Below, learn how to identify work stress, how to deal with stress at work and what to do if the stress follows you home. Certain scents like lavender, pine, sweet orange and lemon can have a calming effect — so consider aromatherapy and how essential oils can help you chill out. Even looking at photos of your friend’s newest puppy can boost all those feel-good emotions.
How to Keep Work Stress from Taking Over Your Life
- Sometimes, feeling overwhelmed by work comes down to how organized you are.
- Whether a vigorous workout or a gentle walk, find an exercise you enjoy to gain an effective tool for unwinding after work.
- 💙 Breathe into Relaxation with this short meditation to help you release the pressure of stress in your body and mind after work.
- As with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice.
- One study showed that the health and well-being effects of vacation peak around day eight, so the more time you have to unplug, the better.
Another surprising stressor at work is physical discomfort, often related to where you perform most of your daily tasks (such as your desk). When possible, try to avoid people who don’t work well with others. If conflict finds you anyway, make sure you know how to handle it appropriately.
Dedicate time to hobbies
Many people who are unable to leave work at work have sleep difficulties because they are replaying everything in their mind and their mind is not able to shut off enough to go to sleep. If worry about work is interfering with your relaxation or sleep time, considering doing a “brain dump,” or writing a to-do list or worry log as part of your bedtime or relaxation routine. It’s very natural to seek emotional support when dealing with difficult co-workers.
Using Technology to Reduce Work Stress
If you find yourself too stressed to sleep, consider developing a new pre-bedtime routine, including a long bath or a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea. And planning for tomorrow earlier in your day can help alleviate stress related to what’s to come. Stop to smell the roses, peep at the autumn leaves or watch a gaggle of geese swim around — the idea is to take a moment to appreciate your surroundings. And a dose of vitamin D from the sun can also help alleviate stress levels (just make sure you wear sunscreen). Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy.
Start Journaling to Relax
As you learn relaxation techniques, you can become more aware of muscle tension and other physical ways your body reacts to stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, how to destress after work you can try to do a relaxation technique as soon as you start to feel stress symptoms. This can prevent stress from getting out of control and lowering your quality of life. When you’re ending a difficult workday (or workweek), it’s important to leave work at work and move on with your personal life.
Separating Your Work and Personal Time
This certainly does the trick for me—before I can get into a TV show or book after my workday, I need to lie down and decompress (i.e. not talk to anyone) for 20 minutes or so. I have a much easier time shifting gears when I’m able to shut myself off from the world for a bit. Taking a break can allow our minds and bodies to rest and recover from the day’s stresses. When we don’t unwind, stress can accumulate, leading to burnout, which is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion.
- There’s a reason why thousands of people have become obsessed with watching these oddly satisfying ASMR videos like soap and kinetic sand cutting.
- Perhaps morning traffic makes you late and cranky from the start, or a noon meeting causes you to forgo lunch for chips instead.
- Some people try to reduce stress by drinking alcohol or eating too much.
Developing some effective conflict resolution skills can help you prevent minor disputes from becoming major headaches. Not understanding your role in the workplace can be a source of stress. Plus, it’s tough to feel good about your work when you’re not sure whether you are meeting or exceeding expectations. Work stress has significant health consequences that range from relatively benign (like getting more colds and flus) to potentially serious (such as heart disease and metabolic syndrome).
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