5 Ways to Lower Your Stress Levels at Work

Workplace stress can be caused by many things, but once it takes hold it can be really difficult to cope. If stress is left untreated, it will affect your productivity and, eventually, have a negative impact on your whole life. Sometimes there is not a lot we can do to reduce stress at work, particularly if we are in a stressful job, but whilst you might not be able to eradicate workplace stress without leaving, there are plenty of ways to help reduce stress levels and make them more manageable.

Recognize the Signs of Stress

Stress is an insidious thing. It often creeps up on us and before we realise what’s happening, we are finding it hard to sleep, are suffering from frequent headaches, muscle tension and are depressed and irritable. In the long-term stress can cause all kinds of health problems, which are a lot harder to treat, so it is sensible to deal with stress with the help of certified primary care physicians before it becomes a massive problem.

1. Look after Yourself

If stress is affecting your health, it is time to take a step back and put yourself first. Start paying attention to your diet and the amount of exercise you take. Instead of living on junk food because you don’t have time to cook, make time to prepare nutritious meals and use the time spent cooking as a chance to relax and chill out. Try and take regular exercise, as this will help counter the stress of work, particularly if you hit the gym after a difficult day.

2. Health Supplements

There are plenty of health-supplements like kratom for sale that can help boost your immune system and counteract stress.

3. Delegate or Say No

Instead of accepting whatever work your boss throws at you and becoming stressed as a result, start being more assertive and refuse to take on more than you are capable of handling. Alternatively, be more efficient at delegating work to others – micromanaging every last detail won’t help you or your junior staff. Improve your organisation skills and become more efficient at prioritizing tasks during the work day. That way you won’t become stressed when deadlines are looming large.

4. Don’t be a Perfectionist

Stress is often self-induced as a result of an overwhelming degree of perfectionism. Setting unrealistic targets means you are doomed to fail, which in turn places you under huge amounts of stress. You can only do your best, so stop trying to do too much.

5. Deal with Workplace Bullies

Having to cope with difficult characters in the workplace will inevitably lead to stress. Always try and resolve conflict in a non-confrontational way, but if you hit a brick wall or the problem is getting worse, talk to a manager or your HR department and let them sort it out.

If stress is really getting to you, take a step back and remember that you can’t control everything or everyone around you. And if your job is making you ill, start looking for a new one because your health is more important.