“All of which can lead to worsening mental and physical health,” he says. After all, we spend a significant part of our waking hours at work. These strategies can help you leave your work stress where it belong—at work. It’s very natural to seek emotional support when dealing with difficult co-workers. However, as with job stress venting in general, focusing too much on the stress created by difficult co-workers can rob us of the joy of our non-work lives. Preventing work-related stress can involve strategies to manage potential stressors and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Focus on Breathing
So, instead of eating dinner at the table why not pack it up and head down to the local park or your backyard? If you want to keep it simple, breathe in for the count of four and breathe out for the count of four. On the other hand, if you want to get a bit techy with it, there’s a couple of apps like Smiling Mind and Waking Up with Sam Harris that will take you through a simple breathing meditation that’ll relax you in no time. Stress can come from many sources, and as a helping professional, it can be hard to know where to start. To get the ball rolling, we’ve collated some helpful tools and exercises below that you can use in your sessions with clients. Help your clients prevent burnout, handle stressors, and achieve a healthy, sustainable work-life balance with these 17 Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises [PDF].
Cultivate Mindfulness
Sometimes, feeling overwhelmed by work comes down to how organized you are. Consider searching for music that you can listen to while you work, or, on stressful days, try to listen to your favorite tunes while going to and back from work and during your breaks. In fact, all physical activity can boost feel-good hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. Work-related stress can lead to decreased energy levels, difficulties performing, and tense relationships. Give yourself space to recharge by turning off notifications and not thinking about work while on vacation.
- For example, those who exercise or meditate regularly tend to become less stressed in the face of a difficult challenge.
- Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up feelings.
- Walking, strength training, kayaking, hiking, and spin class are just a few different examples of ways you can get stress relief.
- High stress levels can cascade into mental and physical health conditions.
Obtain Social Support
If your stress is getting out of control and you need quick relief, try one of these tips. When working with clients on managing stress, it may be difficult for them to begin prioritizing stress relief. But as we’ve outlined in this article, there are many quick and simple ways how to destress after work to seek relaxation day to day. Exercise may also help you respond to stress better in the longer term (American Psychological Association, 2020). This is because exercise acts as a sort of dress rehearsal for the body’s mechanisms that come into play when dealing with stress.
Ways to calm stress in 5 minutes or less
Research consistently shows that coloring can have a meditative effect. One study found that anxiety levels decline in people who were coloring complex geometric patterns, making it a perfect outlet for stress reduction. When you’re focused on the here-and-now, you won’t be able to ruminate about something that already happened and you can’t worry about something in the future.
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If you’re finding it hard to cope with stress at work, consider speaking with a mental health professional. Performance anxiety may also lead you to experience higher stress levels in the workplace. For example, if deadlines increase your stress levels, you might need to ask for longer lead times or start earlier.
Shake It Out: The Easy, Expert-Approved Way To Unwind After A Stressful Day
Chronic stress can increase your risk for other mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety. She is an immigrant and identifies as a Chinese and Filipina American woman. Her clinical work, research expertise and advocacy for supporting BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ folx, as well as human sex trafficking survivors have garnered national praise and notoriety. She is an actively involved member of each of her intersecting communities and she is passionate about ensuring that culturally responsive content is accessible for all organizations in need.
- Also take time to savor each bite of your meals, paying attention to the flavors, textures and sensations in your mouth.
- Other barriers to getting started with strength training include a lack of time, a lack of specialist knowledge, and uncomfortable commercial gym spaces.
- I have a much easier time shifting gears when I’m able to shut myself off from the world for a bit.
- Most of us, at some point in our lives, will question whether we’re on the right career path.
- According to research, yoga interrupts stress by producing an effect that’s opposite to your flight-or-fight response.
Since I was already in motion, I decided to keep walking, head outside and do the whole “clear your head” thing. The app also has a sizable collection of children’s stories. Combined with its guided meditation sessions, Calm is one of the best audio stimulation apps.
