According to new research by mental healthy charity, Mind, employees in the UK are experiencing high levels of stress. 56% of those surveyed said they found work more stressful than debt, financial problems, health and relationships.
With this in mind, we’ve put together some top tips to help you effectively manage stress levels at work:
Manage your time more effectively
If you often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work, it can be helpful to improve your time management skills. Start by prioritising your day and do the most important jobs first. Don’t put off the most daunting task, mark it as a high priority and get it out of the way first. Work with colleagues to set realistic goals and deadlines so you’re not snowed under.
Don’t take on too much
In many cases, employees are working longer hours than they should be because they’re just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. It is often the case that we take on extra work to please others and therefore end up doing more than we should, causing extra stress. When someone asks you to do something that you really don't have time to do, politely but firmly say no, and don't allow yourself to feel guilty for it!
Practice the 4 Ds
Many office workers find that they spend half the day working through their email inbox, without actually getting anything else done. In order to manage this burden effectively you should practice the 4 Ds of decision-making:
Delete: if it’s spam or irrelevant, delete immediately
Do: if the email is urgent or can be completed quickly
Delegate: if the email can be better dealt with by someone else
Defer: set aside time at a later date for emails that require a longer action
Improve your health and wellbeing
Studies have shown that physical activity can help to boost health and increase positivity so keep active outside of work with regular exercise. Exercising will release endorphins which will also help with self-esteem and anxiety in order to further help reduce the symptoms of stress. Combine your exercise regime with good quality sleep and a healthy diet to ensure your body and mind is fully functioning.
Talk to someone
If you suffer with stress in the workplace or have a work-related problem, the best thing to do is to talk to someone about it. Talking to a work colleague, your manager or HR can help to alleviate stress and may help to solve the problem altogether.
