How to Reduce Stress at Work

Even if you have your dream job, you will have days that are stressful; possibly days you could consider to be awful. You may have days that start off bad and just get worse and worse. Depending on your occupation, you may have an arrogant and unforgiving boss, irate and self-absorbed customers, and deadlines that are impossible to meet. It is important to remember that no matter the type or severity of the problem, each workday will eventually be over. The best thing you could do is to have a plan that will help you manage your stress and complete the tasks necessary for you to get through the day. The following are suggestions may help you cope with and get through, one of these truly awful days.

• Create a To-Do List - If your work is piled up, and deadlines seem to be spiraling out of control, creating a daily and weekly to do list may help you manage your tasks better to achieve your goals on time. To do this, you should write down your tasks and put them in order from the most to least important. Also, you should list them by the date that they need to be completed.

• Under Promise/Over Deliver - Try not to overwhelm yourself. Avoid creating your own stress by agreeing to do more work than you are capable of completing. When accepting assignments, think about your schedule and what work you already have on your plate; if you are not able to complete any additional work, explain the situation to your superior.

• Ask for Help - If you are overwhelmed, stressed out, and truly feel you cannot manage the workload; ask for help. First, talk to your superior and explain the problem clearly. Some of your fellow co-workers may have extra time and may be happy to assist you with completing some of your tasks. Just remember, if you need help, you should ask your supervisor or fellow co-workers; some of them may be happy to lend you a helping hand.

• Time Away from Work - Almost every job can be mentally and/or physically exhausting. So it is important on the days that are extremely stressful to take your lunch and regular breaks. This will allow you to re-energize and focus when you get back to work.

Just remember, you are not in this alone; there are probably many other people that work in your office who at some point are going through extremely stressful situations. One way that you can help make their day better is simply to tell them that you are grateful for their help and that you would you be honored to help them with any of their tasks. Your help will allow them to take control of their day and reduce their stress. Another suggestion to reduce the stress level in your office would be to write a thank you note to anyone who helps you complete your work when you are overwhelmed. The more grateful you are to someone who assists you; the more likely they will help you in the future.

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