There are mountains of studies and research about stress: what causes it; who is prone, who isn’t; how to avoid it; why we need it; being stress-free… let’s not worry about all that right now. The point is, if you’re feeling overly stressed, we want to share some well-known remedies to reduce your stress level, especially at work:
- Make a list. Prioritizing and being organized might not be your thing, but anybody can make a list. Just write down everything you need to accomplish, then, put those things in order of importance or due date to the best of your ability. Be flexible. Circumstances change, so realize that your list is a “working document”. Benefits:
- You will feel accomplished
- You can check your progress
- Helps with time management
- Things are less likely to slip through the cracks
- Take it one step at a time. Easier said than done, I know. But if you can do your best to just accomplish one task at a time, before you know it, you’re making steady progress through your to-do list. Benefits:
- It will be easier to focus
- You will produce higher quality work
- You won’t feel so rushed or scattered
- Recognize and communicate your boundaries. Your list will help you know what you do and do not have time for. But knowing is half the battle, right GI Joe? Be sure to actually communicate your boundaries. If you’re like me and hate telling people no, try something like, “yes Bob, I can absolutely get that report to you, but it will need to be next week because I am already committed to another deadline this week…” Benefits:
- Clear boundaries are set, freeing you to focus on top priorities and continue moving down the list
- You can say no and/or delegate tasks
- Don’t over-complicate things. Some brains are more prone to this than others. And over-thinkers are extremely valuable in certain situations where critical analyzing is needed, but these type of thinking patterns can be a mortal enemy to being productive and efficient with your daily tasks. Remember to keep a healthy, balanced perspective: will this matter 5 years from now? 5 weeks? Is this decision worth the time I’m spending on it? Benefits:
- Complete tasks at a lighter pace
- Work more efficiently
- Use the 80/20 rule: devote only 20% of your time on the problem, and 80% to the solution. This doesn’t need to literally be a mathematical equation (for my literal friends), but the principle is, spend more time on the solution than mulling over the problem. Of course finding a solution requires a breaking down the problem, but don’t get caught up in remorse or the blame game. Use it as a lesson, and find the solution.
- Problems make you stronger, better and smarter instead of holding you back
- Talk it out. If you find yourself distracted or worried about something or someone, you might just need to get it off your chest. Find someone you can trust, buy them a cup of coffee, and ask them to just listen. Let it out. Or maybe keep a journal. It’s amazing how things tend to fall into perspective once we get our jumbled thoughts out into the open.
- Free your mind from distractions holding you back
- Feel a weight removed
- You’re able to better focus on tasks at hand
- Take care of yourself. Stop and think about your body’s cues that you are tired and/or stressed. Are you tired, irritable, impatient, achy? I’m sure the majority of us need to exercise more, but make some practical decisions about what healthy steps you can take to physically take care of yourself to prevent the side effects of stress. Move and stretch at regular intervals, drink plenty of water, breathe deeply, take mental breaks to clear your mind. Take a lunch break, eat healthy foods and relax. Take brakes. Ensuring that you take brakes when you recognize the cues will actually help you get more accomplished in the long run. SLEEP. make sure you’re getting enough sleep! it’s important to physical and mental function!
- You will be less tired and achy
- You will be more focused and energized
- You will be more productive and produce better quality work
- Plan ahead. If you’re one of many who can’t seem to get anywhere on time, try some of these tricks:
- Prepare the night before: as much as possible, get everything together for the next day. Think it through and make a list if necessary.
- Get plenty of rest (this means go to bed earlier, not wake up late. that would defeat the purpose of what we’re trying to accomplish here)
- Be reasonable when scheduling appointments and planning your days. Give yourself more time than you think you need to account for traffic, last minute calls, and any number of things that might come up.
- Leave early/ arrive early: Whatever amount of time you think you need to get to where you’re going on time, add 30 minutes. If you get there stupid early, that’s not a bad thing! take the time to check email on your phone, or just sit and relax in your car for a bit. Take a few moments to focus on the task before you. Most likely though, that extra time will be filled with unexpected things you weren’t planning like having to stop and get gas, or a traffic detour…
- Plan wiggle room. Whenever possible, schedule gaps in your day that you can use for those pesky little tasks that normally set you back: answering emails and phone calls, an unexpected meeting, a favor for a co-worker. Creating pockets of time will give you the wiggle room you need to get these things done without setting you back and stressing you out!
- Check email only periodically. Bouncing back and forth from task to email to meeting to email to call to email can be very fatiguing and cause stress. Realize that you don’t need to respond to every email the moment it dings in your inbox. Check your emails only periodically and respond in batches.
- Clear your space. Did you know that clutter can affect your mental clarity? Schedule some time to organize your workspace. Set it up in a way that benefits your workflow if possible. Get rid of unnecessary items cluttering your desk or floor space. Having a clear work space will help you stay organized and feel more on top of your work.
- Don’t assume. Miscommunication can be a huge stress-inducer. It never hurts to make sure. If you are unclear about something, or have a history of misunderstanding with a coworker, take the time to clarify. This also makes you look organize and on top of things, so it’s a win-win!
- Turn it off. More and more people are either working from home, or taking work home from the office. To the very best of your ability, TURN IT OFF. Create boundaries– limits. Don’t check your email or accept calls after set working hours. There will be periodic exceptions, but make sure it’s periodic. It is important for the sake of your mental and physical health- and therefore your quality of work– to disconnect from work. Make time for hobbies or things that you enjoy. Focus on your family and friends, take a nap, complete a home improvement project, or paint a picture! set aside time for you! Benefits:
- You will feel relaxed and refreshed each week or each day
- You will be able to focus and produce better work
- Your mood will be more positive and your attitude lighter
- Keep perspective. Developing a mental practice of keeping things in perspective plays a large part in maintaining a stress-free mentality. Make a habit of asking yourself big picture questions every day. Look at things in the scheme of life, of history and future. Choose to be present in the moment and make it count. This sounds lofty, but many times, it’s a simple choice to take a look at your surroundings and do something to make it better. Do something kind and thoughtful for someone else, go out of your way to make something better or easier. Remember that tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start, a chance to be better.
- Stress will melt away
- Things seem easier to deal with
- You feel lighter and more joyful
- Be grateful. My how we’ve fallen from this practice in our culture… it’s all about having more, being better, and comparing ourselves to our 2300 social media friends. When it seems life is a giant parade of everyone parading about saying “look at me and my perfect life”– it’s really hard to not compare ourselves or feel like we just don’t add up. Or even worse, feel like we’re better than others. Remember to be grateful. Take stock of what you have and cherish it.
- You will feel content and happy
- You won’t feel so pressured
- You can leave the rat race behind and enjoy life
- Set reasonable expectations. If you’re a perfectionist, it’s not all bad. It’s just a matter of developing the mental discipline to be reasonable. You are not perfect. Nobody is, not one person. As perfectionists, we tend to focus on the negative things. Balance your outlook by also focusing on the good things. If you’re constantly falling short of your goals, then maybe it’s time to reassess your goal setting strategy (see our posts on effective goal setting here)
- You won’t feel like you don’t add up
- You’ll feel less pressure to perform
- Serve someone. Yikes. Did that one make you cringe a little bit? We live in a society that largely feels entitled. But if you can think back to a time where you did something for someone just because, you can probably remember feeling warmth and joy. I’m not going to break into song or anything, but seriously, try it. Just do something nice for no reason. Maybe even anonymously. It’s amazing what taking your mind off of yourself and doing something for someone else will accomplish.