When work is stressful it can lead to all kinds of issues. On average, most people are working the typical 8-hour days and 40-hour weeks. But if things are stressful it’s probably from being overworked on the hours or it could feel that you’re being worked too many hours just from the added stress. Whatever that may be.
The stress can lead to poorer work. That doesn’t feel good. It can lead to issues in your personal life. It can make you healthy and affect your well being, physical and emotional. All kinds of bad things.
Here are a few thoughts for helping to ease the stress related to work.
1. Examine Your Habits
We create habits whether we do it on purpose or not. For example, you probably go through the same morning routine each day. Brushing teeth, getting dressed, etc. Maybe if you have kids it can change from day to day, but generally we fall into our routines…for good or for bad.
Look at your work habits and routines. Determine if there are things you can do to change things to relieve stress. Maybe you always run into a certain person in the break room and it irritates you. Try adjusting your schedule so you see them less often.
Little changes like this and establishing different habits an often relieve stress.
2. Re-Prioritize Tasks, Big and Small
It’s easy to add new tasks to our schedules. The boss comes by and asks us to do “one little thing”. That’s no big deal in isolation. But do that 10+ times and it starts adding up.
Our boss may or may not realize what they’re doing. They usually want us to mention what’s going on. It’s good to go to them with a priority list. Or just a list of what they’re asking you to do and then discuss the priority so you know what should be done first.
3. Talk To Your Boss About Solutions
Even if you’re feeling burned out and it’s not about too many things, still go and chat with your boss. They likely don’t want you to be burned out. They know that it leads to poor work and could lead to you leaving. They usually want to do what’s best for you because that’s what’s best for them as well.
They will usually work with you to see what the best solution may be.
4. Schedule Things
Let’s say something comes up that you need to do. Assess when it needs to be done. Then schedule it. This allows you to process it away in your mind. You don’t need to continue thinking about it because it’s already on your schedule for a specific time.
It’s not always the case, but often stress and anxiety come from the unexpected or things you have your “list”, but that aren’t scheduled.
5. Leave Room For The Unexpected
Another possible stressor is the unexpected. Some jobs just seem to have these occurrences all the time. And if you don’t plan for it they will stress you out most likely. What I find helpful is leaving time in your schedule each week or even each day or these things. You may not know what will happen, but if you leave time it at least gives you a little head start.
And if nothing comes up then you have the time for other things. Or just relaxing.
Conclusion
Too much stress is not a good thing. If you let it go it will only get worse. These are a few things that usually work to help eliminate things and get the situation going in the right direction. But stress often creeps in slowly. So try to set a reminder to assess things every six months or so. It’s good for you work and for your personal sanity.