Two out of five Americans feel stressed at work, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. Even if you leave your paperwork at the office the stress is likely to follow you home. Stress at work can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health. It?s not good for the business either. Lost productivity, insurance claims, health costs, accidents and replacing lost workers cost industry in the U.S. billions each year. Work related stress is inevitable but you can manage it better with these suggestions.
Takin? Care of Business
Your business that is. You are your best?asset. While you may not be able to control the chaos at work you can control what you put in your mouth and how you take care of your body and that will yield ?healthy dividends to offset the side effects of stress. Keeping yourself fueled with nutritious foods will provide staying power and keep you energized for the workday. Choosing vending machine options or break room pastries may seem like a great boost at first but the quick sugar buzz will leave you foraging for more. The key is planning ahead says Kelsey Stricklen,a Registered?Dietitian?at Cherry Street Health Services in Grand Rapids. ?When we don?t plan ahead we tend to gravitate towards unhealthy choices. Not planning ahead can even increase your stress level and cost you more time and money,? says Stricklen. ?Buy healthy snacks like fruit, veggies, nuts, baked chips, fiber and granola bars then portion them out into small baggies based on a single serving size. Each day on your way out the door you can just grab your pre-portioned snack.?
If you?re going to be stuck at work, plan for beverages too. Use your own BPA-free water bottle. If plain water doesn?t wet your whistle ? liven it up. Stricklen suggest adding cucumbers, lemon or lime for flavor. Stash your desk or locker with herbal or green tea bags and low-fat hot chocolate. Coffee still reigns for the 3 o?clock fix, especially now with recent studies saying coffee could reduce the risk Parkinson?s disease, type 2 Diabetes, prostate cancer,and liver cancer to name a few. Just avoid adding too much sugar and flavored creamers.
Whistle While You Work
?Paying attention to when your body signals you are tense is important so you can learn to take the time to release tension,? says Maribeth Janer,LMSW, clinical social worker and therapist of Northville. ?Turning on some quiet back-ground music, even for a short time, especially while closing our eyes and letting your mind wander a bit can help.? Sometimes it?s just good to get off your chair and move. ?Stand and stretch for a few moments every hour, as well as taking a few minutes to breathe in and out slowing while looking out a window or a different view,? suggests Janer. Christine Anthony of Beulah does just that and more.?I don?t stock pile stuff on my desk to put away at the end of the day, I get up and put it away when I?m done with it and I use the restroom farthest away.? Stepping away from your work, even for a few minutes will likely give you a fresh perspective and make you more productive. Need help reminding yourself to actually do this? Set your cell phone alarm every hour or two and get moving!
Internal Affairs
Juggling work and family is tough enough for anyone. Add a heavier workload and stress compounds.?The key here is to set goals that need to be done in a given day, and then let go of the rest as much as possible,? suggests Janer. Can you divide and conquer and work with another colleague? Or is this a continuous issue that you need to discuss with your supervisor??Janer recommends confronting the situation head on. ?Often assumptions are made regarding what others are doing or wanting that can be inaccurate, so by trying to discuss your thoughts about the problem, it may be possible to relieve a great deal of stress, says Janer.??Christina Rogers, a former resident of Lake Ann now living in California, approached her boss when other workers weren?t carrying their fair share of the load. ?I spoke with my boss and and he observed us over cameras and took care of the situation.? Not every issue will be resolved in your favor but honest communication with co-workers and supervisors is essential to?negotiate a better working environment which could mean less stress for everyone.
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Lisa Marie Metzler is a certified personal trainer and?freelance writer?specializing in health and fitness?issues. Check out her blog at?freshstartcoach.blogspot.com
Source: http://www.healthyandfitmagazine.com/2012/11/how-to-manage-stress-at-work/
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