Unless you are financially independent, your job is usually your main source of income. The more effectively you perform in your job the more successful you become. One of the rising issues is workplace stress.
Knowing how to de-stress your job will greatly improve your working and overall quality of life.
How to De-stress Your Job
Today’s society is quite different from that of our predecessors. In those days the pace of life was a lot slower. Nowadays there is tough competition firstly to get a job, then for advancement. There are deadlines to meet and things that can cause performance anxiety.
That’s not to say that stress wasn’t an issue. One thing should be kept in mind that stress is here to stay. You cannot bypass stress. You cannot eliminate it from your lives. What you can do is that you can manage it so that it works for you and not against you.
Yes, stress can work for you. It is scientifically proven that in certain situations, stress can actually enhance the capacity to work. What it means is that if there is no stress, then the output is reduced. If there is too much stress, then the output is also reduced.
However, there is an optimum level of stress at which the output becomes maximised. The crucial point is how to reach that level.
There are certain things which we should be aware of so that our stress is kept within limits.
Always Prioritize Your Tasks By Creating a Check-list
If you can’t figure out where to start on a project, stop what you’re doing and plan. Do not stress unnecessarily about unimportant matters. Create a logical checklist of tasks in the order necessary to get the job done. Address the important issues first.
Take on one task and concentrate fully on that
If taking on multiple tasks at the same time puts you in a stressful state – find other ways to work. Take on one task that you can give your full attention to without being distracted or feeling stressed.
Develop good interpersonal relationships with your work colleagues
As strange as this may sound, you will probably spend more time with your co-workers than your spouse or partner. So, enjoying your job and feeling comfortable in your work environment is a really important factor in managing stress.
By developing good relationships, you are likely to be more open to discussing any work based (or even personal) issues with colleagues and line managers.
If you are comfortable with doing so, share the difficulties of your job with your colleagues and seniors. They may give you good advice.
For example: You are given another project or task when you already have a full workload. Speak to your boss. Rather than taking on work that might increase your stress levels and distract you from your current workload – you can discuss it and reach a satisfactory solution for everyone.
4 Quick Ways to Quiet Your Brain And De-Stress at Work
If you are finding it hard to focus on work, sometimes it can help you try some techniques to quiet your brain at work.
Of course, everyone works in a different environment, so not all these ideas might work for you. But if just one does, you will find a way to get your mind back on the tasks at hand.
Breathe and Meditate
Sometimes the inability to think clearly is just a lack of oxygen. Breathing is an unconscious bodily function, but due to stress, people don’t always breathe correctly or in the best way to deliver enough oxygen to the mind to keep it alert without intrusive thoughts.
Meditation is a practice where you can quieten your mind to reduce stress and increase calmness. Meditation typically is breath-focused, but you can sit with good posture in your chair, close your eyes, breathe in through your nose, slowly on a count of four, hold your breath for another four counts, and then realize through your mouth on a four-count – slowly and mindfully.
Stretch and Move
If you’ve been hunched over your desk pounding your keyboard, you’re probably restricting your muscles from getting enough oxygen.
The best thing to do is try to get up at least every 90 minutes to move. Just stand up, stretch, breathe in, and then out and sit down. But if you have time, it’s better to go for a fast ten-minute walk before coming back to work with focus.
Enjoy a Glass of Water and a Healthy Snack
If your blood sugar is low and you’re dehydrated, it can cause you to have racing thoughts. Your body is built to survive, and if you’re not doing right by it, it’s going to interfere with what you want to do to alert you to trouble.
If you’ve not eaten correctly, grab an apple or your favourite fruit, a healthy snack and a big glass of water.
Do not multitask. Take a break to enjoy them.
Go or Look Outdoors
Go outside in nature for a couple of minutes. Even if all you have time to do is walk around the building or check the mail, it will give you a new perspective and help your brain reset.
If going outside isn’t possible and you have a window, gaze out at whatever nature you can see, even if it’s just the sky.
Trying one of these ideas will not take more than 20 minutes from your day. Everyone deserves and needs to take breaks during the day.
In fact, the best way to keep your mind in the right zone when at work is to remember how the brain functions and give it a break at least every 90 minutes. Even if all you have time to do is stand up, stretch, breathe in and out deeply, and sit back down it will help.
Recognising and avoiding stress
We hope that the above article will help you to recognise how to de-stress your job so that you can avoid job search stress in the future.
If you recognise any symptoms of stress or feel that you could benefit from professional assistance, maybe an NLP Practitioner or a life coach can provide you with the support you need.
Have you ever considered meditation as a way to avoid job search stress? Why not visit The Guided Meditation Site for great information, meditation techniques, music, DVDs and downloads.
Do you have any useful tips on work related stress, or a method you find helps to de-stress? Perhaps you have questions that you would like answered, if so, please use the comments form below.
