How to handle work related stress?

From being an easy-going youngster in the Engineering College in the late 90’s to ambitious Engineering graduate to being a team leader of highly aspiring Engineers, I have been in many stressful situations ranging from missed targets to unsolved problems to successful moments, on the other hand performing the balancing act between the family and profession. There were lighter moments as well as heavier moments, moments when everyone come to the rescue and moments where I am let alone to handle stressful situation. It has been an awesome journey so far in my professional career. I would like to share some of my experience and practice for those who struggle handling the work related stress.

Why I decided to write about work related stress? Let alone the budding stars, usually work environment is unforgiving and ruthless, which even tests the capabilities of the seasoned and  experienced professionals.  Work stress drives the weak close to breakdown.  There is only a thin line between surviving the work stress and breakdown. Isn't it scary..!!!

The good NEWS is, human body & mind is an amazing piece of creation which is dynamic and knows how to handle and react for any kind of situation with self-learning. The bigger question is: Do we have sufficient time to go through the self-learning  process to do the fine adjustment until we become fully equipped for handling the work stress?. Probably we don’t have the required time so it’s better to learn from the experienced.

“If you are depressed you are living in the past,

If you are anxious and stressed you are living in the future,

If you are in peace you are living the moment”

– Lao Tzu

Here are some strategies which will help handle the stress by making some minor lifestyle changes, approach and readiness.

 

1.       Watch your lifestyle

2.       Do what it needs to be done today( Don’t procrastinate)

3.       Know your priorities

4.       Believe in yourself
 

 Also read other few related articles, you will find many more in my blog. Visit www.allwynanddiana.blogspot.com 
“How to be captain cool (click here)”

“Best days at work through my window pane(click here)”
"Simple things to boast confidence(click here)"
"Thumb rules for successful career(Click here)
 

Watch your Lifestyle:  Lifestyle has an important role in handling the work stress. I would emphasis on two main factors of lifestyle: Food and Sleep. It may sound silly but take a minute, ask any professional around the world, many skip the meals and have fewer hours of sleep. Can you drive a car without fuel or can a car run without rest?? Similar to that our body needs energy in the form of food and  proper sleep to repair damage caused by fatigue.  I am not advising to just drop everything when it’s time for lunch or sleep for 10hours., rather keep a slot for having your lunch and manage to sleep at-least 6-7hours a day.

“A Sound mind resides in a Sound body” says a Greek proverb.  When you have a healthy body you will have healthy mind and keep the stress at bay. Many of us just wake up for the alarm, get ready, grab the breakfast and run to work which is one of the worst practice. Our mind and body is like an engine. Give it sufficient time to wake-up, heat-up and get into full throttle.  At-least one needs 30mins before getting into the hustle & bustle of morning routine. Morning coffee or tea with newspaper or going for morning walk or meditation would be a better choice to kick in the day in a positive note. A power nap in the afternoon helps to rejuvenate the system and keeps you going on.

Do what it needs to be done today:  Schedule your day and do all the tasks which needs to be done for the day. Don’t procrastinate and keep the tasks till the last moment. If a particular task is not done, your brain keeps the application running in the back of the mind and keeps intriguing and reminding about the tasks which definitely will increase your stress level. Similarly don’t leave a task or a sub-task in the middle and call it end of the day, until and unless you know that it’s going to take long time for completion.

 During working hours most of us concentrate on reading and replying email. Is your job only to read and reply emails? If “Yes” continue doing that, if it is a “No” don’t keep reading & replying the emails all the day, focus on the work which needs to be done. Keep a time slot during working hours to read and reply emails. This will keep your stress level low.

 

Know you priorities at work: Keep a track of all the tasks to be done and make priority for the tasks considering the criticality & requirement. Identify urgent 'vs.' Important task. Perform urgent task making sure you don’t neglect important tasks. Keep your mind clear like a crystal by having a clear vision on what to do.

It is very important to help your colleagues. Be sure you don’t do their job rather only help them. Learn to say 'No' at appropriate times to avoid others bossing on you. By knowing the priorities you can set a pace of work, helping  to avoid un-necessary work pressure.

Believe in yourself:  We all tend to think and worry about the results. Thinking more about the outcome, creates doubts.  Doubt creates restlessness, impatience and develops stress. One has to believe in himself/herself, trust the efforts he/she has done, trust the team and the process. Self-belief boosts confidence and decreases the stress level.

50% of the work is done successfully if you have self-belief. It doesn't mean developing over confidence, believe in your skills, your talent and hard work. Inspiration and self-motivation is a key to develop self-belief.

 

"If it doesn't challenge you.. It doesn't change you" work stress always challenges you but overcoming the stress changes you in a positive way to succeed and conquer greater heights.  
Picture courtesy: Pictures are collected from internet. Thankful to whom so ever have created these great images

About the Blog:

Allwyn's blog has many self-improvement, motivational and Inspiration blog articles. Get the latest update as soon as a new blog is posted by following the  blog directly or through social media accounts to get updates on the latest post



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