Don't cope well when it all gets too much? Here's how to deal with stress. Photo / Getty Images.
Don't cope well when it all gets too much? Here's how to deal with stress. Photo / Getty Images.
Pushy supervisors, annoying co-workers and unrealistic expectations - just three things known to make people stressed at work.
It doesn't matter whether you're in an office or a warehouse, being unable to cope with the pressure at work can make life unbearable.
Not only does it take its toll on you emotionally, it can leave you at higher risk of a range of physical illnesses.
Stress also can come with health issues and is also known to make us far more susceptible to infection by damaging our immune system. Other studies have found it to be a cause of obesity. It can also affect how you feel, think and behave and often causes sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating.
Here's some ideas to help combat when it all gets too much.
Staying hydrated, baking and delegating work-loads are all included in ways to alleviate stress. Photo / Getty Images.
Recite a poem in your head - this type of grounding technique can relieve stress.
Use noise-cancelling headphones - especially if you're working in an open-plan office. Constant background noise makes it hard to concentrate so blocking this out can bring back a sense of control.
Delegate - we can become stressed simply because we're doing too much. Share tasks to fight the overwhelmed feeling.
Bake - or cook a meal that takes some concentration. By focusing on each step the mind and body will be occupied.
Get your hair cut - but only if your hairdresser likes to chat. Simply talking to someone can help lower stress levels.
Quieten the critic - we all have an inner voice in our heads and sometimes that voice is rather critical. If you're having disparaging self-thoughts turn these around by seeing yourself as you'd see others.
Create time - not out of thin air but by being more realistic about how long things take.
We tend to underestimate the amount of time activities require so by being more accurate here it's less likely that we'll try to fit too much in.
Avoid boredom - just the same as being too busy can be stressful, not having enough to occupy us also causes stress. Find things you enjoy, preferably with others as human contact is important for overall health.
Zoom out - things we view as being very important can cause a great deal of stress, for instance a presentation at school or work. Compare the event to bigger tasks you know of or have done before. Zoom out and see that in the greater scheme of things, this isn't such a huge undertaking.
Drink enough water - dehydration can affect mental and physical performance, which can lead to stress so make sure to hydrate throughout the day.
Breathe - We tend to breath shallowly through our chests when stressed but stress can be reduced by deep breathing through the diaphragm.
