The corporate world is not for the faint hearted. Many people struggle to keep up with the pressures of handling deadlines, projects and work assignments. To make matters worse, you might also be juggling family responsibilities and other social obligations that can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed. All this can lead to work-related stress which can easily grow worse over time and lead to debilitating mental and emotional problems. So, how does one cope with work-related stress? Here are 5 tried and tested strategies that you can use to handle stress and become more productive in your career and family life:
- Find out what triggers your stress
To discover your main stressors at work, there is a simple exercise that you can perform. Take a notebook and a pen and think back to the past 7 days. Which are the three main situations that caused the biggest amount of stress? Find out what was involved, who was involved and even at what time it occurred. By identifying your triggers, you will be able to develop effective and useful strategies to tackle the problems.
- Develop healthier responses
Once you know your main stressors, the next step is to come up with healthy coping mechanisms that will help you to decompress. This could include yoga, meditation, listening to music or even going on a long drive. Be sure to list down all the activities that help to put your mind at ease and then incorporate them in your daily routine.
- Set reasonable boundaries
As an employee, it is normal to feel as though you need to meet all your boss’ demands within record time. However, this could lead to a situation whereby you have no time left for yourself. To avoid this, ensure that you set healthy boundaries which separate your social life from your corporate life. For instance, you could decide that you will not pick up work-related phone calls over the weekend.
- Take some time off
When was the last time that you took a vacation? Sometimes, you might be stressed at work because you have been working non-stop for several months without a break. A mini-vacation or weekend getaway would provide the perfect opportunity for you to escape and unwind. Sometimes, even a relaxing massage, an afternoon nap or a wake forest counseling session can provide you with much-needed rest and relaxation.
- Go for counseling
If you have never visited a wake forest counselor, then this would be a great time to book an appointment. Work-related stress is one of the main causes of anxiety and depression. So, don’t allow yourself to reach breaking point. Talk to a wake forest counselor and let them assist you to find comfort and peace. When it comes to matters related to stress and anxiety, wake forest counseling will help you to find better coping mechanisms to ensure that you are being an effective and productive worker.
