How to Deal with Stress at Work

With our modern fast and demanding life styles, dealing with stress at work has become a daily requirement, and it’s not only at work, stress has come to dominate all aspects of life. It seems as if there is simply no escape. If you are already stressed at your home, with your neighbors, in your day-to-day life, there is no reason for you to be stressed as well at work!

Even though it is heavily promoted that work is the location where you are supposed to be unhappy, I beg to differ. Work can be your escape from your day to day problems, it should be one of these places that you enjoy. Possibly just like any other aspect of your life, you should enjoy it. So I’m not simply promoting getting rid of stress at work, we need to get rid of stress everywhere.

Now why am I saying stress is bad? well duh .. I can say that simply out of personal experiences if not from all the problems everyone senses when he is stressed out. Stress can cause lots and lots of diseases and health problems especially when you are experiencing it for elongated period. From headaches, to fast or arrhythmic heart beats and heart diseases, depression, diabetes, potential hair loss, to obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder, sexual dysfunction. In fact one study estimated that 90% of doctors visits are due to symptoms at least partially related to stress. So if not get rid of it, at least manage it and make sure it is not affecting you negatively.

Is all stress the same? or are there different types of stress? according to an article in about.com, there are 4 stress types which can be categorized as follows:

1. Eustress: this is the kind of stress that is acceptable and that would be motivating for you to perform better.
2. Acute Stress: this can be either positive or negative, depending on the challenges encountered, and is short term just like the day to day challenges we face.
3. Episodic Acute Stress: the same type of stress as above, yet projected over longer periods of time, usually of bad effect especially on health.
4. Chronic Stress: this is the type you want to avoid, for it has the worst effects on the individual.

How to deal with stress at work?

This is the million dollar question, but just like one doctor once told me “I don’t care what you do, you need to change your life style, get rid of stress!”. And there are many means for you to throw away the bad stress:

• Relaxation: relaxation, yoga, such mood easing practices often get you out from the stressed mood
• Sports: if you are not practicing sports, get to it! It is proven that sports especially cardiovascular exercises do rid the body of the stressful situation. Do not complain with the “I don’t have time for sports”, everyone can have the proper time, you just need the right will.
• Minimize expectations: if you expect something great and you don’t get it, this will cause you stress. Lessen your expectations then whatever comes will please you. I’m not saying be demotivated, on the contrary, but be someone who accepts facts and enjoys life with the smallest of rewards.
• Enjoy work: make sure you are happy at work and doing something you like. You do not have a choice of what to do? learn to love it! It will only be beneficial to you and you will notice a huge difference with perception.
• Seek help: it is not something to be shy of considering that everyone is subdued to stress. Psychological help can be of great benefit to get rid of the bad stress.
• Take breaks: short breaks at work can help relieve stress, long breaks such as days off will get you out of the mood. Do something you like during these breaks. Even during work nights go out with friends (okay don’t stay out too long ) to have some fun and chill.
• Sleep well: remember the don’t stay out too long, it’s for this purpose, sleeping is very critical in managing stress. Getting enough sleep will help your body and mind rest, and hence will help you overcome stress and its related health problems.
• Avoid caffeine: it will only worsen things, it will put you on more pressure and make you more alert, and enhance your potential health problems. Try to avoid it, drink green tea if anything which has less caffeine than coffee and is more healthy.
• Do your best but don’t kill yourself: Do your work at your best possible, but don’t kill yourself. Failing at something is not the end of the world, there will be other opportunities, other clients, or even other jobs. As long as you’re doing your best, you’re working smart, your mind should be at ease (Check out our article  Work Smarter not Harder)

Photo Credit by a n i. Y.

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1. Pressured and Stressed at Work? What to do!
2. 7 Tips for Effective Communication at Work