EASING WORKPLACE STRESS
Maybe it’s the beautiful weather we’re missing every day, or maybe it’s the summer vacation that’s so close we can almost feel the relaxation or maybe people at work are indeed plum crazy. Whatever the reason, if you’re feeling stressed at work, there are ways to ease the pressure that builds in the office.
Manage interruptions
We would suggest you count how many headaches each day begin with an interruption, but you’d just end up with a pain in the neck, too. Suffice it to say, they probably make up a good number of them. What’s especially unfair is, over time, the people who respond quickest to these interruptions only see more, so teach people how to approach you.
Consider setting aside certain time each day or week for focus. Block it out on your calendar, and close your office door if you have one. Let your co-workers know, unless it’s a critical emergency, they can schedule time later to discuss the matters. The same goes for emails. Set up a few times throughout the day when you’re at stopping points to respond. And convince yourself other people’s emergencies are exactly that—their own—before you let someone sideline your priorities for theirs.
Give yourself more than a break
Stop sprinting your marathons. It sounds counter-intuitive, but research shows you get less done when you work every minute of an eight-hour day. Get up and walk for five or ten minutes at least every hour and a half to clear your head and give your brain a rest. Try it for a week, and see if you actually get more done. You may even find you have more energy for life outside your office.
Sleep, eat, work
Getting too little sleep or the wrong food can send your body reeling, even when life is bliss. Cut down on the sugar, and add lots of protein to your meals and snacks throughout the day. Then when it’s time for bed, ask yourself if whatever’s keeping you from lying down is worth a bad day at work tomorrow. If you’re cozied up and still find yourself having trouble, try one of two breathing tricks. The first is to cover your right nostril and breathe through your left for three to five minutes. The other is to sit up, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth behind your teeth and close your mouth. Then inhale through your nose for four counts, hold it for seven and then exhale through your mouth for eight. It should take you about four breaths to get to a place of rest. To keep that serene environment throughout the night, turn on a SoundSpa to lull you while you dream.
Get in your head
If you still find yourself often getting angry or hurt or frustrated, take a good look at how you’re thinking about situations. During those times you feel like someone doesn’t trust you or your skills, force yourself to think of other reasons people react like they do. It may have nothing to do with you. Maybe it’s a budget issue or just good ol’ office politics. And, if the harsh criticism is coming from your own head, make yourself say something nice. You’ve got enough going on around you. You don’t need to add to it.