How To Handle Workplace Stress

Excessive workload, few opportunities for growth or unchallenging work are just some examples of what can cause a professional to feel stressed at work. Feeling stressed for a protracted period of time however, can lead to a decline in work performance and physical health challenges. 

How can one deal with acute stress on the job?

Here are some ideas to get you started on a journey to a stress-free professional career: 

1) Be proactive. Act instead of reacting. The more you can control upfront before it becomes an issue, the better. Some issues may not even crop up if you are proactive about managing them.

2) Focus on what’s within your control and be impeccable with it. No matter how hard you try, you can’t control everything or put your finger in every pie. Do your best with whatever is within your control and let the rest go.

3) Don’t keep pushing yourself continuously. Take regular breaks and recover by taking walks or engaging in deep breathing exercises, yoga or meditation. 

4) Eat well and get enough sleep. Nothing helps a person lose concentration faster than poor eating habits and insufficient sleep.

5) Act confident. When you constantly focus on seeking the approval of others instead of  building up your confidence, it can get you stressed out. Instead of wasting time criticising yourself, pump yourself up mentally and keep your head up.

6) Prioritise your tasks. You can’t and shouldn’t try to do everything all at once. Remember the popular saying, The fact that a task is urgent does not mean it is important and the fact that it is important does not mean it is urgent.