Stress is normal in the workplace but too much stress can possibly interfere with one’s productivity and performance, most especially to those working abroad and away from loved ones, family and friends. Moreover, stress can also have an impact on one’s emotional and physical health which can result in problems with relationships and home life.
Whatever your work demands or ambitions are, it is very important for you to take care of yourself. There are steps that you can take to effectively protect yourself from the number of damaging effects of excessive stress. The following are 6 tips to reduce stress at work which can help improve job satisfaction as well as bolster your well-being both inside and outside of your workplace.
- Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
Most of us tend to grab alcohol, caffeine or nicotine when we’re stressed which just makes us feel even worse without knowing it. Why? It is because Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants while alcohol is a depressant but acts as a stimulant as well when used in small doses. Aside from them, make sure to avoid foods with refined sugars because they can also make you feel more tired and get annoyed easily.
- Do some physical activities
When we’re stressed, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. Working out or exerting some of our energy in doing some exercise can help us in getting rid of these fight or flight hormones instead of arguing with our workmate. You can walk outside for a moment and breathe fresh air, this can help you calm down.
- Sleep more
A stressful day often leads to a sleepless and stressful night. Exercising is important to get a better sleep and rest because it can help your body be relaxed. Relaxing activities such as reading a book or taking a bath before going to bed can help calm our mind.
- Do something enjoyable
If you can’t help yourself to relax, you can do it by doing something that can revert your attention to such as riding a bike or doing yoga. Do something that can help you not think about work; focus on something that you will enjoy.
- Talk to someone
One way to create helpful and relaxing hormones in our body is talking to a loved one, family, friend or neighbor, even if it’s just a small talk and not sharing our problems. A simple conversation with someone can help in reducing stress because it can prevent us from overthinking about things that make us stressed, such as our problems at work.
- Proper time management
Properly managing our time is one of the best ways to reduce or eliminate stress at work, most especially those work involving meeting with deadlines. If you can’t get something done at a certain period of time, feel free to let your employer know so he can give you an extra time or possible help. Don’t rush yourself and if you’re not feeling well, rest.
Don’t let stress and outside factors to hinder you from enjoying your life. Remember, pressure and stress sometimes come from within.
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