Work stress and work life imbalance is the biggest corporate problem. Excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health as well as family life.
Common causes of workplace stress include:
-Continuous excessive overtime
-Pressure to outperform to meet rising expectations but with no job satisfaction
-Pressure to work at optimum levels—all the time!
-Lack of control over how you do your work
Tips to beat work stress:
1. Reach out:
Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress with someone close to you. The act of talking it out and getting support especially face-to-face can be a highly effective way of blowing off steam and regaining your sense of calm. The other person doesn’t have to “fix” your problems; they just need to be a good listener. You could always turn to your co-workers or lean on your friends and family
2. Exercise and consume the right nutrition:
When you’re overly focused on work, it’s easy to neglect your physical health. But when you’re supporting your health with good nutrition and exercise, you’re stronger and more resilient to stress. Taking care of yourself doesn’t require a total lifestyle overhaul. Even small things can lift your mood, increase your energy, and make you feel like you’re back on track. Also do not forget to exercise regularly
3. Do not cut down on your sleep
You may feel like you just don’t have the time get a full night’s sleep. But skimping on sleep interferes with your daytime productivity, creativity, problem-solving skills, and ability to focus. The better rested you are, the better equipped you’ll be to tackle your job responsibilities and cope with workplace stress. Always aim for an * hours continuous sleep.
4. Prioritize and delegate tasks.
Tackle high-priority tasks first. If you have something particularly unpleasant to do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result. Try to break your job into smaller steps. Delegate responsibility and be willing to compromise so that you’ll be able to find a happy middle ground that reduces the stress levels for everyone.When you set unrealistic goals for yourself, you’re setting yourself up to fall short. Aim to do your best; no one can ask for more than that.
5. Flip your negative thinking and be positive.
If you focus on the downside of every situation and interaction, you’ll find yourself drained of energy and motivation. Try to think positively about your work, avoid negative co-workers, and pat yourself on the back about small accomplishments, even if no one else does.
6. Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.
Many things at work are beyond our control, particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control, such as the way you choose to react to problems.
7. Look for humor in the situation.
When used appropriately, humor is a great way to relieve stress in the workplace. When you or those around you start taking work too seriously, find a way to lighten the mood by sharing a joke or funny story.
8. Talk to your employer about workplace stressors.
Healthy and happy employees are more productive, so your employer has an incentive to tackle workplace stress whenever possible. Rather than rattling off a list of complaints, let your employer know about specific conditions that are impacting your work performance.
9. Request a transfer.
If your workplace is large enough, you might be able to escape a toxic environment by transferring to another department. Work rotation and cross work training are very helpful in beating boredom.
10. Take time off:
When you have been working for too long and it starts getting very monotonous, take a break from work. Go on vacation, use up your sick days, ask for a temporary leave-of-absence, anything to remove yourself from the situation. Use the time away to recharge your batteries and gain perspective. Make sure to plan your leaves in advance.
