5 Ways MSLs Relieve Stress at Work
At times stressful situations occur without warning. Whether it’s the car breaking down, dog chewing on your favorite shoes, missing your flight, or not getting that job. Some situations we can avoid, some we can control, and some we must just deal with.
Dealing with stress can be challenging and at times just plain destructive. It slows down our motivation, productivity, control, plans, and ultimately the outcome of our day. It’s even more difficult when those situations occur at work as we’re limited in time to ourselves and on the clock.
So, how do you continue with your day and make the best of it? In case you can’t control the situation causing you stress and worry, you can help and control how you react by doing these 5 simple things during lunch or small breaks.
1. Exercise
This doesn’t necessarily mean powerlifting at the gym or training for a marathon. Put on your walking shoes and head for a short walk around the office or simply standing up to stretch during a break can offer immediate relief in a stressful situation. Getting your blood moving releases endorphins and can improve your mood almost instantaneously. It might be a little more challenging to get your exercise in while you’re on the road, but luckily hotels come equipped with gyms these days, so no excuses!
2. Listen to Music
Get in your car and turn on your favorite tune. Playing calm music has a positive effect on the brain and body, can lower blood pressure, and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress.
3. Talk it Out with a Friend
Take a break and call a friend or your mom and talk about your problems, cry, vent, complain. Good relationships with friends and loved ones are important when you’re under a lot of stress. A reassuring voice can put everything into perspective.
4. Find the Highlight of Your Day
Focus on the positives on any given day, but especially when the unexpected happens. Changing your focus can help you to see things with a different attitude. To take this initiative up a notch, make yourself write down the highlight of your day in a journal. Doing this really forces you to think about the positive parts of your day and helps you finish on a high note.
5. Plan Ahead
Prepare yourself for the day ahead. The more prepared you are for the task, the more confident and less stressed you will be. Write down your goals and your objectives-it will reduce the element of surprise and, therefore, help you deal with the stressful situation better.
Too much untreated stress can potentially cause serious physical and mental health problems, but the good news is that stress is manageable. With a few useful strategies, you can reduce stress – so go out there and kick stress to the curb.
Author – Varvara Brown
