How to Handle Stress at Work

Anyone who has ever had a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. No matter what we do, stress is always there. Work, studies, or just by doing our daily activities, we’ll stop and rest because we feel that we’re not that productive anymore. Even if we love what we do, expect to feel stressed. It’s normal. You may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging obligation.

But, we don’t need to stress ourselves from being too stressed. There are ways to somehow be stress-free and all of us can benefit from learning skills to manage fear and anxiety especially with the job. Several skills taught in cognitive behavioral therapy may help, including these:

Relaxation strategies.

Relaxation helps counter the physiological effects of the fight-or-flight response. Hold the tension for 10 seconds; release tension for 20 seconds. Each time you release muscle tension, think “relax” to yourself. This skill and many other relaxation strategies can help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Take time to recharge.

To avoid the negative effects of continuous stress and burnout, we need time to replenish and return to our pre-stress level of functioning. This recovery process requires “switching off” from work by having periods of time when you are neither engaging in work-related activities nor thinking about work. 

Problem-solving.

Problem-solving is an active coping strategy that involves teaching people to take specific steps when approaching a roadblock or challenge. These steps include defining the problem, thinking about potential solutions, and developing an action plan.

Get some support.

Taking help from trusted friends and family members can improve your ability to manage stress.

Be ready to be stress-free! Try some of these especially when you feel exhausted with work!