As much as you may think that you are free of work-related stress when you get home, this is not always the case. You can feel pressure coming from your workplace every single day, which can carry over to your personal life. This can have a negative effect on your physical and mental health. Working in an environment that is constantly stressful can also lead to headaches, trouble sleeping and much more.
In spite of the fact that stress at work is very common, finding a low-stress job can be hard (if not impossible). If you want to adopt a realistic approach to reduce stress at your current job, you need to learn effective coping strategies. Here are some tips you can try, to help manage stressful times.
1. Discover the cause
Are your stress levels soaring every time you witness conflict or yelling? When it comes to deadlines and unclear instructions, are your stress levels skyrocketing? A good way to manage your stress at work is to learn what triggers it in the first place. It is best to keep a notebook where you can record all the situations that are making you feel more stressed. Make sure you keep an eye out for any patterns, so that you can avoid or try to prevent them in the future.
2. Be organised
No matter how disorganised you naturally are, planning ahead to stay organised at work can greatly decrease your work-related stress. Set daily schedules for yourself and work to improve your time management skills. You should start by prioritising the most important activities and taking larger tasks and dividing them into smaller sections that can be handled more efficiently. This will give you the feeling of having more control over your day. You will be more likely to achieve a healthier work-life balance this way, since you will have less chance of being overloaded with work.
3. Steer clear of perfectionism
While you may excel at work if you are a perfectionist, seeking perfection in every aspect of your work, at all times, can cause problems not only for you, but for those around you as well.
It isn’t always possible to achieve perfection in everything you do. So, to avoid falling victim to the perfectionist trap, try to just do your best and take the time to congratulate yourself on working hard.
4. Get sufficient sleep
By getting enough sleep, you are able to tackle each day from the moment you wake up. Sleep deprivation accumulates over time, and you'll feel the result every single day that you don't get a chance to rest properly before going to work. Insufficient sleep will most likely lead to poor performance at work and the inability to finish tasks to the standard you are more than capable of achieving. Ultimately resulting in greater stress, as you know you could have completed that task more efficiently if you weren’t so tired.
Making sure you feel rested enough to get on with a day with full energy and motivation will help you to avoid feeling overwhelmed and becoming stressed at work.
5. Recharge your batteries
Stress at work can have a negative impact on your performance and even lead to burnout. The bottom line is that everyone needs to take a little break from time to time and recharge themselves, to be able to get back to their pre-stress state of mind.
The best way to recover properly is to turn off completely. Taking a break from work-related activities can provide you with a chance to recharge your batteries and refresh your thoughts. By doing so, you can return to work feeling relaxed and ready to take full advantage of your next opportunity.
6. Consult a co-worker
Working relationships are hugely important for providing emotional support during stressful times. The fact that we tend to hold in our stress, uncertainty, or lack of confidence does not serve us well. In order to free yourself from the stress build-up you may be experiencing, talk with someone you trust, or who understands what you're going through and can relate.
Work can be extremely stressful at times. It is crucial for all of us to learn how to manage our workplace stress in an effective manner. Take time to take care of yourself and give yourself a break when you need it, so that you can stay healthy, happy and succeed at work.