Six Tips for Overcoming Workplace Stress

Many of us spend at least a third of our days at one and sometimes two jobs to help provide for ourselves and our families. That work might be behind a desk, outside at a worksite, among co-workers, or in solitude. Your attitude toward your work may vary from day to day, and range from loathing it to absolutely adoring it. Whatever we feel about it, work is a fixed reality in our lives, which is why workplace stress can be tough to deal with.

Work, even the enjoyable kind, can be difficult, and it takes its toll on our bodies and minds. The ability to handle the effects of work, especially the stress of work, is an important part of any worker’s life and could help retain productivity and avoid the negative effects of chronic stress.

Workplace stress: What it is, and what it does to you

The word “stress” refers to how our bodies naturally respond physically and emotionally to something that is a perceived threat or challenge. Our stress response, also called the “fight or flight” response, helps our bodies and minds prepare for action when we are in a difficult or dangerous situation.

The body’s fight or flight response is activated during a stressful event, triggering the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol which prepares us to either confront a threat or flee from it. The situations that can bring stress include facing financial pressures, relationship issues, experiencing significant life changes like getting married or moving, managing health problems, and work pressures such as deadlines.

As you can imagine, cortisol and adrenaline affect organs such as your heart, and it can have other physiological effects. When you’re feeling stressed, you can experience digestive issues, difficulty sleeping, anxiety or being overwhelmed, exhaustion or fatigue, irritability and mood swings, and bodily aches and pains like headaches and muscle tension.

At work, the stress of deadlines, managing relationships with colleagues and superiors, learning new systems or machinery, and coping with the workload can be immense. For many people, work has significance in defining their sense of self, and so failing at work isn’t negotiable because of the implications for people’s careers and their self-perception. That serves to increase the amount of pressure and stress people are under at work.

Our bodies can handle stress over the short term, but stress needs to be relieved, otherwise it can cause harm to our overall well-being. It’s not uncommon for high blood pressure to develop, or for one’s immune system to struggle to cope. That’s why it is of vital importance to recognize the signs of stress and develop and apply healthy coping mechanisms to effectively manage that stress and mitigate its impact.

Tips to help you overcome

Workplace stress is a reality that needs to be addressed, not only for your health’s sake but also to allow you to be productive for longer. When you’re stressed, it can affect your creativity, as well as your ability to work well in teams with others. Some of the ways to overcome stress include the following:

Take breaks

Working nonstop is not healthy. It’s important to take short breaks regularly during your workday to stand up, move around, stretch, and clear your mind. Beyond that, taking breaks every week and time off during the year helps your body and mind to rest and decompress.

Communicate effectively

The work environment can get stressful when you don’t feel understood and when tasks aren’t clearly communicated. You can reduce your stress levels by expressing your concerns and needs, as well as your boundaries to your colleagues and superiors.

Set your boundaries

Speaking of boundaries, it’s important to have clear boundaries at work as well as boundaries that demarcate your work and personal life. These boundaries could be around when you respond to work emails, what hours you’ll work, and the tasks you’ll engage in.

Identify and prioritize your tasks

The way to manage large and complicated tasks is to take those tasks and break them down into smaller and more manageable chunks. You can take time to identify the tasks that have a higher priority due to their importance or when they are due, then knuckle down to get those done first. Where it’s possible, delegate tasks so that the work gets done.

Self-care

Practicing self-care means making the time to prioritize and engage in activities that will bring you joy and help you to relax. Whether you have hobbies to indulge in, or a particular form of exercise helps you unwind, or if meditation and prayer help you calm yourself, take the time to look after yourself.

Seek support

Life isn’t a solo adventure, and you don’t have to tackle problems on your own. Having a healthy support network that’s comprised of loved ones, your colleagues, mentors, or a counselor can help you have a space to work through issues and cultivate a different perspective on a situation.

Contact us to set up an appointment with a counselor in Longview. Your counselor at Longview Christian Counseling can help you as you develop a healthier relationship with your work and learn to relieve your workplace stress.