Work stress affects us all; however, when stress from work begins to affect other areas of your life, it’s time to take action. For example, a recent study revealed that 7 in 10 adults reported that workplace stress affects personal relationships. A survey reported that a shocking 91% of respondents said that feeling overwhelmingly stressed negatively affects the quality of their work.
Most of us have to face complex problem-solving at work in some capacity, mix in deadlines, commuting, working with difficult people, and customer demands, and it’s a recipe for stressful situations. However, you are not powerless; learning a handful of stress management techniques can benefit your professional trajectory and the quality of your personal life.
Identifying Stressors
This sounds simple, but most people don’t take the time to examine what is triggering their stress; sometimes, a simple change in habit can help you avoid some stress altogether. For example, to begin coping with work stress, spend a few days simply identifying what triggers feelings of stress. Try to determine who was involved, what situation you were in, how you felt, and how you reacted. This awareness is a simple way to take an emotional inventory.
In some cases, the cause of the stress is apparent such as obstacles on a specific project or the threat of losing your job. However, most people notice subtle but persistent causes of stress they had previously not identified. This can be things like an uncomfortable workspace or commuting. Sometimes it’s a temporary work condition such as learning a new technology or working with new software. These can all add to your overall stress level.
Addressing The Issues
Once you’ve identified your stress triggers, consider each situation or event and look for ways to resolve it. If the stress is persistent, developing workplace relaxation techniques is best to help your body release the tension. Here are some helpful tools you can try.
Maintaining Perspective
In dealing with stressful situations, it’s hard to see outside our perspective. However, talking with trusted colleagues or friend can often provide needed insight and coping suggestions. Therapy is another place to discuss your issues and get a critical perspective.
Take A Break
Of course, work still needs to be done, but many employees work through lunch breaks. Taking just a few minutes of personal time during a busy workday can provide a needed respite and reset your day. During especially stressful seasons, more breaks will make you more productive and keep your mind sharp.
Take Care of Yourself
Taking care of yourself can take a lot of forms. For example, choosing to feed yourself nutritious, healthy foods, moving your body, and giving yourself an outlet to do activities you enjoy. And practicing mindfulness with activities such as mediation, prayer, yoga, or deep breathing can all contribute to better mental health.
When To Seek Help
Relaxation Techniques are great at helping people manage stress. However, if these techniques aren’t relieving your stress or you’ve weighed down anxiety or are feeling burned out, it might be time to seek help. A mental health professional can help you deal with deeper issues that might be leading to your feelings of overwhelming depression or stress. They can help you recognize unhealthy thoughts and behavior patterns, learn better-coping skills and stress management strategies, and, in some cases, even prescribe medication as needed. If you want to read more about how to find the right therapist for you, we have more information for you here.
Next Steps
Workplace stress is unavoidable, but there are steps you can take to improve your mental health and help you learn to manage stress well. Therapy is a great place to start when you’re ready to take the following action for your mental health. Many patients worry about the cost of therapy, but many insurance providers cover mental health services. At Collective Counseling Solutions, we’re here to help. Contact us when you’re ready.