Work stress ‘unavoidable’ but can be dealt with

Team Udayavani, Jul 17, 2020, 8:59 PM IST

Stress at work can never be avoided, but one should not ignore it as it can have significant health consequences, ranging from relatively benign (like getting more colds and flus) to potentially serious (such as heart disease and metabolic syndrome).

Recent studies have indicated that number of people affected by work stress is only getting higher and while it is more or less impossible to find a low-stress job, one can reduce its impact by adopting proper strategies.

Here are few strategies:

Get off to a good start in morning:

If you start the day after proper planning of activities, a good diet and maintain a cheerful, positive attitude, you might find that the stress of your job rolls off your back more easily.

Know what is expected of you:

Employees often feel more stressed when they are unclear of what is expected of them and or if their job roles are changed frequently and with little notice. It might help to have a talk with your reporting manager and clear the air over what is expected of you and discuss strategies for achieving them.

Identify & Tackle Stress Triggers:

An overview of your activities and interactions can help identify stress triggers. Once identified, these can be dealt with more effectively.

Avoid Conflict:

Conflicts between co-workers is common and tends to affect one’s physical and emotional health. But one can steer clear of conflicts by not indulging in unnecessary gossip and keeping personal opinions about religion and politics to themselves.

Time-Management:

Stress at work can be easily avoided if we have utilise time effectively. Rank the list of tasks to be done in order of priority. By keeping one organised we can increase our work efficiency

Comfortable Workspace

As we spend most of the time at office, it is necessary to have a comfortable and soothing workspace. Physical discomfort at your work desk, like back ache due to an uncomfortable chair will add to stress.

Short Exercise Breaks

Just going for a small walk can cheer the mood and get you into better shape. Try taking short breaks if your work schedule allows for it

Good Music

Music can have soothing affect on a person and helps to relieve stress. Playing a song on the drive home can help you wind down and feel less stressed when you get there.

However if none of this relieves your stress then you must consult a counseller.