I can’t get rid of your boss or your not-so-friendly colleagues. These “external” factors are certainly causes of stress for some people and are somewhat out of your control.
But many causes of your workplace stress are from “internal” factors – factors that you have full control over. Pay closer attention to these and you could turn your workday from one that drains your energy, to one that gives you energy.
Top 5 Tips for Managing Office Stress
1) Find Your Groove: Some of us are morning people and some of us really just can’t get productive until mid-morning. Figure out the time of the day when you’re in your groove and use that time wisely. For example, get to the office before your colleagues so that you have uninterupted time at your desk. Keep working during the regular lunchtime and step out for a bite in the early afternoon when the lunch crowd has disappeared. During your late afternoon food coma, listen to your body and don’t fight it – use this time for mundane tasks such as filling out expense reimbursement forms or clearing your inbox.
2) Socialize: Make your day more enjoyable by getting to know your colleagues, especially those that work in a different division or different floor of your office. Socialize at lunch and have those proverbial “water cooler conversations.” Aside from learning more about what’s going on in the company, you’ll meet people that you share a common experience with and perhaps with whom you even enjoy spending time outside of the office.
3) Add Fun: Fuzzy slippers, basketball hoops, infographic wall posters, plants on your desk, office DJ’s,…you name it. Take a page out of the old-school Yahoo! book…or ask your Google friends for some workplace fun tips. Making your workplace – or even just your workspace – more fun will add levity to your day and keep you in good spirits during those long hours.
4) Breathe: We all run way to fast, work to hard, and stress out too much. We have tension in our bodies and that happens because we have tension in our minds and our thoughts. Clearing your mind and relaxing your body during the workday can help you thrive, as opposed to just survive a long day at the office. Several times during your day take 1-minute to do some deep breathing exercises. Sit upright in your chair, close your eyes, breathe 3 times deeply and focus on relaxing your high tension areas.
5) Choose Energizing Work: A good friend and mentor of mine recommended to me to find work that “energizes” me…and I have followed his advice with great success for many years. When you are doing things that you enjoy and activities that give you energy, then you will be more productive, more positive and more satisfied. Take a close look at your job and try to replace those energy-draining tasks with energy-generating tasks. If necessary, take a closer look at your job itself.