Three Simple Stress Busters That Work
We all know that our work stress can sometimes get the best of us; and before we realise it – we are overloaded and overwhelmed.
We start noticing that we are lying awake worrying about a work problem, and leaving work later to try and ‘finish’ that project.
We might start snapping at colleagues – or even worse loved ones at home because our level of anxiety and the pressure of worrying about work deadlines takes its toll.
We might also be feeling the physical signs of stress, like tension headaches, tight shoulders and neck, and feeling sick to our stomach.
This was a state that I was in for most of my career in corporate.
Most commonly stress starts to build up when we carry over yesterday’s troubles into our present-day problems. This inevitable accumulation will almost always end up raising our stress levels.
To bust our stress, and stop us from taking our work stress out of the office - we must be able to “dump” all of our concerns from the previous day or days and give total concentration on our today.
So here are three of my favourite stress-busting tips
- Stress Busting Tip #1
Try this on your way home from work or in the evening before bed. Tip number one is all about focusing on the present moment. It's important to let go of today and yesterday's worries and be mindful of the now.
Decide to empty your mind and let go of all of your worrying thoughts from today and yesterday and let yourself just focus on the now…. For 3 -5 minutes just give your attention to this present moment in time...your breath... Take in three very deep breaths and slowly release each one.
Notice all of your concerns and worries and while you are breathing, let yourself feel each of your worries, all of your problems and all of your concerns begin to evaporate. These are all things you can and will deal with at another time. For this moment, you are letting go and releasing.
Allow yourself this time to breathe and empty your mind. Find an inner quiet place inside you and relax. If you notice troubling or worrying thoughts come up – just let yourself know that you will deal with these things tomorrow.
Free your mind and body of all worry, all regret, all disappointment, all anger and grief. For now, just be in the moment and find your inner peace. Use this special time and place to be calm and in this moment.
- Stress Busting Tip #2
Tip number two is to find a simple act that you enjoy and do it with all of your senses. This could be something as easy as taking a quick walk, going for a run, rocking your baby, cooking dinner, playing with your pet or raking leaves. Focus on the task at hand and let your mind stay calm and quiet.
Let your mind be quiet and calm while you simply focus on what you can see, feel, hear, smell and taste while enjoying your task.
This is a great way to unwind and decompress after a stressful day. If you can take 2- 5 minutes everyday to practice this act of quiet and calm each day and turn the practice into a habit, you might even notice that you can actually see that you will accomplish so much more in your day.
Then at the first sign of being stressed, go back to this mindful, quiet place by remembering and visualising your calm state.
- Stress Busting Tip #3
The very best thing that you can do for yourself is to eat, drink and rest – to your health!
Tip number three is all about taking care of yourself. Eating healthily, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can do wonders for your stress levels.
Stress is easily brought on by not eating and drinking properly. When you don’t get the number of hours of sleep that you need each night, you are only setting yourself up for additional stress.
When I was working on bids and tenders for a large construction firm, in the week the bid was due it was common for me to work 14 hour days and survive on coffee, packets of red frogs and tomato flavoured chips.
When we are under stress we need to limit the amount of salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol in our diet. To help make sure we drink enough fresh water, try setting a reminder at regular intervals and even when we are stressed and under pressure, its important to make sure that we are finding ways to do at least moderate exercise each day.
- Bonus Stress Busting Tips
- Take time to breathe properly! Breathe in and out for a count of 4, sending your breath down to your diaphragm to push energy around your body.
Laugh big belly laughs or even enjoy a chuckle. Laughter is a powerful stress reliever!
Make time to do the things that light you up and bring you joy.
Work on building healthy relationships with those around you.
When we regularly find ways to feel more balanced and content in our lives, everyday stressors seem much easier to handle. We are also better equipped to deal with unexpected or additional pressures.
You can actually make a real difference in your ability to manage your stress today. All you need to do is pick one particular stressor in your life and then work on it until you regain control.
Remember, you're in control and you can beat stress! Take it one step at a time and focus on what you can do right now
FREE Tipsheet to EASE Work Stress
If you are looking for some great practical tips to help you manage and ease stress at work, download this free tip sheet now.