If you’re not careful, the stresses of your job will begin to seep into other aspects of your life. To prevent feelings of frustration and burnout, use these tips to help you manage your work related stress.
Identify and Track your Stressors
If the stress of work has become more than you can handle, it’s time to get to the bottom of it. Take a week or two to write down the events that occur where you feel the most stress. Is there a pattern or common theme that sticks out to you? It’s important for you to identify the aspects of your job that are causing you distress. Only then will you have the information needed to request changes or seek help.
Establish Boundaries
Employees tend to feel the most stressed when they fail to establish boundaries within their job. An article written for apa.org states, “In today’s digital world, it’s easy to feel pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner. Although people have different preferences when it comes to how much they blend their work and home life, creating some clear boundaries between these realms can reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the stress that goes with it.”
Seek Support
If you find yourself overwhelmed and stressed, seek help and support from both management and your colleagues. Are there things you can delegate? Are there aspect of your job that you can share more evenly with coworkers? Are there things you can say ‘no’ to? Identify the areas in which you can let people support you. Take things off your plate. If you find you need additional support outside of work, find a therapist who can help you work through your stress. You won’t regret it!
Establish Coping Strategies
Finding healthy ways to cope is a crucial part of managing stressful situations. It can be tempting to dull stress with things like alcohol, fast food and sugar. However, these coping mechanisms won’t be good for you long term. Instead, opt for things like exercise. Developing hobbies and interests outside of work is another healthy coping strategy. You can also work towards improving your sleep habits. Getting enough sleep is crucial when trying to combat stress.
Take Time to Recharge
You will never stop feeling stressed and burnt out if you don’t take time to recharge. This means turning off ‘work mode’ and switching into ‘rest mode’. Leave the office behind and find ways to relax when you’re at home. Take your vacation days. Find activities and cultivate hobbies that not only help you disengage from work but also help you relax.
When work becomes stressful, it can feel like it’s taking over every aspect of your life. Use the above mentioned tips to help you manage your work related stress more effectively.
