Stress is a part of life that everyone experiences at some point. It can come from preparing for an exam, going on a first date, getting stuck in traffic, worrying about bills, or making a sales presentation. Although it’s normal, stress can be a difficult thing to manage.
Whenever you feel like you are in danger, or facing something uncomfortable, your body responds by releasing hormones that make your heart rate go up, your blood pressure increase, and give you more energy to deal with the problem.
Even though stress is a natural reaction, it is still a negative force that can have a significant impact on both our professional and personal lives.
Stress can have a lot of negative effects, like making you tired, giving you headaches, making your muscles tense, and even causing heart attacks and death. It can also make you argue more with the people you care about. So Stress can really mess up your job, your relationships, and your life in general.
The good news is that there are things you can do to reduce stress in your life. You can learn to manage it better and not let it control you. Try out some of the following simple and effective stress-reduction techniques. Take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. Now, let’s see what works for you.
Take a walk
The easiest way to de-stress at work is to take a walk outside. Breathe in the fresh air and take in the sights. If possible, walk for long enough to work up a sweat. This will help to get your heart rate up. If there’s a park or forest nearby, take advantage of it and go for a walk there. Walking has been shown to have the same calming effect as a mild tranquilizer.
Meditate
You can meditate while you walk, at your desk, or in any other location. Meditation is a great way to de-stress and decompress at work, according to the National Institute of Health. Meditation may also help to reduce blood pressure, ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and help people with insomnia. There are many apps available that can help you to learn how to meditate, such as Headspace and Insight Timer. You can de-stress at work in under 5 minutes by doing this great method.
Change your location
If you work in an office with communal spaces, try spending part of your day in a different area to break up the monotony and improve your mood. This will help you de-stress during your work day. If you work alone, consider going to a co-working space or café where you can socialize and take a break from work.
Identify your stress triggers
What stresses you out? What triggers this reaction? How do you react to it? Look for possible solutions.
You can’t remove all stressful triggers from your life, but you can get rid of the ones you have control over.
One way to reduce commuters stress who have to battle traffic is by asking to have a flexible schedule where they only have to commute three days a week and work two days from home. Another option would be to come in earlier or leaving later to avoid traffic.
Change tasks
Are you struggling to solve a problem, even though you’ve been trying for hours? This is called a “gumption trap,” and it was coined by Robert M. Pirsig in his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
In the book, he describes becoming frustrated after working on his bike for hours and not being able to fix a part. His advice is to take a break from the problem for even half an hour, and do something simple instead. In your case, that might be emailing your colleagues, filing paperwork, or crossing off easy items on your checklist. (Or, you could make a new checklist. Checklists are magical things.)
If you’re feeling stressed or frustrated, taking a break can help. Once you’ve had a chance to relax, you may feel more energetic and better able to focus. If you’re bored by a task, try doing something more challenging before returning to it.
Breathe
Slow, deep breathing, even if it’s for only for a couple of minutes can dramatically decrease tension. Clinical and sports psychologist Leah Lagos, PsyD., suggests to Rodale’s Organic Life that you try this breathing exercises during your lunch:
In this heart shifting exercise, you will take three sets of five deep breaths. For the first set of five breaths, focus on any negative emotions you may be feeling, and then let them go with each exhale. For the second set of breaths, clear your mind of any other thoughts and just focus on the feeling of inhaling and exhaling. Finally, focus on embracing “the love in your heart” during the inhale, whether that be for a family member or friend. Let go of the negative emotion while exhaling.
When you pair a positive emotion with an inhalation, your heart will shift to a healthier rhythm, improving your mental state.
Get up earlier
If you like mornings more than any other time of day, wake up even earlier than usual. You’ll be surprised at how much you can get done before everyone else is up. This might include activities like reading, working out, responding to emails, or getting started on work.
Doing these things as soon as you wake up lets you focus on your to-do list right away – which means you’ll finish sooner and be able to do something fun.
If you’re not convinced that waking up early is beneficial, consider a study conducted by biologist Christoph Randler. He found that early risers perform better on the job, attain greater career success, and make more money than those who start their day later.
Give yourself an ear massage
Yes, it is true that an ear massage using a pressure point can help to treat anxiety. This is called “auricular acupuncture.” A study that was done showed that when patients were on the way to the hospital, those who received the treatment reported “significantly less anxiety” than those who did not. Therefore, it is worth trying if you are feeling stressed. You can rub this point in your ear for a few minutes and see if it helps you feel better.
Exercise break
If you are near a gym, you can go for a quick gym session to help you de-stress at work. Get your heart rate up and release endorphins by running on the treadmill for 10 minutes, biking furiously for another 10 minutes, and hitting the rowing machine for 5 minutes. Cool down and change, and you will be sitting at your desk just a few minutes later, feeling more relaxed.
Exercise at your desk
For exercises you can do at your desk without working up too much of a sweat, try toe raises (standing or seated, just raise up and down on your toes), lunges (step one foot forward and then back), tricep dips (put your hands behind you on the chair and lower yourself down and up), and head and neck stretches (which are also great for calming and relaxing you, as well).
Eat well
Our moods are closely linked to the foods we eat. That’s why we tend to reach for comfort foods when we’re feeling down or stressed. However, cookie dough for breakfast is not the best option for our health.
Mac and cheese may make you feel better temporarily, but it’s not going to help you in the long run if you eat it every day. Try adding some mixed vegetables to your Ramen noodles. You can start small if you want.
Healthy eating has a plethora of benefits that include more energy, increased productivity, better physical and mental health, and even saving money. Instead of eating junk food, opt for healthier choices like fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseed.
Chew some gum
A study from Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia discovered that chewing gum can reduce stress levels. The study found that during mild stress, the stress hormone cortisol was reduced by 16 percent, and during moderate stress, cortisol was reduced by 12 percent.
Ignore the news
Do not read Twitter, The New York Times, or your Facebook feed all day unless you are a journalist because it can be stressful. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, consuming news causes more than half of Americans to become anxious, experience fatigue, or lose sleep.
Hug someone
Sheldon Cohen, from Carnegie Mellon, and his team found that hugging can help protect people from stress. Cohen commented that being hugged by a trusted person can act as a way to show support, and that increasing the frequency of hugs could reduce the harmful effects of stress.
Get enough, quality sleep.
Are you getting enough sleep at night? You should because it is an essential component in staying healthy and strong. Additionally, it can help you better handle stressful situations.
Although you may spend eight hours in bed, this doesn’t guarantee that you will have a restful sleep. To ensure that you get quality sleep each night, it is important to have a cool, dark, and quiet environment.
Practice gratitude
There is nothing more powerful than gratitude for increasing your happiness, improving your health, and coping with stress.
There have been a lot of scientific studies about the benefits of gratitude, including research conducted by famous psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough. They found that people who consciously focus on gratitude tend to have better emotional well-being and physical health than those who don’t.
