Work-related stress is a great threat to our health and wellbeing. We use it constantly as an excuse to fuel our bad habits, be it late night unhealthy take-outs, one too many post-work drinks to wind down from the day or regular cigarette breaks to escape a fast-approaching deadline.
In this issue, Guillaume Mariole, managing director from Ignite fitness & wellness, gets to the root of the problem with advice on how to reduce work-related stress with some simple tips.
How to reduce work-related stress
1. Buy some time – aim to get to work just 15 minutes earlier every day. You can then ease into your day and consult your to do list without feeling rushed and exasperated before your day has even begun.
2. Get time away – if you feel stress building up, use this as an opportunity to move. Our jobs are becoming more and more sedentary, so stretch those legs and get the blood flowing.
3. 20-20–20 rule, reduce your eyestrain, relax your tired eyes. Every 20 minutes; take a break from looking at your computer, focus on an object 20 metres away for 20 seconds.
4. Look for opportunities to move, when the phone rings; take the call and pace around your office. It might look funny, but what does that matter?
5. Stay hydrated – sometimes hunger can be a sign of dehydration. We generally don’t drink enough water, so take the time to get up every 30 minutes and get a glass of water.
6. Be free of clutter – keep a tidy desk, free of clutter. Just knowing where everything is reduces stress.
7. Get organised – create daily lists and prioritise as much as necessary. By planning your day and sticking to a schedule, you will feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
8. Whilst it’s still possible for us to be outside, try switching the indoor meetings for a meeting on the stroll or in the café around the corner.
9. Keep snacking throughout the day to keep that blood sugar leveled so you don’t chose the quick fixes like coffee to pep you up. Remember: what goes up must come down!
10. Sleep easy – adequate sleep fuels your mind and energises your body. Make sure you plan for a good nights sleep.
To wrap it up…
The irony is that most bad habits practiced as a result of work-related stress actually fuel the stress. By paying more attention to your physical and emotional health, you will find yourself much stronger and resilient to stress. In short, the better you feel, the better you can manage it!
• Get Moving
Look for opportunities to move at work, and try including some aerobic exercise into your routine before or after work to get the blood pumping and release endorphins.
• Eat Well
Make food choices that energise you and fuel your body to deal with what your day throws at you. Eat small but frequent meals – keep those sugar levels up and avoid too much red meat, soft drinks, sweets, cakes and caffeine. Remember food puts stress on the body too.
• Ditch the nicotine
Smoking when you are stressed may appear calming but nicotine is a powerful stimulant that will only lead to higher levels of anxiety.
It comes down to this: Learn to manage your job stress and you will have far greater control over your ability to think and act productively. The more you choose to make excuses, the more you open yourself up to failure. Successful people do not make excuses, nor do they accept them which in turn brings enlightenment, motivation and power.
Follow us on
