Work-related stress and how to solve it.
Stress is an intrinsic part of life which can predispose humans to anxiety when handled the wrong way. It has distinct forms; physical, emotional, and mental. It can be defined as the body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. Thus, it is vital to note that everyone deals with a stressful situation at some point in time. But how stress affects individuals (positive or negative) depends on how they handle it.
Hence, analysis has shown that work is the most contributing factor of stress. According to research by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Most adults in United States admit that work is the major source of stress to them; also from the study, the cost of stress in United States is $190 billion a year in annual healthcare bill.
In a research conducted by Harvard and Stanford researchers; it was observed that stressful jobs can reduce one’s life expectancy.
Here are nine holistic approaches to help quell work-related stress:
· Sleep
There is a connection between stress and insomnia. Poor sleep can increase your stress level, says Dr. Guy Leschziner, the author of “The Nocturnal Brain” and a Neurologist. Leschziner discovered poor sleep to be a contributing factor to stress. So, from this, poor sleep can be seen as a factor which increases stress level. However, when you are stressed out, consider getting enough sleep to help put stress at bay. Also, as advised by Dr. Guy Leschziner, to be at your peak in terms of productivity, eight to ten hours of sleep is recommended.
· Avoid Self-Isolation
When dealing with stress, self-isolation can be catastrophic to health and that is why you need communication. According to a study by Association for Psychological Science, interacting with other people be it video chat, phone call, text message or having a tête-à-tête with a family member or friends can help control stress. By discussing with others, it helps to ease the tense of anxiety.
Self-isolating when stressed can set-off negative thought which reinforces pessimistic beliefs and attitude; this is according to American Psychological Association and to reverse the effect, it is recommended that stressors take four to five minute deep breath and interact with people to avoid those thoughts that are detrimental to their health.
· Seek Professional Help
Always make a healthy decision when the need arises. Seeking advice from a psychologist is one of the healthy ways to help stressors deal with anxiety that is gruelling and/or persistent. Freeman advice stressors to solicit professional help the need be to avoid it degenerating to serious anxiety problem.
However, rather than fight stress with alcohol; get help from a professional because every part of the body is affected by experiencing constant stress. Hence getting the right attention will help solve the problem.
In addition, Norris, a Psychologist, advised that developing coping mechanism is of great important when dealing with stress. These coping mechanisms include reading, socializing with friends, etc. and if work-related stress, Norris advise her patients to speak to their Boss or find somewhere else to work.
· Exercise
Exercise decreases your vulnerability to stress. Any type of exercise is extremely important when stressed-out. Studies show that exercise helps in improving modes for people with moderate depression. It has a calming effect on the body (mentally and emotionally). Exercise serves as active meditation to the body, thus controlling depression.
· Prioritize Task
Prioritizing your project reduces your vulnerability to stress. Arrange your projects in order of priority. Start with the most difficult ones and take it one step at a time. By so doing, you can control your vulnerability to stress.
· Refresh
Refreshing yourself is crucial to avoid any negative effect of stress. Always carve out time out of your busy schedule to refresh yourself and memory amidst work. This strategy helps to strengthen your cognitive ability, hence achieving more in terms of productivity after that.
· Play Music
Listening to your favorite song can be an impressive way to reduce stress after work. So, play your favorite song when you are stressed out as it helps to ease the tense.
· Discuss It with Your Management
There are stipulated rules and regulations employees have to follow; but in case of any stringent rules you cannot adhere to in your workplace, it’s important to discuss it with the management who will fix it or help you find any other alternative.
· Define Boundaries
Respect boundaries between work and yourself. Constantly trying to achieve more at work or over working yourself like answering calls or emails after work hour can lead to work burnout. Thus, making the best decision is important. So, define a clear boundary between yourself and work and stick to it.