Successfully Managing Work Stress
It is normal to experience some workplace stress every now and then. This is especially true during periods when things are particularly busy or when various deadlines loom.
According to consulting firm Korn Kerry, employee stress levels are on the rise, climbing nearly 20% over the past three decades. A variety of reasons for this rise in stress include everything from technology changes to increased workloads, conflicts at the workplace, and the greatest source of workplace stress: difficult managers.
In fact, the problem has gotten so bad that 76% of employees say that job-related stress has negatively impacted their personal life. It has impacted their relationships, 66% experienced sleep loss and half of the employees say that their health have been affected adversely.
If your stress level at work seems to be going nowhere but up, it's time to get ahead of the problem before it impacts not only your performance, but your personal life. Here are a few ways to start.
1. Daily Organization If like so many workers who fall victim to stress because they are constantly pulled in a multitude of different directions, you can escape this by spending the first few minutes of each workday getting organized. Look at your calendar to see what your appountment or meeting schedule is like and set your priorities for each day so you know which tasks to tackle first. This will enable you to make the best use of your time. Organizing daily will be an important step in taking one source of work anxiety off your list.
2. Keep Your Skills Current With the age of automation impacting all aspects of life, many workers fear that they'll be replaced and become obsolete. Others find themselves struggling to keep pace with new technology as it takes hold of our lives. If you find either scenario applicable, the best that you can do for yourself is work on educating yourself to keep your skills up-to-date. You can do this by taking courses, learning new software or renewing the certifications you hold. The greater the effort you make, the less you'll have to worry about losing your job to a robot or falling behind your co-workers..
3. Utilize Your Support System Having a strong support system at your place of employment can lower your daily stress. Building relationships with your co-workers is important because the more you know each other and work well together, the more you can supported each other through those difficult times.
4. Allow Yourself To Take Breaks Stress can rapidly build up as you are busy working away at your desk without as much as a minute to catch your breath. Taking breaks during your work day, can really help ease some of the tension that you might be experiencing. Scheduling a mid afternoon walk as a recurring break on your calendar could greatly help change your outlook for the better. Don't forget to take time out for a nourishing meal also, but be careful not to eat a heavy meal which could leave you sluggish.
5. Find A Quiet Room To Avoid Distractions Whether it's the constant dinging of your email, your ringing phone, or the coworkers who can't seem to tear themselves away from your desk, the more on-the-job distractions you're subjected to, the less productive you're apt to be. Rather than let those interruptions detract from your efforts to get your work done, eliminate them periodically as your schedule and office environment allows.
For example, if your office has private conference rooms, and you're able to book one for two hours a week, use that time as an opportunity to do some disturbance-free work. Don't tell your colleagues what room you'll be working from, and take only your laptop if possible, so that your cellphone doesn't distract you from what you're trying to accomplish. Once you're set up in your private room, unplug the phone if there's a landline in there or turn off its ringer. And then use that time to hammer out the tasks that require the most concentration.
If your office doesn't offer the option to occasionally hide out in a conference room, try asking your manager to work from home once a week to achieve a similar goal. If you can prove that this flexibility makes you more productive, chances are, it's a privilege you'll be allowed to uphold.
6. Strategically Schedule Your Meetings According to The Muse, there's perhaps no greater productivity zapper than meetings, accounting for a good 35% of middle managers time spent. For upper management that time climbs to 50%. But if you're smart about scheduling meetings, you'll carve out more time for actual work and spend less time wasting away in conference rooms.
To start, be more selective about the meetings you agree to attend. Unless your presence is absolutely required, learn to say no if you have pressing obligations that make for a better use of your time.
Scheduling multiple meetings back to back with small breaks in between will get them done in one fell swoop, leaving longer blocks of time for other work. Or even better, designate one day a week as "meeting day." This will leave the other four days open for you to work on important things.
7. Get Plenty Of Sleep This is perhaps the easiest to fix, of all the reasons given for work-related stress. The majority of American workers don't get enough sleep on a regular basis, and when you show up to work groggy and exhausted, it can cause your stress levels to skyrocket. The solution? Make more time for sleep in your schedule. Cancel social plans if doing so enables you to go to bed earlier, and ignore your work emails if they tend to keep you up late at night. Taking care of yourself physically will go a long way in helping you avoid stress in the first place.
8. Begin Your Day With The Least Favorite Task All of us have work tasks that we enjoy and those that we dread and put off indefinitely if we could. But rather than push off the dreaded task until the last possible minute, make it the first thing you tackle at the start of your workday. This way, you'll have more mental energy to attack that thing that you detest doing, as opposed to eight hours later, when your mind is already clocked out for the day. Once you're able to check that loathsome task off your list, you'll be able to approach the rest of your day with a clearer head and a more positive disposition.
