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Stress in the workplace is a common phenomenon. It is often difficult to avoid it, so the best way to deal with stress at work is to learn coping techniques. If you’re feeling tension over your job, here are eight tips to help you feel better.
Take Breaks
While you may be tempted to keep chugging away for hours at a time, it doesn’t make you more productive. The opposite is true — taking breaks helps you increase your focus and improves your productivity. It also makes you feel better and can help you think about your job in more positive ways.
Take time throughout the workday to get up from your desk and stretch. Get a drink of water, walk around the office or visit someone you need to speak to instead of calling them on the phone. If you only have a few minutes, consider doing something fun and relaxing. You can text a friend, write in a gratitude journal, or plan your next vacation. It’s okay to spend 10 minutes researching things to do in St Lucia to give your brain a break.
Organize Your Workspace
Did you know that a cluttered workspace can distract you? You may keep looking over at that disorganized pile of papers on your desk so often that you lose focus. Take some time to create order around you.
Staying organized extends beyond your physical work area. Keep your computer files in folders to make documents easy to find. Go through emails and delete the ones that you no longer need. Electronic clutter can be distracting, too.
Avoid Gossip and Drama
You can probably find workplace drama if you look long enough. First of all, don’t go looking for it if you want to reduce your stress levels. Second, if you come across negative talk or gossip, avoid it if you can. Try to steer workplace conversations to more positive subjects. Negative emotions can drain you and take a toll on your mental health.
Keep in Touch With Your Boss
Not knowing what is expected of you at work can cause stress and anxiety. How are you supposed to perform your job well if you aren’t sure of the requirements? Stay in touch with your manager or supervisor and make sure you do what the company expects of you. While you’re talking, you can discuss ways to meet your performance goals.
Do One Thing at a Time
Multitasking doesn’t work. Your brain can only concentrate on one activity at a time, so don’t ask it to do more than that. You can accomplish a task while waiting for another to complete — making a phone call while your document prints, for example — but talking on the phone while writing a memo probably won’t work. You can also end up frustrating the person on the other line. Try grouping like tasks together, such as answering emails or working on slides for your presentation. Make the phrase “single-tasking” your new buzzword.
Don’t Expect Perfection
When you have a fast-paced job with many responsibilities, it’s essential to acknowledge that you can’t do everything perfectly. Concentrate on giving your best effort. You really can’t do better than your best anyway, and no one is perfect.
Create a Transition Between Work and Home
Unwinding as you leave work can help you have a relaxing evening. It can also uplift you as you begin your day. If you commute, try listening to some of your favorite music. It can help you change your mood.
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when you feel like you’re struggling. A colleague may be happy to help you now and then with something that overwhelms you. Talk to your boss if you constantly feel like you’re in over your head.
The sooner you deal with stress in the workplace, the sooner you can let go of the anxiety. Make your well-being a priority today.
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