12 Tips to Handle Stress at Work in the Moment and Long Term
Keep in mind that there are many different ways to get more physical activity in your day too. Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress. When you’re focused on the here-and-now, you won’t be able to ruminate about something that already happened and you can’t worry about something in the future. Meditation and mindfulness take practice, but it can make a big difference in your overall stress level as it brings you back to the present. You might develop a mantra that you repeat in your mind as you take slow deep breaths. Or, you might take a few minutes to practice mindfulness, which involves being in the moment.
Learning relaxation techniques
- When you’re stressed, your neck and shoulders tense up as part of your body’s fight-or-flight response.
- You don’t need to have a mental health condition to try therapy.
- The APA discourages fighting stress with fast food, alcohol or other unhealthy alternatives.
The first time I sat down to do this sober, I found myself grabbing for my glass of wine where it usually sits in front of me out of habit. “I need a drink” has been my auto-reply to virtually all stressful occurrences in my day-to-day life for about as long as I’ve been an adult. Another fascinating result of regular exercise is that it gives your body the opportunity to practice responding to stress. Switching up your routine can help you step out of work mode and into relaxation. So, instead of eating dinner at the table why not pack it up and head down to the local park or your backyard?
Managing your time
Because we spend so much of our non-work hours at home, it’s important to have a home environment that soothes your stress rather than one that leaves you feeling more stressed and tired than it should. Because clutter has a subtle but very real effect on our stress levels, it pays to declutter as regularly as possible. If your home is a haven from stress, it’s easier to let job stress melt away once you get there. Just as it helps children relax and go to sleep when they have a bedtime ritual, having a post-work ritual is a great way to help yourself unwind after a stressful day of work. Even better, it can be a way to create a mental habit of relaxing your mind and letting go of job stress after a long day of work.
Balancing your work and personal life
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- Physical activity can help you mentally disconnect from work, providing a change of scenery and a new focus for your mind.
- It’s recommended to exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week.
- You can also take a few seconds every hour to look out a window, listen to a favorite song, or eat a delicious snack.
Research from 2017 found that exercise can affect the parts of the brain responsible for regulating your mood and coping with stress. Although moving around or leaving the place isn’t possible in every work environment, consider ways you can take a mental break. For example, taking a minute to focus on an object nearby and trying to identify as many details https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of it as possible. Clearly, the less time we can spend complaining about work, the more time we’ll have focused on things that make us happy. This week, try to notice how much time you spend complaining about work and see if this is the right amount of time for you. Do your best to use commute time as a “transition time,” during which you reset and refocus.
We Vent About Job Stress to Our Loved Ones
If this sounds like you, now is the time to take the reigns and make your commute a time to shrug off the stress of the day. In the coming week, try to really notice your thoughts and habits as you drive home if you’re not already aware of them. By engaging in online therapy through Talkspace, you can learn valuable skills and ways to de-stress from work so you can take charge of your mental well-being. Don’t let post-work stress control your life — seek professional support from Talkspace today. According to studies, participants who engage in leisure activities had higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression. Another study found that people who partake in leisure activities have lower stress levels and better stress-management skills.
Taking time to recharge
And when you feel better, you’ll perform better, which means leisure time may make your work time more efficient. If you aren’t into drawing or painting, Ways to Destress After Work consider coloring in a coloring book. Adult coloring books have risen in popularity, and for good reason—coloring can be a great stress reliever.
