It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with work, especially when you don’t know if you’re going to be working online, in person or what new pandemic is going to overtake the world and completely wreck your plans for next year’s Coachella. If life isn’t overwhelming enough, work sure is– and we get it. We’ve all been there and sometimes it feels like it’s never going to end and retirement can’t come soon enough. We’re sharing our top 3 tips for maintaining your stress levels and staying on top of it all while your work couldn’t possibly be more overwhelming.
Identify the cause
The first step to helping yourself overcome stress or anxiety is identifying what’s causing the problem in the first place. This is crucial as it can be a quick fix or it can require a longer, more dedicated solution.
If you find that your workload is what’s causing your stress, or the amount of work you have to do before a deadline, try reaching out to clients or if you work for a company, to your boss. A boss might be able to allow you some extra time to complete projects, or lessen your load a little. Clients might be willing to extend deadlines, but it’s important to consider that they too, have deadlines they have to meet.
If you find your environment at work is causing you grief, try pin-pointing what it is you don’t like. Is it the fact that you work in a cubicle with 4 other people and have no privacy? Do you find that there are no windows in your office and that you long for any bit of natural light? Are you struggling to find the time to organize your office and the mess and disorganization cause you more anxiety each day?
These can all be fixed by taking time to prioritize organization and cleaning, considering new office space, and chatting with your superiors at work about a new work situation. If you can’t get a new office or cubicle set up, maybe try a schedule where you and the other employees can take breaks at separate times so that each of you has your own “alone time” during the day.
Take a breath
Believe it or not, deep breathing alone can help reduce your stress levels majorly. You’ll be able to reset your nervous system and feel more relaxed and at ease. This is helpful for battling stressful days at work, dwindling relationships or anything you might need a clear head for.
If you’re not sure where to start, you can consider a yoga class that emphasizes breathing techniques. Even one class will teach you how to center your attention on your breathing and how to promote a more relaxed and rejuvenated feeling within yourself.
You can also opt for meditation apps. These are easy because they can be downloaded to your smartphone and you can utilize them any time of the day. Some will have a visual graphic that you can focus on and that tells you when to breathe in and out, others might have an instructor that guides you through a meditation or breathing session. It’s up to you which one works best for you.
Sometimes your stress requires more than just some deep breathing. If that’s the case, you can try going for a walk or taking a break from whatever is causing you stress and come back to it later. Sometimes all we need is a good walk in nature, to get some fresh air and calm our nerves.
We’re all learning
As a professional, you have to understand that everyone, no matter their age, past or anything, is still learning. If you find yourself getting frustrated with people, you might need to reconsider your perspective. Are you angry over their quality of work? Do you perceive them as lazy or unmotivated? Are you comparing them to you, or your idea of yourself?
More than this, you need to remember that you are also learning. And one thing that you’re learning is where your threshold is. What can you handle, without taking a toll on your mental or physical well-being? Work in itself is stressful, but how much of it can you take before you need a break? We are all trying to figure out the same thing, and it comes to a point where you need to learn where to set boundaries for yourself and protect yourself from harm.
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