Ever heard the phrase – “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it”? We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. To mark National Stress Awareness Day, we thought we’d share our ten top tips to help you minimise and manage stress at work and maintain a positive “can-do” attitude at all times… well, most of the time!
One thing at a time - So you’ve got a million and one things to do, but you definitely can’t do them all at once. Manage your time effectively by planning and prioritising tasks instead of tackling them all at once and risking one big headache! If multi-tasking is a must then set some time aside in your day to do it, perhaps in the afternoon.
Free your mind – There is no shame in feeling frustrated or unhappy sometimes at work, it happens to the best of us! If you need to express your feelings but think speaking to someone isn’t an option, write a journal, poem, or compose a letter that you’ll never send to free your mind.
Don’t make mountains out of mole hills – Ask yourself these two simple questions to make your day lighter and less stressful. Will this matter to me in five years? What is the worst that can happen? By asking yourself these questions, you will gain perspective and avoid unnecessary drama.
Don’t play the guessing game – Most of us are not mind readers. As a rule of thumb, if you have a burning question and desperately need to ask a colleague for help, do it. Misunderstandings can be a huge contributor to stress and communicating clearly with others will make your life a lot easier.
Mind over matter – It’s easy to sometimes get caught up in a problem, but instead focus on finding a solution. By adjusting your mindset every day, you’ll soon discover you feel more able and powerful and less pessimistic.
Keep it short - Do you ever start your morning with… ‘I’ve got to do this. Wait, no I’ve got to do that too and that’ – and the list goes on! It’s important to create a to-do list, but be sure to keep it short and sweet. Don’t overload your page and brain – remember one thing at a time.
Food for thought – Start your day right by packing yourself a healthy lunch. An apple and a healthy salad with all your omega-3s will make you feel ready for the day. A chocolate bar and a big bag of crisps will make you want to take a big old nap!
Be early – Start the day as you mean to go on. Don’t get caught in traffic and find yourself running through the door with two minutes to spare. Giving yourself time to settle into the morning with peace of mind will set the precedent for the day.
Stop striving for perfection – We’re not saying don’t try hard in everything you do, but giving 100% every time is enough and is all you can do. Striving for ‘perfection’ can waste time, result in unhappy feelings and majorly kill your morale.
Sleep – Arguably the most important tip of all. Getting your 40 winks every night will make a huge difference to your mood, energy levels, outlook on life and how you handle situations at work.
If you think you are suffering with severe stress, the best thing you can do is seek advice from a medical professional.
