Stress in the workplace can come from an excess workload, pressure from higher-ups and peers, trouble balancing life and work, etc. Stress at work should not be overlooked, as it is harmful to a person’s health and can significantly affect productivity.
If you believe that stress has taken a toll on your mental health and productivity at your workplace, you would greatly benefit from applying a stress management strategy. Knowing the right tools to use when things get too overwhelming can significantly improve the quality of your work and life overall.
Keep reading for a complete guide to minimizing stress at work.
Stress Management and Productivity
According to the American Institute of Stress, 42% of people lose at least 15-30 minutes of productivity due to stress, and 34% lose an hour or more. Stress takes a significant toll on your mental health and overall wellbeing. When you are stressed, you can experience:
- Lower energy levels
- Trouble focusing
- Lack of creativity
- Constant worry
- Lack of motivation
- Trouble sleeping
These factors can significantly affect productivity, as they can lead to procrastination and cause you to have problems with the quality of your work and your personal and professional relationships.
Luckily, there are many things you can do to release stress that can bring you benefits beyond improving your productivity at work. For example, implementing a stress management strategy can help you improve sleep, be in a better mood, release muscle tension, and even help control your weight.
Some of the most effective strategies for stress relief in the workplace include allowing the brain a break, identifying stressors, and introducing deep breathing exercises into your life.
Method 1: Allow the Brain a Break
If you have a very overwhelming daily work schedule, you could greatly benefit from taking some breaks to allow your brain to rest for a couple of minutes. Instead of thinking of your day as a big chunk, break it up into smaller pieces, and allow yourself to take some breaks in between.
The key to making this system work is learning to prioritize your tasks. Start your day with high-priority tasks and move your way down to less-stressful tasks. That way, you won’t feel guilty about taking a break if you know that the most overwhelming and stressful part of your workload is checked-off your list.
You can even use these breaks to do something productive, like:
- Participating in a guided meditation
- Doing a couple of yoga poses
- Going for a walk
- Stretching
- Doing breathing exercises
These and other mindfulness activities will help you feel more energized when you return to your tasks and make you more productive.
There are many ways to do this, including taking a break after completing x amount of tasks or after x amount of hours. The breaks don’t have to be too long– even five to ten minutes can do wonders to your mental health. The point is to break down your day into smaller chunks to help you avoid feeling burnt out by the end of the day.
Method 2: Identify Stressors
What are the things that stress you out the most during your workdays?
Ask yourself this question, and write down a list of your biggest stress triggers. You can also take this exercise one step further, and ask yourself what causes you to feel angry, irritated, overwhelmed, tense, or worried. Then, identify the triggers that are within your control and the ones that aren’t.
If you know that something is within your control, you can immediately figure out ways to adjust your behaviors and reduce stress. On the other hand, if something is not within your control, you can start figuring out ways to react to those situations differently. By identifying your stressors, you’ll find it much easier to find strategies to handle every stressful situation more proactively.
Method 3: Introduce Deep Breathing Exercises
Breathing is one of the most effective ways to calm the mind and nerves and reduce stress. Most breathing exercises only take a few minutes and instantly make you feel better—examples of breathing exercises that you can incorporate at work include deep breathing and equal time breathing.
For the deep breathing exercise, follow these instructions:
- Sit down
- Place one hand on your belly and the other one on your chest
- Breathe in through your nose, letting your belly fill with air
- Breathe out through your nose
- Repeat a few times
For the equal time breathing exercise, follow these instructions:
- Sit down
- Breathe in through your nose as you count to five
- Breathe out through your nose as you count to five
- Repeat a
few times
If you can, try to find a quiet place to practice these exercises. However, if things are too hectic around the office, you can do these right from your desk.
For those who work from home, you can also do these and other similar breathing exercises lying down.
Ready to Start Minimizing Stress at Work?
Stress management is one of the best ways to help you feel less stressed at work, therefore helping to improve your productivity. There are many ways to minimize stress, including allowing yourself to take some breaks, identifying your biggest stressors, and participating in deep breathing exercises. Managing stress is also a great way to improve your sleep schedule, mood, and overall mental health.
If you’ve been looking for more ways to relieve stress at work, you’ve come to the right place. At Twello, we specialize in bringing wellness tools to your workplace. We offer classes focused on mindfulness, mindfulness for stress reduction, meditation, work from home wellness, breathwork basics, and much more!
Contact us today for more information.
