Workplace stress is a major risk factor for depression and anxiety. Almost every job has some degree of stress associated with it, and very often this stress out of our control – it is not possible to always set our own workloads and deadlines, or amend the workplace culture according to ourselves. However, everyone can adopt the following few strategies to reduce and manage stress levels, as well as find a positive work-life balance. It includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, getting enough sleep and avoiding harmful levels of alcohol as well as other drugs.

What are the Causes of Stress

There is a lot of cause for stress or anxiety. Your personal problem, job-related issues, and socialization are prime responsible reasons that make you stressful.

There are two types of causes of stress, internal and external

Common external causes of stress

Major life changes

Work or school

Relationship difficulties

Financial problems

Being too busy

Children and family

Common internal causes of stress

Pessimism

Inability to accept uncertainty

Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility

Negative self-talk

Unrealistic expectations / perfectionism

All-or-nothing attitude

Stress and Health

According to deep studies, stress can make a bad impact on health. There are many stress symptoms that are responsible for affecting your health.

Common Effects of Stress on Health :

Depression and anxiety

The pain of any kind

Sleep problems

Autoimmune diseases

Digestive problems

Skin conditions, such as eczema

Heart disease

Weight problems

Thinking and memory problems

Headache

Muscle tension or pain

Chest pain

Fatigue

Change in sex drive

Stomach upset

Sleep problems

Harmful Effects of Uncontrolled Stress

Unfortunately, the stress which is related to work doesn’t just disappear at the time when you leave for home. When stress persists, it tolls on your well-being and health.

To be precise, a stressful work environment can lead to a variety of problems like headache, sleep disturbances, stomachache, short temper and difficulty in concentrating. Chronic stress often results in insomnia, anxiety, weakened the immune system and high blood pressure. It can also result in serious health conditions for example obesity, heart disease, and depression. People, who often experience excessive stress at work, deal with it in unhealthy ways like smoking cigarettes, eating unhealthy foods, overeating, or abusing alcohol and drugs.

How to Manage Stress in the Workplace

Check your stressors

Keep a check for a week or two to recognize which situations generate the most stress and in what way you react to them. Record your feelings, thoughts, and information concerning the environment, together with the circumstances and the people involved, the physical setting as well as in what way you reacted. Did you get a snack? Raised your voice? Stood up for a walk? Lit up a smoke? Taking down notes can help you in finding out the patterns among your stressors and the way you react to them.

Get support

Accepting some help from some trusted friends and family members can help strengthen your ability to manage stress. Your employer might also offer stress management resources through an employee assistance program (EAP), including counselling sessions, online information as well as referral to mental health professionals if required. If you still continue to feel disturbed by work stress, you might want to have a word with a psychologist, who can help in managing stress as well as changing unhealthy behavior.

Tips to bring a positive view towards handling stress

Stay calm. Take a deep breath and clear any negative thoughts out of your mind.

Keep telling yourself that you can get through the situation.

Know that some situations need to be accepted as it is for the time being.

Be as objective, realistic, and flexible as possible.

See all the factors that you can manage and control and keep aside all the factors that not in your reach.

Think of the worst possible outcomes and its chances. Be prepared for it.

Focus on the lessons you receive from every situation.

Stress relieving tips that work instantly

Stress is a significant aspect of corporate wellness. All the workplace wellness programs offer a stress management program, but none of them offers stress management tips at the workplace.

We all don’t have time for pedicures, massages, therapy sessions and long soaks in the bath. There are a lot of other things that you can do to calm down.

Smile and hold it

It is a very important stress-relieving tip, Smiling, even when you don’t feel happy, can instantly lift your mood. Instead of frowning or tensing up your forehead in reaction to a stressor, grin and feel it! Try it now!

Call a friend

Sometimes, you just need to call a friend and vent. Just getting off whatever is troubling you will help you calm down and keep things in perspective. You best friend understand you and your feelings. He will give the best suggestion and bring out from stress. And you will also feel better when you meet your best buddy.

Aromatherapy

Certain scents can help you calm down, rejuvenate and revitalize. Keep your favourite scented products around and take a few whiffs when you’re stressed out and notice the instant calm you feel.

Visualize

Close your eyes and imagine the world’s most perfect, serene place. It can be rolling hills or even a familiar childhood place. You’ll notice how safe and relaxed you feel by picturing this place. Whenever you need a short escape, remember you can always return there in your mind.

Music

Listen to your favourite music, the one that you find most relaxing. Tune into soothing music and tune out the world around you.

Close your eyes

The simple act of closing your eyes and breathing deeply can do wonders during a stressful day. You can do this a number of times throughout the day to help your body and mind relax.

Take a walk

Exercise, even when done leisurely, is a wonderful way to alleviate stress and boost endorphins, the feel-good chemical in the brain. Go outside and walk for a few minutes, you’ll be astonished at how much better you’ll feel.

So, the next time you feel like you need an instant stress reliever- try the above! Apart from this, you should also make a distance from the causes of stress.

Desk Yoga Poses To Relieve Stress At Work

Every one of us is aware of the fact that spending a long hours sitting at a desk is really very dangerous for our overall health. The strains of continuously sitting right in the office chair can result in some serious problems like the neck, shoulder, and lower back pain through over-stretching of the upper and mid-back and continuous pressure on the lumbar spine. However, there are a few yoga techniques that one can follow to relieve these and tension at the workplace.

Following are a few desk yoga poses that you can easily practice at your workplace to feel relaxed.

With Truworth Wellness’s Employee Assistance Program, you can reach out to a qualified psychologist through chat or call if you’re feeling overburdened with the workplace or personal life stress.