Stress Management In The Workplace

There are many factors pressing in on today's workers that can add massive amounts of stress. Stress management in the workplace is more relevant than ever, and there are many simple techniques you can learn to use.

What are some of these stresses?

• Overtime is increasing for many workers. Besides the demands for more work from fewer employees, many people simply need to work extra to survive.
• Shorter delivery dates, higher quality demands, leaner operations and reduced expenses all add up to pressure on the worker.
• Family needs are often in conflict with work. Many people have great difficulty getting time off for simple family matters. A sick child or a dentist appointment can mean missed pay and more stress.
• The trickle down effect of management. In other words: s**t flows downhill and usually lands on the everyday employee. This is nothing new, but with fewer middle managers to absorb the blows, there is a more immediate effect on employees.

What about personal stress management in the workplace?

Most people know their own bodies and can quickly tell when they are under stress. Stress and anxiety have some tell-tale signs, such as tension in the body, feelings of worry and pressure, sleeplessness, loss of appetite or indulging in comfort foods, dependency on alcohol or caffeine, and many other symptoms.

 To make matters more complicated, the average person scarcely has time or money to visit a stress therapy clinic and get professional help. Yet, if stress is left untreated for a period of time it can have devastating effects on the body and mind.

Obviously, finding the underlying cause and dealing with the source will be the best solution. Unfortunately, this is not always so easy to do and it may not even be possible to do anything about it anyway.

Some tips for stress management in the workplace that you can use

• Learn how to let the bird fly overhead without making a nest in your head. Not all problems need to be yours, in fact, many times we can just let them pass us by. There is a tendency to take things too personally and dwell on them. Often we assume problems of others unconsciously, and suffer for it.
• Try to leave work at work. Sometimes scenes from the day play over and over in our head while we cringe at the outcome. We die the same death again and again. Let it go. Come to a resolution and occupy yourself with other things.
• Take walks at work, if possible. Instead of surfing the internet at lunch or making phone calls, get some fresh air and exercise. This works wonders and many times solutions to vexing problems just appear.
• Learn some simple techniques from yoga at work. Deep breathing is wonderful and can dispel a lot of pent up frustration. It is also a great help for keeping your mouth shut when you want to argue or defend yourself.
• Some companies have an area where you can stretch, do aerobics, and other exercises. This is a great idea and should be more widely practised.
• Avoid excessive caffeine. This naturally makes you tense and over time is a drain on your energy level. Try herbal teas instead. They can be very invigorating without the buzz, plus they are calming to the nerves.
• Avoid the complaining syndrome that demoralizes anyone who partakes. This is a trap of despair that many employees fall into. You may find yourself alone as a consequence, but that is much better than constantly fault finding and complaining.

Stress management in the workplace need not be complicated, nor expensive. By making use of some simple techniques you can reduce your stress level significantly.