A Staggering 79% of People Report on Experiencing Stress in the Workplace — 16 Ways to Help Deal with Workplace Stress
Looking for strategies for managing stress in the workplace?
In the UK, a staggering 79% of working adults reported on experiencing work related stress in 2020.
This is 20% higher than in 2018.
According to the 2020 survey 55% experience anxiety as a result of work stress, almost half (43%) lose sleep, while a third turn to comfort eating.
Reulay, is a virtual therapeutic platform based in the US.
It uses machine learning to measure stress and anxiety.
The company’s goal is to eliminate stress in the workplace.
Its CEO Patrick Candela explained, “Work is the scene of the crime when it comes to stress and anxiety”.
It’s chief medical officer and co-founder, Dr. Srini Pillay is a brain researcher.
Dr. Pillay says “People don’t recognize that stress and anxiety are killers — not only on their own, but to the extent that they create gene changes that open up pathways to cancer, heart disease, stroke and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.”
Stress in the workplace can be a silent and overlooked killer.
The consequences on your health can be long-lasting and devastating.
If you are feeling overwhelmed at work here are 16 effective strategies for managing stress in the workplace to help.
1. Identify the source of your stresses
If you are looking for strategies for managing stress in the workplace a good place to start is to first identify the cause of your stresses.
Is it your workload?
Is it your boss?
Still working in an office where you have to deal with colleagues whom you don’t get along with?
Do you struggle to be productive enough?
Whatever it is first identify it so you know what the issue is.
Once you have done that focus on which of the things causing you the most stress is within your control and something you can do about.
2. Focus on what you can control
So, you have identified the things that are causing you the most stress.
Say it’s your awful boss, your colleagues, and your workload.
Now identify which of these are things are within your control.
You probably can’t do too much about having an awful boss.
However, if it is your colleagues can you move your workspace away from them?
Can you limit your interaction with them?
If it is serious perhaps you should consider reporting them.
If it is your workload can you ask colleagues or your boss for help?
Can you ask your boss to ease the workload?
Identify the source of your stress and then identify what you can control and change.
Some things are beyond your control.
As a result, you will always have a certain amount of stress in the workplace to deal with.
However, by focusing on what you can control you help eliminate and ease certain stresses which helps reduce your overall stress in the workplace.
3. Covid-19
Your stress could be the result of safety concerns regarding the pandemic.
If you feel there are not enough safety measures raise them with your superiors.
Suggests ways that will make you, your colleagues, and your boss safer.
Could be by practicing effective social distancing, keeping windows open to allow for more ventilation, or it could be having more sanitising stations.
Also, make sure you are doing your part to keep yourself and others safe by adhering to any health and safety practices that have now been put in place since the pandemic.
4. Remember working is a choice
If you are experiencing overwhelming stress in the workplace odds are you think about quitting all the time.
Why you don’t is because you have bills to pay.
However, you still have a choice to work.
You could easily quit and worry about the consequences of not having a job later but you don’t.
Why it’s important to remember this is because once you remind yourself working is your choice and you do have an out, it gives you a sense of control and power.
Of course, you can’t just quit your job and look for another but it’s always an option and if you remind yourself of that it empowers you psychologically as you realise you are here by your own choice.
If at any point it does become too overwhelming remind yourself, ‘I can quit and worry about the consequences later in the meantime I am choosing to push on ahead’.
It can give you a mental power boost and convince you to persevere on.
5. Do the worst stuff first
For strategies for managing stress in the workplace consider completing the stuff you hate doing first.
If you have tasks that you absolutely detest do them at the beginning of the day and get them out of the way.
By doing the difficult tasks first and the ones you hate the most it leaves you with the more pleasant and manageable tasks for the rest of the day.
You’ll find the rest of the day more bearable and it’ll help ease your overall stress.
6. Take more breaks
It may seem obvious but when people are stressed they overlook the power of breaks.
If you do take breaks often and still feel high amounts of stress in the workplace you might want to look into the type of break you take.
When taking short breaks don’t just start scrolling through your socials.
Do something different.
For short breaks move away from your desk or whatever your work environment is and walk around the office or just another area.
Just make sure you move away from the area that is causing you stress whenever you get the chance.
If you’re working from home step away from your home desk, take a stroll in your garden or around the living room.
Stretch your legs.
Do some quick stretches to alleviate any aches or soreness you might be feeling.
This article was initially posted on my blog. To continue to read on click here.
