No matter where you work or what it is that you do, stress can creep into your routine. Unexpected changes, tight deadlines, non-stop calls, pressure, and endless to-do lists there are so many things that can make you feel overwhelmed in the workplace.
The stress rates are epidemic. According to the statistics published by the American Institute of Stress, 83% of employees in the US experience work-related stress. 25% of workers view their job as the primary stressor. Even taking on students who are studying and working extra hours is a serious blow to their mental health, which can lead to various types of depression, so in some cases, it helps them to find essays for sale to close the loop with their homework.
The situation is no joke. Prolonged stress affects employees’ physical and mental health, harming all stakeholders. Below, you’ll find some practical tips on how to deal with stress at work.
What Can Employees Do to Deal With Stress?
Stress is a natural response of our bodies to difficult situations. It helps us deal with challenges and changes in the environment.
However, in today’s world, people live under the ongoing pressure of navigating the workplace with long hours, tight deadlines, and sky-high expectations. This leads to chronic stress, which can cause physical and mental health damage. Here are a few coping tips to prevent this:
1. If you’re a student
Students often combine work and study to gain experience and pay off their loans faster. However, we shouldn’t forget how stressful it is to juggle your education and work commitments, let alone your social life.
Luckily, you can use a variety of resources online to help you out. For example, if you’re a programming student, you can join online communities to get guidance and support. Also, you can find essaypro promo code to get essay for cheap whenever you need help with homework or find useful information e.g “Is EssayHub Legit?”. With some extra resources and assistance, it becomes much easier to find a work-study balance and avoid stress.
2. Identify your stressors
Everyone is different, and so are our stress responses. Figuring out what exactly triggers you in the workplace is the key step in overcoming stress. Pay attention to situations that evoke negative feelings and try to break them down:
- What was the atmosphere like?
- Who were you interacting with?
- What was your reaction?
- What emotion did the situation evoke in you?
The causes of stress can be diverse:
- Loud or crowded environment
- Unclear expectations
- Lack of time
- Implicit bias
- Lack of confidence
- Long hours
- Bullying
- Lack of resources
You need to know what exactly triggers you to pick a fitting coping strategy.
3. Find coping techniques that work for you
When it comes to coping mechanisms, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. A lot depends on your personality and stress triggers.
Some people benefit from deep breathing exercises. Others practice meditation. Sometimes it’s enough to take a walk during your lunch break, while in other cases, you might need profound mindset changes to manage your expectations and responsibilities.
4. Add rituals
The brain loves familiar and comforting activities that you do regularly. Rituals add the element of predictability to your hectic schedule and help you feel more in control. Here are five things you can do every day before work:
- Refill your water bottle.
- Do a 5-minute meditation.
- Plan for the day.
- Start a morning team tradition.
- Do a short breathing exercise.
5. Don’t overschedule
The desire to be productive and go above and beyond to reach success can be misleading. While it brings results in the short term, it’s not sustainable and can potentially lead to burnout.
Instead, you should try to balance your time. It requires thorough prioritization and time management. You need to know your time limitations and set realistic goals. Besides, not all tasks require your complete attention. Some of them can be delegated or postponed.
How Can Employers Help?
Workplace stress takes its toll on a company’s success. It results in absenteeism, high employee turnover, lower productivity, accidents, and associated legal and medical costs. Stress-induced anxiety and depression cost $1 trillion every year globally, according to WHO. So it is in the best interest of everyone to create a supportive work environment and help employees deal with stress. Here’s what you can do:
1. Provide training for mental health
One of the ways to deal with stress is to create awareness. Both managers and employees need training on how to recognize the signs of stress and address triggers in a healthy way. Mental health training will improve the understanding of stress and related issues and help to reduce the stigma surrounding it.
2. Develop organizational interventions to mitigate stress
Did you notice high-stress levels in the workplace? Act immediately to prevent them from getting chronic. If possible, implement changes in work environments and conditions. You can support employees by providing flexible work arrangements that prove to be extremely beneficial. These can be flexible working hours, extra time to complete tasks, or a chance to work from home, at least temporarily.
Some of the other helpful solutions are paid time off for health appointments and sabbaticals. A lot of companies adopt these practices. For example, Patagonia employees get a month of paid sabbatical every five years. The same practice is used at Adobe, Shake Shack, and Deloitte.
3. Ask employees what they need
Keep communication open. Your employees should know that they can always reach out for help to their leadership and get extra support. It helps to ask employees directly what they need. Every company, even every department, is different and has distinct stressors and coping strategies.
4. Promote wellness
A culture of wellness is key if you want your employees to be more efficient and happier. Exercise, a healthy diet, and mindfulness are the things that keep stress levels in check. To promote wellness, companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Intel have on-site yoga and meditation classes, gyms, and healthy meals for employees. Such activities are an amazing way to show your care for staff and help employees unwind.
5. Create opportunities for employees to socialize
Employees need to have a social support system to be able to feel comfortable in the workplace and avoid stress. That’s why it is crucial to encourage social activity.
Create opportunities for your team members to connect outside of work, get to know each other, and overcome communication barriers. These could be team outings, charity events, office games, interest clubs, learning groups, and so on. They will help employees get along with colleagues and create a friendly and supportive atmosphere in the office.
The Takeaway
While productivity is an important part of business, people should always come first. Workplaces should adopt effective coping strategies and do everything in their power to minimize the negative impact of stress on employees. Creating a culture of mental health awareness with positive routines, realistic expectations, and smarter organization strategies is key to a happier workplace and a more successful business.
