Managing Work Stress

Stress is a normal human reaction to the various pressures we experience in life, and in small amounts, it can actually motivate you to stay on task and get things done. However, when stress goes unchecked it can become detrimental to your physical and mental health, as well as contribute to tension in your relationships.

When stress becomes a problem, you may experience:

Physical: Headaches, stomach aches or other body pains, digestive issues, cardiovascular issues, weakened immune system, hypertension, sexual dysfunction, skin issues, diabetes

Emotional and Cognitive: Anxiety or panic attacks, rumination or excessive worry, depression or low mood, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, difficulty concentrating

Behavioral: Over or undereating, avoiding or numbing with alcohol or drugs, other addictive or compulsive behaviors, tobacco use

Tips for managing work stress:

1. Attune and attend to your body’s physical and self-care needs. Take breaks for meals and snacks. Make sure you are drinking enough water each day. Pause to stretch several times throughout the day. Care for your body’s need for sleep and exercise.
2. Incorporate mindfulness and grounding into your daily routine. See below for exercises.
3. Set your intentions as you begin each day. As you rise, pause to reflect on your feelings and thoughts about the day ahead. Ask yourself what you want today to be like and how you want to experience it. Remind yourself of this intention throughout the day.
4. Inject your work with a deeper sense of meaning by living out your values. Identify 3 work-related values you hold dear (ex: purpose, excellence, creativity, independence). Reflect on how you might put these values into practice at work.
5. Observe your thought patterns. When you notice patterns of or increased frequency in negative thinking, identify the underlying need beneath the thought. For example, beneath the thought, “I feel miserable at work” might be the need to experience more challenging or meaningful tasks. Identify who you need to discuss this with, or what you might do to meet your needs.

Mindfulness and Grounding Exercises

1. Box breathing: Inhale for a count of 4. Feel the air inflate your lungs. Gently hold this breath in your lungs for another count of 4. Then exhale for another 4, feeling your lungs deflate. Gently hold for another 4. Repeat several times.
2. Body Scan: Slow your breath, find a comfortable rhythm. Mentally scan your body from feet to head, focusing on one area of your body at a time (feet, calves, thighs, etc.). Observe any areas in your physical body where you feel tension or carry stress. Imagine releasing that tension or stress with each exhalation of breath.
3. 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Grounding (use when feeling overwhelmed with stress or emotion): Pause to observe 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.