In today’s fast-paced and modern work environment, stress is an inevitable part of the job. Deadlines, meetings, and responsibilities can take a toll on both one’s mental and physical well-being. Employee burnout can also rise if such issues aren’t addressed, or they’re avoided constantly.
However, just because the stress exists, that doesn’t mean you have to let it all have full control over your work day. In our guide, we offer some mental health tips on how to approach your work life better in order to prevent burnout. By learning how to manage your stress effectively, you can enhance your sense of productivity, improve your overall health, and create a more positive environment and experience.
Tip 1: Ask for Help
Don’t hesitate to reach out for support when you’re feeling overwhelmed. This is especially a key thing to do when you’re having an especially stressful day and you’re not feeling heard or seen at your job. Your boss/manager or coworkers may not even realize you’re struggling or stressed if you don’t ask for help when you need it most.
Whether it’s talking to a friend, seeking professional guidance from a counsellor, or delegating tasks to your co-workers, asking for help prevents burnout and fosters a strong support system in your work life. Delegation is a helpful skill to learn and it can aid in lessening your workload, whether it’s a daily one or a long-term project.
Tip 2: Identify the Stressors
While everyone’s stressors are different, there has been extensive research on the causes of stress in the workplace, and several studies have narrowed it down to these common stressors:
- Job insecurity
- Bullying and harassment
- Poor work relationships
- Toxic work environments
- Long hours
- Massive workloads
- Unclear expectations
- Changes that worsen conditions and performance
- Tight and unrealistic deadlines
- Lack of autonomy
- Fear of work redundancy
While there is no such thing as the perfect job, your work shouldn’t be filled to the brim with multiple or all of the above stressors. Recognizing which of these is triggering your stress is the first step in managing it. Try to keep a journal or take note of patterns in stressful situations in order to find ways to minimize or cope with those stressors effectively.
Tip 3: Keep Your Work and Personal Lives Separate as Part of Work-Life Balance
Too often we find ourselves talking about work when we’d rather not, or we find ourselves distracted by things happening in our personal lives that affect our work performance. If your personal life’s stress is carrying over into your work life and vice versa, that’s a sign you need to think about your work-life balance. A work-life balance not only improves your work performance, but also it reduces stress and anxiety in your life outside of your job.
Maintaining a clear distinction between work and personal life helps prevent stress from one area spilling into the other. Set healthy boundaries around work hours, such as only discussing work-related matters during your shift. Avoid checking emails after work and completing tasks outside of your designated work time. If necessary, switch off notifications from work on your phone. Finally, make room for some time dedicated to hobbies, family and loved ones, and relaxation.
Tip 4: Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms for Work-related Stress
Too often we find ourselves resorting to unhealthy habits as a way to cope with the stress at work, including excessive caffeine, alcohol, or procrastination. Try to adopt healthier coping mechanisms such as exercise, deep breathing, or engaging in a hobby.
Tip 5: Avoid or Reduce Conflicts
Unresolved conflicts can be a significant source of stress. Practice open communication, active listening, and look into conflict-resolution strategies to prevent unnecessary tension in personal and professional relationships.
Tip 6: Remember to Take Breaks
Breaks such as for coffee or lunch are essential for establishing a sense of productivity and mental well-being at work. Short, frequent breaks during work or daily activities during your shift, such as stretching at your computer desk, can help refresh the mind, improve focus, and reduce stress.
Tip 7: Say No or the Equivalent
Overcommitting to tasks you know you can’t take on leads to exhaustion and stress. Yet saying no to these tasks can be one of the most difficult things to do, especially when it’s your boss who’s the one you need to say no to. Yet sometimes it’s necessary, in order to ensure expectations are being met and to prevent overwhelm and stress.
If you have difficulty, try addressing why you may have to say no this time, or at least negotiate and come to a compromise. It may also be worth learning to decline requests that don’t align with your priorities or capacity.
Being assertive about your limits helps protect your time and energy. If you have great difficulty in saying no to your boss or establishing your boundary surrounding that, assertiveness training is worth considering.
Tip 8: Get Help with Prioritization
When feeling overwhelmed with tasks, seek guidance on setting priorities. Use tools like to-do lists, planners, or apps to organize tasks and focus on what’s most important rather than trying to tackle everything at once. This is where healthy communication between you and your coworkers and boss matters, as they can also help you to better prioritize your tasks for the day.
Tip 9: Establish Boundaries
Setting clear boundaries in relationships at work ensures that you are not overextending yourself or overcommitting. Practicing delegation and saying no, or close enough, count as establishing a boundary with respect to others in mind. Communicate your limits respectfully and consistently to maintain a sense of control over your situations and reduce the likelihood of stress.
Tip 10: Create Healthy Routines
As mentioned, stress can not only have an impact on your mental health, but also your physical health. Having a structured routine brings a sense of stability to a work day and reduces decision fatigue. Prioritize activities like meal prep, exercise, regular sleep schedules, and time for relaxation to support your overall well-being.
Some examples of healthy routines to try out can include taking a brisk and short walk to where you eat lunch for the day, getting out of your chair and stretching if working at a computer, warm-up and cooldown stretches before and after a strenuous manual labour shift, and hydrating properly.
Tip 11: Try to Reframe Problems
Changing the way you perceive challenges can help reduce your stress levels. Rather than seeing difficulties at work as obstacles to overcome, try viewing them as opportunities for personal growth or problem-solving exercises. A mindset that prioritizes growth and resilience over conquest and competition can make a big difference.
Tip 12: Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or simply being present in the moment can reduce stress by helping you stay grounded. Mindful eating, such as slowing down when chewing, can also be a good practice. Focusing on the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future promotes calmness and clarity.
Need some assistance? We’re here when you’re ready
Managing stress at work is crucial for maintaining both your mental and physical health. Small changes can make a big difference in reducing stress and enhancing workplace well-being.
Try out these strategies and see if they help you create a healthier, more balanced work life. If not, or you have trouble sticking to your strategies, it never hurts to ask a professional.
Our team at Trauma and Stress Counselling not only supports clients with stress management individually, but also we offer business and corporate counselling as well as stress management workshops for companies and business owners. Whether you’re trying to find a better work-life balance as a manager or business owner, or you need help as an employee, stress takes many forms in life and you’re not alone in your workplace struggle. Using a compassionate approach in all therapies and services, we act as a kind guiding force for clients as they navigate their work lives and career journeys.
