How to Relieve Stress for a Productive Day at Work
Do you feel drained? You’re not alone.
In today’s busy world, juggling your work and responsibilities at home can have an impact on your health. Working all day then going home to household chores, grocery shopping, making dinner and trying to cram in quality time with your kids or social time with friends can leave us all feeling a bit overwhelmed at times.
You don’t have to manage without help. Here are our top ways of relieving stress in healthy ways.
Treat yourself
Unleash stress by visiting a local salon or massage therapist. According to an article on massage therapy, “it helps jump-start better health habits in other areas of their lives.†Also, it reduces mental health issues and exhaustion. Here are a few ways to have fun with the experience:
- Invite your spouse or partner
- Attend a session once a month
- Turn it into a ‘friend relaxation day
Be creative and turn it into a monthly event you can share with family, colleagues or friends.
Sip some tea
Chamomile and peppermint tea has been known to relax tension. If you have a budget to buy organic teas, these two types can be a warm or cold beverage to drink at work. I recommend only drinking chamomile tea at night because it is used by people that can’t sleep at night.
Schedule in gym time at lunch
Exercise is a fantastic way to relieve stress. Do you have a one-hour lunch? You can find a gym near your home or office and use 30 minutes of the time to run on the treadmill. Ask your employer if a monthly or annual gym pass can be apart of your employee health benefits package. If lunch is not a good time, go to the gym in the morning or after work to avoid traffic after 5 or 6 pm.
Adjust your seat
Your desk and seating arrangement can be the reason tension is building. Here are a few ways to ensure your desk ergonomics is correct:
- The computer needs to be at eye level
- Keep knees and hips at 90-degree angle
If your shoulders continue to experience tension, speak with your manager to see what can be done to create a more comfortable experience.
Brighten up your desk
It’s time to add a bit of color to your workspace with summer arriving soon. In Feng Shui, colors are used to bring different types of energy into a space. You can add stress-reducing colors to your space by changing the photo of your desktop wallpaper, putting a colourful picture frame on your desk or a luscious green plant or flowers – whatever you like! Being surrounded by color can change your mood, especially blues and greens.
Talk to colleagues
Sharing a stressful moment rather than keeping it inside is healthy. You don’t need to share all of your negative thoughts on any given day, but if there is a moment to speak with a colleague that you can confide in, now is the time. If you are uncomfortable with speaking to team members, use your breaks to speak with friends or family members. It is healthier to unload now rather than waiting for an 8 or 10-hour work shift.
We hope these stress-reducing tips will create a healthy work-life balance. I recommend using a few at a time or at least one to see how it has an impact on your health.
Thinking of hiring a career coach to help you achieve a better work-balance or find a job that allows you more freedom and happiness? Browse our directory of career coaches and get a FREE consultation or request a personalized coach recommendation!
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About the Author Makeda Waterman
Makeda Waterman is a professional writer with an Education in Journalism, Mass Communications, and Public Relations. She writes for Huffington Post Canada and Glassdoor on career advice with the goal of helping people improve the quality of their lives.