There are a few things I’ll never understand about the world. Why is there someone for everyone? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? And why do some people seem to have a gift for not stressing out at work while others like me are just one little thing away from having a meltdown?
For quite some time, I’ve been trying to figure out why some people can leave work at 5:00 sharp, no matter what they’ve got on their plate. But I’ve realized that there’s no single secret—no magic bullet or potion—that helps these people manage their stress. Instead, it’s all little things, habits, and mindsets that make them able to leave work and go home happy (or at least less stressed). So with that in mind, here are seven easy ways to stop stressing at work today.
Write down the things that are stressing you out.
- Write down the source of your stress.
- Write down the symptoms of your stress.
- Write down the consequences of that stress, both in the short term and long term.
- What does it do to your body? (for example, headaches or stomachaches)
- How does it affect your relationships with others? (for example, arguments or withdrawal from loved ones)
- How do you feel about this source of stress (frustrated, angry, scared)? If there are multiple sources of stress on this list that are causing similar negative feelings in you—even if they’re not all related to work—take some time to figure out why these things make you feel so bad!
Make a list of stressors and then rank them to find the source of your stress.
Make a list of all the things stressing you out, then rank them from highest stress to lowest. When we’re stressed, we usually don’t know where our stress is coming from. But by ranking each item in order of its impact on your life, it will become clear where your real problems lie and how to solve them.
Another way to find out what’s causing you the most stress is to break down each item into smaller pieces that can be dealt with separately. For example, if “relationship issues” are at the top of your list, maybe one specific problem within that relationship is causing more problems than others—for example, maybe one person doesn’t want kids, but the other does? In this case, breaking down “relationship issues” into smaller parts would allow you to see where those issues are and only address those areas instead of everything.
Try to separate work from your personal life.
- Set specific times for work.
- Set specific times for personal life.
- Make sure you take breaks between each of your working sessions and avoid bringing work home with you at night or bringing personal life to the office. This is a great way to separate your work from your personal life!
Don’t get into a cycle of negative thoughts.
You mustn’t get into a cycle of negative thoughts. It can be complicated to turn the situation around when this happens. Instead, try some positive thinking techniques to help you feel better.
- Identify the problem: What exactly is causing your stress? Is it an upcoming deadline or a lack of motivation from coworkers? Maybe you’re not feeling challenged enough in your current job. Whatever the cause may be, try identifying it before addressing it further.
- Understand what’s causing the issue: Once you’ve identified what’s stressing you out, think about why that situation has caused anxiety in your life. Is there something specific about this stressful event that causes distress in other areas of our lives? If so, take time to reflect on how and why these effects occur before moving on with solving them (again).
- Decide on a solution: Once we have identified our problems and their causes and potential solutions, we can begin working towards fixing them! Let’s say, for example, that one way for someone who wants more responsibility at work but feels like no one cares about getting new projects done would look like implementing date nights with their significant other where they talk about their dreams; another way would involve discussing goals with friends over coffee dates throughout each week where everyone shares ideas for plans together.
Don’t be afraid of sharing your feelings with your boss.
If you’re worried that your boss will react negatively to your feelings, remember that sometimes it’s better to bring up problems directly. If you don’t tell your boss what is bothering you, it is unlikely that the problem will be solved.
If a coworker or client has done something to cause stress for you, focus on how this affects YOU rather than blaming them for everything wrong in your life (which will likely make them defensive). For example: “I feel like our communication style needs improvement” instead of “You’re so annoying.” It may also help to write down what happened before the conversation and take notes to avoid getting distracted by emotions and stay focused on the facts of what happened.
Put together a plan for how to handle stressful situations at work.
To stay stress-free at work, you’re going to need a plan. This is especially important if you have a high-pressure job. If you don’t like your job or feel like you’re being taken advantage of, that’s normal; everyone has moments when they feel this way. But for some people, stress can turn into more serious mental health problems like anxiety and depression.
To put together the best plan for managing your stress levels at work:
- Keep track of stressful situations in a journal—this helps give perspective on how often they occur and what triggers them
- Don’t let stress get in the way of doing your job! Focus on making small changes, so there isn’t as much pressure on yourself (like setting an alarm clock to remind yourself when meetings are happening)
- Give yourself some time every day away from work so that you don’t overwork
- If needed, talk with someone about how they cope with pressure and see if any strategies might work for you too.
