impact that you might never have imagined. This relates to how you perceive things and this can add to the stress you are feeling, removing this can have a positive impact on how you feel. If it doesn’t, then it is important to seek the help and support you need not only from the company and your manager, but also you might need the help of a medical team, like your doctor.

Removing the pressure off yourself to perform, can reduce the stress you are feeling, it is important you find ways to reduce stress, otherwise it can have a negative impact on your health and sometimes on your future job prospects too.