Meetings, deadlines and high-pressure projects can all pile on to create serious workplace stress. Though stress may seem like a normal part of daily life, it doesn't have to be. With some simple changes and tricks, you can help reduce your workplace stress and have a happier, healthier and more productive workday.
Make it Your Space
If you work in an office, you probably spend a lot of time at your desk or on your computer. Keeping both organized will help you to stay efficient and calm throughout the workday. Develop systems that work for you and prevent important notes, project brainstorms or reminders for calendar events from going missing, lost either under a pile of physical clutter or buried deep in your hard drive. Re-organizing can also offer an opportunity for reflection that can help you generate new ideas or feel freshly committed to your tasks.
Adding elements of beauty or personalization to your workspace can also help ease stress. In the Boston Organics office, one staff member has a changing desktop image hosted by Bing. The photographs are beautiful, and coworkers enjoy guessing the origin of the day's image, helping to contribute to the next stress-relief tool.
Build Relationships with coworkers
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Fostering friendly professional relationships with your coworkers helps make the workplace more enjoyable. These relationships are important when you need support while working through a problem or brainstorming for a project. Conflict can be a source of stress at work, and building a rapport can help make it easier to address workplace concerns with colleagues.
Eat well and exercise regularly
To reduce stress, get moving. In addition to producing mood-boosting endorphins, exercise can also redirect your attention from the challenges of your day to help you clear your mind and release bothersome thoughts. You don't have to get fancy; simply taking a 10-minute walk is a great place to start.
A balanced diet can help reduce stress by balancing the levels of stress hormones in your body, as well as alleviating some of the symptoms of stress, such as high blood pressure. Magnesium-rich leafy greens like spinach, Vitamin-B-packed almonds and potassium and healthy fat-loaded avocadoes have been found to be especially beneficial. Oranges are also thought to ameliorate the effects of stress, as the Vitamin C they contain can help boost immunity while helping decrease stress hormones.
Exercising and eating well help maintain overall health, allowing you to be more resilient when stressful situations arise. Boston Organics can help make snacking healthy at the office a snap with business fruit delvieries. We also offer residential delivery, and are happy to deliver residential boxes to the workplace for employees to take home. For information about setting up a wellness program with us, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Avoid Interruptions
If you are interrupted in the middle of a task, figuring out where you left off and trying to resume can be stressful and frustrating. If possible, carve out time for yourself to work quietly, being sure to let coworkers know that you should not be disturbed unless it's an emergency. Block out time in your calendar or leave a sign on your office door.
Sometimes interruptions are inevitable. Though it may take some time to dive back in to your task, don't let the interruption totally throw off your whole day. Take a deep breath and re-dedicate your focus. Staying mad or irritated won't help you get back on track.
Take Breaks
If a project is stressing you out, take a break to clear your head. Take a walk outside, get a glass of water, stretch a little. A change of scenery or posture might shed new light on whatever you were working on or help to put your urgency into perspective. Taking a moment to appreciate your surroundings and breathing deeply will help you feel more relaxed and better able to tackle whatever comes your way.
