11 Simple Ways to Reduce Work Stress in Minutes

Liz Tucker was only 30 when she suffered a burnout. She went to bed early one day because she thought she was coming down with a bit of a cold and woke up with absolutely no energy in her legs and arms. Liz’s health started to decline over the next four years because according to her doctor, she had the body of an 80-year-old.
Liz’s body had shut down in protest from her high-stress lifestyle, unhealthy food and little sleep. There was no work-life balance although she was genuinely enjoying what she was doing. To add to the damage, Liz lived on food bought in petrol stations because she had to travel frequently and was suffering from sleep deficiency. Today Liz is a health and well-being counselor specialising in stress management but her story demonstrates a very real danger: if we allow too much job stress to take over our lives and neglect our bodies in the process, there would be a dear price to pay some time down the road.
What is Work Best Health Supplements Brands Stress?
Work stress can be defined as the harmful effects on one’s physical and mental health when there is a mismatch between job demands and the ability of the worker to meet them or when the job doesn’t satisfy the worker’s various needs. It occurs because there are constant pressures that involve deadlines, responsibilities, task complexity, management challenges, office politics etc. All these can seriously reduce our well-being, especially if we fail to recognize and deal with these emotional, physical, and psychological stressors.
Job stress also happens where the workplace culture encourages a lot of competition and challenge among managers and staff. There is a high tolerance and acceptance of stress because there is a sense of bravado and pride in handling stress. There is a fine line, however, between healthy motivation and unhealthy stress. Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress – a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to eating disorders, depression, weakened immune system, sleep problems, stomach ailments, skin reactions, concentration difficulty to name a few ailments. Research suggests that stress can also bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.
How to manage stress at the workplace
To avoid being ‘burnt out’, you need to remove or distract yourself from the stressors. Developing new habits which accomplish this is the key to managing stress on a more permanent basis. The following stress reduction techniques won’t change the situation that is causing your stress but will help you to change your attitude and reaction towards stressful situations so give a few of them a spin!
Look:
Take time out and be amongst nature. Walk in a green patch, barefoot, if you can. Nature’s colours, sounds and even smells have its own special calming effect. Take a break – look away from the computer screen and look into the distance. Daydream if you must.
Breathe:
When we are in a highly strung or tense state, our breaths are shortened and our heart rate shoots up. To feel calmer, breathe slowly with long breathes in a rhythmic manner. Focus your attention on your heart. Notice your breath and visualize it flowing in and out through that area. Breathe in to your maximum and let it all out. Practice this for three to five minutes a few times a day or whenever you feel stressed or imbalanced.
Nap:
Take a short power nap. This is a powerful way to recharge and energize your mind and body in a very short time.
Connect:
Connect with someone else other than those you’re working with & talk to those who make you feel good about yourself. If possible, try to meet a different person every day for a meal or coffee.
Create:
Do something creative like drawing, writing fiction or even design a photo scrapbook of your fondest memories. It’s not only mentally stimulating, it’s rejuvenating too!
Exercise:
There is exercise and there is exercise. Yoga, Pilates or swimming is an excellent destressor, but for some people, something more vigorous is just what the doctor ordered. This could be running, cycling, body combat, mixed martial arts, boxing or lifting weights.
Give:
Make someone’s day – give a compliment, a small gift or donation. Even a silent blessing!
Laugh:
See a funny video. Just laugh out loud like what they do in laughter yoga. Listen to some stand up comedians on iTunes. That would not only reduce tension, but also make you more likable. This uplifting technique can help you increase your creativity as well as IQ!
Hydrate:
Some cool water, especially with some fresh lemon or lime juice and honey can do wonders for your system. Often we are stressed because we are parched. Our bodies demands a good amount of water (excluding tea, coffee, soft drinks, red bull etc.) to function at its optimal level. This is why you must keep your body hydrated by regularly drinking water (8-10 glasses of water a day is ideal) so remember to keep some water on your desk at all times.
Groove:
Listening to music can move the soul and spirit. It can transform the state of a person. Listen to some of your favourite tunes, symphonies, melodies or play some if you know how to. Always wanted to learn to play an instrument but don’t have the time to? Maybe now is a good time to do so.
Stretch: Healthy Habits For Students
It is known to release the toxins that accumulate in your body and you will feel good after a nice stretch.
Sometimes stress is caused when we invest too much of ourselves in unworthy battles while completely ignoring the bigger joys and opportunities of life itself. So the key to really mastering stress and lead a more balanced life is to plan wisely, prioritize strategically and choosing our actions with care.