Even before Covid-times, work related stress or burnout was, unfortunately, a common occurrence for many working professionals. So much so that, earlier last year, World Health Organization – WHO recognized burnout as a disease. Now, due to Covid and extremely low number of active and even dangerous employment opportunities has only increased the stress at work. Here are some ways that might help working professional to reduce stress, if not get rid of, this stress.
Physical exercise/meditation/mindfulness
Any form of physical movement, regularly, could help to release endorphins which in turn aid to reduce anxiety levels. Even practicing mindfulness could help to focus, think and process things freely and calmly. Though, its not a one-size-fits-all, meaning, exercising or yoga might not do much lo lower your anxiety or stress level, but you could definitely give it a try. Changing, eating habits or diets could also help.
Sleep or quick naps
Getting a proper full night of sleep could have more benefits than one could imagine. A full 7 to 9 hours of sleep would keep you well rested and usually calm.
If, you work from home or are a home based freelancer then you might have the luxury of taking a quick nap between work that might help you to unload stress.
Take on a hobby
At least, during Covid times, cooking or painting are some great ways to get away from work. Cook a wholesome meal for your family or even just a dessert could help. But, if you can’t cook to save your life, then just pick up some other activity that works for you.
Watching a movie counts too, though, binging a whole series might be slight dangerous for your work.
Therapy
Chronic stress or anxiety could, in fact, be quite difficult to deal with on your own and if you struggle with frequent bouts of anxiety at work or even outside it, its only positive to go for therapy. It could help you to know yourself better and rectify your stressors. Once you know your stressors it becomes easier to work on them.
Body massage/spa
Although, body massages might not work so well to reduce mental stress, it could very well aid physical stress.
With our phone screens and laptop screens continuously in front of us we tend to sit in extremely weird postures for hours on end (idk how do we find them comfortable), it shouldn’t be news to have untimely body aches. With some body massage or spa some of these postures induced stress could be reduced if not healed.
Talk about it to your boss or colleagues
Talking and addressing your problems to your boss might help in at least acknowledging the stress. As your stress would hinder your productivity and ultimately the company’s productivity, your boss might actually listen to you and help you to deal with it by creating better working environment.
Even talking to your colleagues help you in some way, for even they could be going through something like that and you could collectively find trustworthiness or a safe space in each other if not a solution.
Watching or attending stand up shows
What’s better to release stress or anxiety than laughing your heart out. Now, with so much accessibility of stand up, online and offline, (well with covid, only online), you could have a hearty laugh at any time of the day.
(You could even binge watch these tiny videos depending upon your pending work). Although, an advice to only watch it as a stress buster and not take the jokes seriously and take offense.
Spend quality time with your family
In the hassle of earning more money or working more hours to achieve your dreams, you might side-line spending time with your family or even SEEING them at times. Spending more quality time with your family (with ‘quality’ being a key word) will, most often then not, give you actual joy. From having dinner with your whole family to playing cards or board games or chatting or watching TV for that matter could help you to release stress.
Charity/Helping at home
Various studies prove that charity, in fact, helps with making your conscience feel extremely good. And there could never be a better time than right now to stretch a helping hands for people in need, it could even be just one person. Maybe it could be your housemaid or driver or watchman that could be in a dire need of some help. If finances are low then try volunteering work or even a helping hand with household chores might also aid you to get yourself away from work for sometime.
Try to avoid smoking and alcohol
With work related stress, some might fall back upon substance abuse and it could even come easy to indulge in them with peers or colleagues themselves indulging in, but it most often than not works negatively. Its better to stay away from them then let them worsen things.
Reducing or cutting down caffeine intake could also help.
Hope this list helped working professional to reduce stress or at least gave you better ideas for the same.
