6 Tips to Dispel Stress

While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and impact your physical and emotional health. And your inability to deal with it can mean the difference between success and failure. You can’t control everything in your work environment, but that does not mean you are powerless—even when you’re stuck in a difficult situation. Finding ways to manage workplace stress is not about making huge changes or rethinking career ambitions, but rather about focusing on the one thing that’s always within your control: you.

There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your overall stress levels and the stress you find on the job and in the workplace. These include: Taking responsibility for improving your physical and emotional well-being. Avoiding pitfalls by identifying knee jerk habits and negative attitudes that add to the stress you experience at work. Learning better communication skills to ease and improve your relationships with management and coworkers. The following tips work effectively too:

Recognize warning signs of excessive stress at work. When you feel overwhelmed at work you lose confidence and may become irritable or withdrawn. This can make you less productive and less effective in your job, and make the work seem less rewarding. If you ignore the warning signs of work stress, they can lead to bigger problems. The common signs and symptoms of excessive job and workplace stress are: feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed, apathy, loss of interest in work, problems sleeping, fatigue, trouble concentrating, muscle tension or headaches, stomach issues, social withdrawal, loss of sex drive, and using alcohol or drugs to cope.

Reduce job stress by taking care of yourself. When stress at work interferes with your ability to perform in your job, manage your personal life, or adversely impacts your health, it’s time to take action. Start by paying attention to your physical and emotional health. The better you feel, the better equipped you’ll be to manage work stress without becoming overwhelmed. Taking care of your self 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 in the driver’s seat. Some of the positive lifestyle choices that you can adopt at both at home and work include:       regular exercise, making wise food choices that keep you going, drinking alcohol in moderation and avoiding nicotine, getting enough sleep, and seeking family support.

Reduce job stress by prioritizing and organizing. When job and workplace stress threatens to overwhelm you, there are simple steps you can take to regain control over yourself and the situation.  Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities and downtime. Avoid scheduling things back-to-back or trying to fit too much into one day. If you've got too much on your plate, distinguish between the "shoulds" and the "musts”. Drop tasks that aren't truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely. Try to leave earlier in the morning. Even 10 to 15 minutes can make the difference between frantically rushing to your desk and having time to ease into your day. Don’t add to your stress levels by running late. Make sure to take short breaks throughout the day to take a walk or sit back and clear your mind. Also try to get away from your desk or work station for lunch. Stepping away from work to briefly relax and recharge will help you be more, not less, productive.

Reduce job stress by improving emotional intelligence. Even if you’re in a job where the environment has grown increasingly stressful, you can retain a large measure of self-control and self-confidence by understanding and practicing emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use your emotions in positive and constructive ways. Emotional intelligence is about communicating with others in ways that draw people to you, overcome differences, repair wounded feelings, and defuse tension and stress.

Reduce job stress by breaking bad habits. Many of us make job stress worse with negative thoughts and behavior. If you can turn around these self-defeating habits, you’ll find employer-imposed stress easier to handle.

Learn how managers or employers can reduce job stress. It's in a manager's best interest to keep stress levels in the workplace to a minimum. Managers can act as positive role models, especially in times of high stress, by following the tips outlined in this article. If a manager can remain calm in stressful work situations, it is much easier for his or her employees to also remain calm.