Often referred to as ‘workplace stress,’ office stress happens quite frequently among office workers and can be so serious that it can have a serious effect on ones physical and emotional well-being.
A little pressure at work can sometimes have a positive effect causing an employee to be more efficient and productive during office hours. Having said this, too much pressure can have the opposite effect causing serious health problems and can even increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Here are a number of tips that can be implemented into your daily routine in order to reduce stress in the office.
Decorate your workspace according to your personal tastes
Feeling at ease in your workspace will go a long way in ensuring that you feel comfortable in the space that you’re working in. Adding photos of family members and close friends will add a sense of calmness and coziness to your office area which will ultimately make you feel at home rather than feeling like you’re stuck in a mundane and boring environment. Try to fill your office space with inspirational quotations or any other material that you think will be effective in lifting your spirits if you do start to feel a little bogged down and stressed from work.
Take regular breaks away from your desk
While at work, it is important to take short breaks away from your desk and working space in order to reduce the stress you may be under if you’re working on huge projects or have a tight deadline to meet. Regular short breaks will prevent you from feeling groggy and will enable you to focus better on your work. While you are on break you could lighten the mood by speaking with colleagues and plan to do something nice at the weekend, like going to the cinema or organising a night of partying. Going for a short walk outside and taking in some fresh air will give you an energy boost that will help you get through the rest of the day.
Make sure to eat
Sometimes if you have a busy schedule at work and are under a lot of pressure you might forget to eat breakfast and even choose to skip lunch. If you are working long days and under a lot of pressure, you may even forget to eat at all. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and this even becomes more important for people that have a long and busy day of work ahead of them. Make sure to have a good nutritious breakfast and always allow yourself enough time to enjoy it before leaving home as an empty stomach can affect your mood and health for the day. Drinking plenty of fluids such as water throughout the day is equally as important as it will help you function more efficiently and not to mention how healthy it is for you. Also, ditch the junk food at the desk and instead opt for healthy snacks which can be ordered through an office snack delivery service.
Try some stretching
Stretching will help with any tension you may be feeling and will help to relax your muscles in your body. It is a good idea to start off with a couple of simple stretching techniques, but of course nothing too strenuous. I would suggest to tighten your muscles and hold for about twenty seconds, relax the body like a ‘rag doll’ and then hold again for another twenty seconds, this can be repeated a few times. This simple stretching technique can be done while sitting or standing.
Implementing these simple practices can result in a huge reduction in office stress which will ultimately lead you to have a more productive day at work.
About the author: Dave Dunne is an online marketing consultant writing on behalf of Adare HR Management – HR consultants based in Dublin, Ireland.