Stressed to Blessed: Winning at your workplace

Pressure is one of the good things in life. It keeps us on the toes and gets the best performance out of us. It is what converts coal into a diamond. However, when it crosses its healthy boundaries, we find ourselves suddenly stuck in stress. In today’s fast-paced work-culture, stress has become commonplace. While some cope well with it, others fall prey to its ill effects.

Research proves that stress is directly related to blood pressure, heart disease, overeating and a host of other health problems. It creates a lot of worry and insecurity and clouds our lives with various emotional and psychological problems. It thus makes sense to conclude that stress saps our lives out of the happiness and fun of living.

However, the good news is that it doesn’t have to happen to us and there are strategies and told we can use to avoid falling into such quagmire. Read on to develop the skills to settle the stress once and for all.

Practice mindfulness:

This is a very effective tool in stress busting. It brings us back to perspective and breaks the cycle of stress and worry. One can implement mindfulness in every walk of their life like mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful speech and deep listening.

Focus on the big picture:

While it is easy to get lost in details, always keep an eye out on the big stuff. Doing so helps you feel purposeful and takes the stress out of everyday tasks. When we lose meaning and purpose, the stress seems to sky-rocket. The key to enjoying stress-free work is to learn to love it with a great sense of meaning, purpose and personal fulfilment attached.

Relax:

Take those occasional breaks to stretch and walk or have a conversation with a co-worker. A breath of fresh-air or some natural light can also work wonders.

Avoid:

You are not doing any favour to yourself by using substances to ward off stress. Substances include coffee, cigarette or alcohol. You possess the internal strength to get over stress and don’t have to rely on external substances to help you with it. When the need is felt to munch on something, have some healthier alternatives at dispense.

Control your environment:

Your cubicle or work-slot should be filled with positive things like laughing faces, mood enhancing humour, photos of your loved ones and inspiring quotes that help you be focused on the day-to-day.

Communication and Expectations:

Most of the problems can be sorted out with proper communication and realistic/fair expectations. Avoid communication with clients or co-workers when you are feeling stressed or angry. Practice a few mindful moments and get back when you’re ready.

Superman Syndrome:

Don’t overcommit to tasks like Superman does and end-up unable to deliver and at loss of peace. We get it. You want to be a hero. But, if you walk down the road of over-committing, you will accomplish the exact opposite.

Rest and Exercise:

The number of times you would have read this is probably way too high. But, we’re also sure that the number of times you’ve done something about it is far too low. That is where priorities and rituals come in place. Do these first and everything else later. Proper rest and exercise restore the balance and release good hormones to foster your well-being.

Lastly, when it goes out of control, it makes sense to seek professional help from a professional counsellor. What do you think?