Stressed doesn’t even begin to describe how you feel when you’re at work. You’ve got a deadline, a difficult coworker, and constantly ringing phones. If this sounds familiar, take heart: your job probably isn’t causing your stress. It’s more likely that the way you handle it causes it. Here are some ways to cope with stress at work:
Set Realistic Goals
When you’re feeling stressed and anxious at work, the last thing you want to do is set yourself up for failure by setting lofty goals that are out of reach. Dr Michael Vivian Instead, set a few achievable goals that are specific and measurable so that when they are achieved, it will give you a sense of accomplishment and help boost your confidence level.
Make sure the goals are time-bound–meaning they have a deadline attached to them–so that there’s no confusion about when they need to be completed by.
Don’t Neglect Your Health
In order to cope with stress at work, you need to look after yourself, says Dr Michael Vivian. This means eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. It also means taking time out for relaxation so that you can recharge your batteries. Lastly, being kind towards yourself is important too.
Focus On What You Can Control
When you’re feeling stressed, it can be tempting to focus on things that are out of your control. Maybe you’re thinking about the deadline for that project or a meeting that’s coming up in two weeks. This can make you feel like all the pressure is on you and not enough time has been allocated for everything that needs to get done.
Instead, try focusing on what’s happening right now–what tasks do I have left today? What do I need to finish before my next meeting? You may find that once you start attacking these smaller tasks one at a time instead of looking at them as part of an overwhelming whole, they become much less stressful than they seem when viewed in isolation or as part of larger projects.