Top Ways To Manage Stress At Work
We are living in unprecedented and stressful times and when ordinary work stress is combined with the fact we are living in a pandemic, it can leave many of us feeling completely lost and overwhelmed. If this is you, then it is important that you take steps to try and manage your stress before it gets too much. If you are looking to manage your stress at work, we have put together a handy guide that can help you out. Here are some of our top tips.
Get more organized
When you are feeling stressed, something as simple as getting organized can really help to lower your levels of anxiety. Have a good sort out through all of your paperwork and documents, both online and any physical copies you might have and ensure they are properly stored. Buy a few different folders and organize them methodically so not only are they out of your way, but they are easy to find in the future when you need them. It is also a good idea to set up an online calendar or task system so you can write down everything that is on your to-do list, alongside dates for when they are due. You will be able to see a clear structure of what you need to be doing when and will find it much easier to stay on top of tasks. Without this, you might end up doing tasks that aren’t due for a while first, then having to rush to get the ones that are due asap done quickly.
Don't be afraid to delegate your tasks
Delegation is not only a good idea, but necessary at work sometimes, particularly when it all builds up too much. Find which of your tasks you can give to another team member and ask if they would mind helping you out with them. By having an extra pair of hands to get them completed you will get them done much quicker and will have a lot less stress on your plate. You could always ask if any of your team members are short of things to do - you will often find they are more than happy to take on something new, so it works out best for the both of you! Delegation can feel a bit tricky and awkward and first and some people say it makes them feel as though they are incapable or can’t cope. In fact it is the opposite and shows that you are a much stronger worker by admitting you need help with a project.
Sort out any external stresses or worries too
If you are feeling stressed with something in your home life it is likely to spread into your work life making it harder to focus and concentrate. In order to sort out your work stress, take a look at what might be stressing you out outside of this. If you are suffering from a medical problem or are just recovering from a heavy surgery and are on intense painkillers such as Tramadol online or from the doctor, you can find that your work isn’t up to scratch. Tell your boss or colleagues and they can try and help with your workload. If you have something else going on, or are suffering with mental health it is a good idea to speak to a professional who might be able to help you out. You will feel much better after and be back to your old self. There are many external stresses which can impact you and it is just important to remember that keeping them bottled up won’t help you in your personal or working life, so it is best to sort them as soon as possible.
Talk to people about expectations
When you are working it is much better to underpromise and overdeliver rather than overpromise and underdeliver. Unfortunately we all have a habit of doing the latter. This only ends up leaving the client feeling disappointed, you under pressure and the stress piling up. When you take on a project, be sure to look at your calendar to see how you are doing for time, making sure that you only take on work that you know you can definitely achieve. Be realistic from the very beginning with the client and tell them how much time you expect it to take, as well as leaving time for if anything goes wrong, if they need to make any amendments, or anything else that might crop up. Be sure to work out the hours it will take you and block this out in your calendar so you dedicate a certain amount of time to this. If you are not going to have time to do a project and there is no-one to delegate to, don’t be afraid to say this to them. Being upfront with expectations and honesty is always the most vital thing. This means they can either see if they can push back deadlines to fit around you, or they can find someone else to do it. Either way they will be appreciative of your honesty and you will feel much less stressed.
Give yourself time to relax
When working it can be too easy to get wrapped up in what you are doing and not give yourself any time to relax and unwind. This means that you are constantly in a bubble of work and stress and never get any reprieve. Particularly true in a time such as now when a lot of us are working from home, it can be difficult for us to differentiate the boundaries between work and relaxing. Don’t be afraid to stop work at a certain time each day, giving yourself regular lunch breaks and not having too late a night due to finishing off projects.
These are just a few ways that you can manage your stress when at work. Remember that these are difficult times and it is important to take it easy on yourself if you feel overwhelmed. What are some of your top tips for managing stress? Let us know in the comments below!