Final Thoughts
Workplace stress is sometimes unavoidable, but you can keep yours to a minimum by taking the above steps. Feeling productive is essential to your work-related happiness. And that, in turn, could have a positive impact on not just your job but your life as a whole. And who knows? If all goes really well, you might even land a promotion by stepping up your game.
Follow Me For Weekly Informative Articles Patrick Coppedge
Anyone familiar with Pennsylvania? Single mom of 3 looking for a new career that gives more stability for my children and a easier work/home life balance.
To anyone whom was laid off or fired for what ever reason here’s my story... I was a custodi for 20 years my shift was 6 am to 230 pm my district decided to change my shift to 6 pm to 230 am I was floored I tried the shift but it was a whole lifestyle change at 55 years old I just could not do... so I resigned my position . Depressed and feeling betrayed I looked for 6 months for a different job but nothing that I applied for would call me for an interview. Realizing that my previous job was just a paycheck and I didn’t enjoy any more I decided to get my food handlers card and try the world of food services.. Food services pays less then custodial, they work fewer hours than custodians and have in some ways less responsibility ( although feeding children nutritional meals is important) I applied I had never worked in a kitchen before and with no experience other than my own home kitchen this department took me with open arms. Now I work 2 to 5 hours a day I love it I’m good at it and they appreciate me. In 1 year I went from working 50 hours a week to 50 hours a month. I’m healthier ( no stress) I’m happier (no responsibilities) I look forward to the daytime hours and the Monday though fridays only. So since I could not find another job like I had I found a new career that I live and who knows maybe it will be full time again someday who knows. But I never thought I would love being in the kitchen working with a team and it’s fun. We clean the kitchen every afternoon and do it again the next day no more extra hours or taking work worries home. I’m smiling I’m healthier I’m a new me!
I am living in ads it seem like I just don't have no life The only days that I have off is Mondays and Saturdays and Sunday and I barely get any rest or get any sleep so I can have off on Saturday and Sunday I should be able to spend time for myself and go do things and go out to eat and sit down that's about it and enjoy myself but you know when you got other things in the way and try to do what you got to do then it just seemed like nothing don't never work for
the shifts in the way they work were very convenient for my lifestyle if I couldn't work the morning the afternoon or the evening would have been available for the same day so it still wasn't a productive day regardless of me missing one shift I had an opportunity to make another one
Looking forward to engaging customers, keeping the shop spotless, following up on maintenance recalls, and managing an efficient filing system. I was a full time student during my tenure with Heralds Garage , so being able to earn money while being an exceptional student really kept me happy.
Working with my company for five years with no day off. I decided am going to request one day off in each week because of personal reasons. I was told i cannot get a day off and with my job description it is no entitled to me. I was surprised because i work from monday to Saturday everyday for 5 years without a day off however i was fired because I could not accept working without a day off. Many wont believe but its the honest truth now am seeking a job.
Every day I take pictures of the sunset to share with others on social media, as it helps me wind down at the end of the day in a beautiful way...
Is it ok to take a day off from looking for a job? A day to just relax from searching daily?
The answer is: YES!
We all know how stressful it can get looking for a job especially as time goes on. It's sometimes even more stressful than an actual job. If you don't take time every so often to relax and destress yourself this can very well creep up on you in an interview.
We get days off from work to relax from the day to day stresses there. We can take a day off from looking also. We can take a day and take care of ourselves so we don't end up getting sick from the stress we are feeling due to searching for a job. We are better able to handle things when we are less stressed and clear headed.
A few things you can do to destress are: 1: Get lost in a new book. There are plenty of books to take you to a new place or to learn something new! 2: Take a stroll in a park, down the boardwalk if you live near a beach. Get out into nature, it's an amazing how your whole outlook can change just by taking in nature. 3: Grab some paper and crayons and draw. It doesn't matter what you draw and color, just have fun! If you have young kids draw and color with them. Can anyone say "Yes.... cool parent award"? 4: Light some candles or turn on your wax melter. Grab a cup of tea and just be still in the moment. Put your worries out of your mind.
I could go on but I won't as I don't want to make this to long of a post.As always many blessings to you all.
Hello the last place i was employed was a great experience. Because i was my own business i work with many Schools and other nonprofits ..We were great partners help our young students reach their goal stay focus and never give up on their education and dreams of becoming successful in life....also a signing mentors to each youth that had know support systems....The hardest part of my last position was something having to pick up the ball and keep going ...when people do things to tear me down out of jealousy...In 2012 I almost gave up due to the death of my husband with skin cancer, father with lung cancer, brother with colon cancer sister with breast cancer and my sons mother brain cancer...I took care of my brother and sister and husband it was the worse time in my life. I lived in Seattle Washington at that time and move to Virginia after the death of my family...I had no friends or family here in Virginia...I learn how to heal by praying and resting and taking time to heal...Many days were sad and so many tears..I can say i am stronger than ever and there is nothing i can't overcome with faith and hope that the sun will shine again ...I found my smile again and peace in my heart that my family are in a bette place and I can let them live through me.