Managing stress and anxiety in the workplace can be difficult, but is essential for maintaining your well-being and performing at your best, especially in a demanding work environment. Here's a straight forward guide to help busy business professionals effectively manage stress and anxiety.
1. Identify triggers
It is important to recognise the situations, tasks, or people that tend to trigger your stress or anxiety. Understanding your individual triggers can help you to develop targeted strategies to manage them more effectively.
2. Practice deep breathing
When stressed or anxious, take slow, deep breaths and focus your thoughts on the breathing itself. Inhale deeply for a count of 4, hold for 4, and exhale for 6. Repeat this technique until you begin to feel more relief or less feelings of stress and/or anxiety.
3. Prioritise self care
Make time for activities you enjoy outside of work. Exercise, hobbies, and relaxation techniques promote emotional well-being.
4. Manage your time
Organise tasks with to do lists and prioritize important items. Breaking down tasks into manageable chunks can help to avoid you feeling overwhelmed.
5. Set boundaries
Establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life. Things like avoiding checking emails or working during non-working hours can help to create an environment where you feel less stressed or anxious.
6. Practice mindfulness
Engage in mindfulness activities like meditation or deep relaxation exercises. This helps you to focus on the present moment to reduce anxiety about things that are out of your control.
7. Stay physically active
Engage in regular physical activity, even if it's just a short walk. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural stress-relievers and help with feelings of stress and anxiety if performed consistently.
8. Seek social support
It is important to connect with friends, family, or colleagues who provide a positive support network. Sharing your feelings can help alleviate stress as you will feel less like you are carrying the burden alone.
9. Learn to say no
Don't overcommit. Politely decline tasks that exceed your capacity and focus on tasks that align with your priorities, both personally and professionally. Make it known if completing a certain task is going to cause you avoidable stress and anxiety, and work with other team members to come up with a solution so that the work still gets done, but with minimal impact to your mental wellbeing.
10. Disconnect regularly
Take regular breaks from technology and screens. Unplugging can reduce information overload and stress, especially of an evening when you begin to unwind after getting home from the office.
11. Professional support
If stress or anxiety becomes overwhelming, consider talking to a trained professional. Seeking professional help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and there are plenty of support networks available, some of which should be signposted by employers.
By incorporating some of these stress and anxiety management strategies into your routine, you can create a healthier work-life balance and improve your overall well-being. Remember that self-care is an ongoing process, and finding what works best for you may take some trial and error. Prioritise your mental and emotional health as you navigate your busy professional life, and find a solution that is not only sustainable but effective as well.