It’s difficult but possible to manage the stress in your life.
Stress is a normal part of daily life, and it’s important to remember that it isn’t always a bad thing. Some people say that stress can help them focus better on their tasks. Stress can even be beneficial for your health in certain situations: Research shows that stress can help our bodies deal with emergencies by speeding up the heart rate and increasing blood flow to our muscles, so we’re ready for action.
In addition to these benefits, many people also find comfort in knowing how detrimental chronic stress can be; this knowledge helps them deal with their feelings of anxiety or pressure when they arise instead of letting those emotions spiral into something worse (like depression). This kind of awareness about stress management has been shown to positively affect mental health over time—and who knows?
Perhaps one day, you’ll find yourself able to enjoy happy hour without having the next three days off due to exhaustion!
FAQ
How do I relax after a stressful day at work?
There are many ways to relax after a stressful day at work. You can:
- Get some exercise.
- Practice deep breathing.
- Take a break from technology and spend time with a pet, friend, or spouse (or even your own company).
- Have a drink (alcohol is not recommended if you have anxiety issues).
- Meditate in any way that works for you: yoga, mindfulness meditation, etc.
- Change up your surroundings — go outside instead of staying indoors all the time; consider taking up new hobbies or joining groups where others share similar interests as yours; even changing up what you wear can help!
Is it normal to stress at work?
The answer is yes. It’s normal to stress at work. Stress is a natural part of life, and it’s how we respond to that stress that matters most. Everyone experiences stress differently—for some people, it may be a constant low-level annoyance, while for others, it can be debilitating and leave them feeling overwhelmed.
If you’re experiencing more than just the usual amount of anxiety about your job or other responsibilities in life, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I unable to sleep at night?
- When I think about work, I feel physically ill (nausea, headaches)?
- Is my relationship with my family suffering because of my schedule?
Why is my job giving me anxiety?
- Talk to someone about your concerns. Maybe you’ve been thinking about quitting, or maybe you feel like you want to take a leave of absence. You need to know that whatever is happening in your head and heart, some people can help. Find out what resources are available at work and how they might be able to help you.
- Find ways to relax. If your job is stressing you out, the situation won’t change until there is a change in how you respond – both physically and mentally – when stress hits home. Get creative with ways that will help keep your mind focused on things besides work so that when it comes time for work again, having fun is more enjoyable than ever before!
- Find the root cause of your anxiety! We all have goals at work (and outside of work), but sometimes those goals can feel unattainable because they seem too big or too much pressure has been put upon us by others (or ourselves).
How can I reduce my work anxiety?
You can reduce your stress and anxiety by taking a few different steps. First, you need to recognize the symptoms of anxiety:
- Nervousness or feeling keyed up
- Tense muscles
- Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
- Sweating or clamminess
- Trembling or twitching
How do you know if your job is toxic?
Toxic work environments
Toxic work environments can be defined as any place where employees experience stress, anxiety, and/or depression due to the actions of co-workers or their superiors. Toxic bosses are not rare, but they are certainly not the norm either. If you feel like your boss is making it hard for you to do your job well and enjoy coming to work each day, it’s time to start looking for ways to improve your situation or possibly even seek new employment elsewhere.
What steps should I take first?
If your toxic boss isn’t all that bad yet (or even if he/she seems pretty great), there are still things that you can do right away that will help keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed by stress in the office:
- Set realistic goals for yourself at work so that no matter how busy things get during any given week or month, there will always be some aspect of those weeks/months that were better than others – especially if those good aspects were planned out ahead of time!
How do I not let work affect me?
The first step to escaping the stress of work is coming up with a plan for what you will do when it happens. You could ask your boss for help, talk to your coworkers about the problem or take a break if you feel stressed out.
Conclusion
Overall, there are many strategies to try and help you get through the day without stressing out. What might work for one person may not necessarily work for another. But by keeping an open mind and listening to your body, you will be able to find a method that works for you. Remember that all these methods are only temporary ways of changing your mindset—you can’t rely on them forever. Eventually, you’ll need to explore deeper issues like your workload or job responsibilities in order to permanently reduce your stress levels.
