Working too much or too little leads to stress building up. Hard work is a healthy indication of being sincere at work. But overworking causes stress, depression and a gradual erosion of motivation; all of these are responsible for a fall in productivity. At the same time, people who do not work at all, those dealing with long term unemployment also experience chronic stress.
Numerous researches in the fields of medical science and psychology show that stress takes lasting and harmful tolls on both your mind and body. Tangible damages done by stress to your health include diabetes, headache, obesity, high blood pressure and even heart attack. It also leads to psychological problems like anxiety and distrust which can disrupt your mental balance.
Coping with stress is a two-step process. Identify the source of what triggers your stress and take actions to mitigate it. Work stress is caused from various factors such as job insecurity, dissatisfaction at work, overworking etc. Whether it is fear of doing a presentation or nightmares of not getting due work done, whatever leads to stress should not be ignored. There is no permanent cure for stress relief, but knowing how to balance work with the right amount of relaxation helps.
Know your limits
There is no end to work. No matter how much you work, there will always be work remaining. On top of that when your boss dumps extra work, you happily accept it all to impress him, not looking at your desk inundated with due assignments. You just gave birth to stress.
This is when you should pause before nodding to your boss, look at your list of assignments before providing a reasonable answer. If the extra work is too much for you then politely offer to do it at a later date.
Start ahead to stay ahead
If poor time management issues like not meeting deadlines or arriving late at work are the sources of your stress, simply start early. Do not wait for last minutes. They never work. Plan your daily work ahead of time and get them done one by one. This will minimise stress levels by keeping adrenaline at bay.
Have a break
Do not work continuously for long hours. Take intervals between assignments to break the monotony. Go out to the cafeteria, see what your colleagues are doing and chat with them. Talking your way through stress is a surefire way to calm yourself. You will be amazed at what petty gossips among colleagues can do at these times to take your mind off of the tension. But remember to get back to work on time.
Exercise
Nothing refreshes the mind better than an hour long stride along the park after a long day’s work. Just like talking, you can also walk yourself out of stress. Some exercise on the way is not a bad idea. If you believe the power of mediation and yoga can help you relax, then you are already on your way to achieving nirvana.
Know thyself
Ask yourself the following questions: Am I getting what I want from my job? Am I confident at what I do? If your answers are negative, it might be time to change your job or to improve yourself. Job security and job satisfaction might not be correlated but these are signs that you are not happy with your life which leads to anxiety.
