How to reduce stress at work?

Tips and strategies to learn how to minimize the power of stress at work.

Work is an area of life that we tend to associate with the concept of "challenges"; no wonder, because due to the dynamics of supply and demand, most people who need to resort to paid work to maintain their well-being and independence have to achieve one goal after another.

In fact, cases of those who are under a lot of work pressure (even in people who are not lower class and who do not find themselves in a situation of economic precariousness) are unfortunately very common.

Taking this into account, it is not surprising that work stress is one of the most common reasons for consultation among those who go to the psychologist. However, beyond psychotherapy (which is the most effective solution), there is room for maneuver to try to learn by oneself how to manage this kind of problems. Therefore, in this article we will look at different ways to reduce stress at worksimple strategies that you can apply to your day to day.

How to reduce the stress in the day to day of the work: 6 advices

Stress itself is not a psychological phenomenon that can be controlled at will, because it is rooted in ancestral physiological mechanisms that are much more deeply implanted in the human body than the ability to plan and decide rationally. However, this does not mean that we can do nothing to modulate the consequences of stress or even to prevent excessive stress by intervening in our environment.

Of course, learning to manage stress is a challenge, learning to manage stress is a complex challenge and requires both knowledge and practice.. If we are also talking about managing stress in the work context, things get more complicated: the workplace is usually a place where there is no lack of situations and stimuli that make us "put us on guard" or be alert. But also in this kind of environment it is possible to gain mastery in the management of emotions and psychological elements related to anxiety.

Below you will find several tips and guidelines to reduce stress at work, which may be useful as an introduction.

1. Make sure you are getting a good night's sleep

People who suffer from lack of sleep are much more likely to develop stress and anxiety problems.. Not only because they are in a worse physical condition, but also because the lack of ability to concentrate at work makes their performance worse and they accumulate tasks.

2. Practice meditation and Mindfulness

These exercises can be incorporated into your daily life by dedicating 10 to 15 minutes to them, and are of great help to enhance emotional balance and stop giving and stop giving catastrophic thoughts more importance than they have.

3. Take regular breaks

Do not take for granted that the minutes of rest are wasted time.. On the contrary, if you manage them well, you will be boosting your ability to perform at work without falling prey to excess stress.

It is much better for your health and productivity if you rest 5 or 10 minutes every three quarters of an hour than if you insist on finishing all your work as soon as possible without stopping to give yourself a break. If you opt for the latter, in addition to suffering psychological exhaustion and stress, you will end up resting here and there almost without realizing it and without having control over your work time.

4. Do controlled breathing exercises

Controlled diaphragmatic breathing can help you to keep anxiety at bay when you have already begun to notice its first symptoms..

It is also an exercise that, if you work in an office environment, you can do without having to move and that does not attract attention. Breathe in and out using your diaphragm muscles, keeping your chest from moving more than your belly. As you breathe in, even the part of your back just below your ribs, where your kidneys are, should expand.

5. Avoid caffeine beyond first thing in the morning.

If you suffer from stress problems at work, coffee should be confined to breakfast, coffee should be confined to breakfastas an aid to finish waking you up.

6. Make sure you are working comfortably

If you tend to work in an uncomfortable environment, this will be reflected in your emotional discomfort, even if you don't realize it. even if you don't realize it. Make sure your chair is ergonomic and fits you, check that the temperature is appropriate, that the lighting does not force you to strain your eyes, etc.

Do you want to learn more about stress and anxiety management?

If you are interested in training in stress management both at work and in your personal life, you may be interested in the courses developed by the psychologist Lidia Dols, psychotherapist and creator of the Gurumind project. Specifically, in the training program "Stress: how to reduce it", gives the theoretical and practical gives the theoretical and practical keys to gain mastery in this aspect of life.