Destress Yourself At Work With These 4 Really Practical Tips

Destress yourself with these four practical and doable tips - some amount of stress is good for you, but don't let it become overwhelming!

Destress yourself with these four practical and doable tips – some amount of stress is good for you, but don’t let it become overwhelming!

Long hours, tight deadlines, and demanding work leave a person exhausted, feeling worried and stressed out. Positive  stress (‘eustress’) helps a person to be focused, energetic, have quick decision power and be on one’s toes to work effectively.

When stress increases beyond the person’s capacity to cope, it decreases efficiency, productivity, performance and even affects one’s physical and emotional health. Here are 4 tips to destress yourself at work.

Create an ergonomic work space

A person spends 8-9 hours at his or her work place, so positive energy around keeps us motivated and energetic. A simple trick is that the working space should have proper sunlight, as natural light lifts up one’s mood and releases positive endorphins in the brain. Dark and gloomy spaces make you more depressed and out of energy. Take a few mins every week to organize your workspace, so you will find everything on time. Adjust your seat and computer screen in a comfortable position to avoid straining your neck and back. Do not look continuously at the screen; in between, close your eyes, drink water or relax your mind. Looking at the mobile is the same as looking at the computer, so avoid this. Create a resting spot for your eyes on the work table. It could be anything like a family pic, a funny pic or beautiful flowers that lift up your mood.

Relax your body

Daily exercise for 20 to 30 min. (even simple walking), balanced, healthy diet and good sleep for 7-8 hours increase the stress coping strength of the body. Healthy lifestyle is the need of our modern hectic life. Yoga and meditation keep one’s body and mind relaxed and increase concentration. During working hours, when you are too tensed, leave your work for 5 mins, close your eyes and try to relax. You need to get up on your feet once an hour. Stretching exercises in between relax muscles. Avoid too much tea, coffee and caffeine while working. Instead, you should drink plenty of water which keeps your body hydrated.

Relax your mind

Building bonds with co-workers, simple chit- chat with  them,  or a quick coffee break can relax you. A support system at work buffers the negative effect of stress. Keep motivating your self, do not give up even in difficult situations and say positive things to yourself, such as ’I Can Do It’’ or ‘I am good at it’.

Smart work

It’s time to do smart work rather than hard work. Plan your day, make a ‘To Do’ list so you don’t miss anything. Leave 5-10 mins earlier in the morning for work to avoid rushing and unnecessary stress. Don’t over-commit yourself and avoid scheduling things back to back. Time management, prioritizing and organizing things helps a lot.

Image via Unsplash

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About the Author

Dr Anita Gautam

Dr. Anita Gautam is a Director Clinical Operation & Consultant Psychiatrist, Gautam Hospital & Research Center and the Gautam Institute of Behavioral Sciences and Alternative Medicine, Jaipur. Awarded with the “Dr. Indla Rama Subba Reddy- IAPP Award read more...

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