7 Ways To Combat Stress: How To Regain Control Of Your Workload
Whether you’re finding yourself stressed because of a hectic work life, or maybe you’re currently battling your way through exam season, or, perhaps, you just find that everything seems to be getting on top of you; whatever the cause, stress can be pretty debilitating, and can have a huge impact on your wellbeing.
If you are a student coming to the end of your studies, then you can probably see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you are in a long-term job then you may see no such glimmer of hope, and the stress may feel relentless. In the latter situation, it is common to feel genuine unhappiness and could eventually lead to more severe physical and mental health repercussions, which is why it is very important to take a proactive approach to dealing with stress.
Before reading on, it is important to note that there are several schools of thought on the topic of stress, and the fact that many believe there to be both positive and negative levels of stress – that up to a certain point, stress can be a motivator and can serve as a driving force keeping you productive, but after this level has been exceeded, we then start to feel the negative impact of stress. This advice is aimed at combatting the damaging levels of stress, and the following points are suggestions of how to lessen the toll that it takes.
Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep
It is extremely common for people to stay up late and get up early when they are busy and have things on their mind – they think that the longer they stay awake, the more time they have to do that extra bit of work, or that last bit of research. In reality, your brain is not designed to run off 4 hours of sleep every night, and will not like you if you force that life upon it.
Getting a good night’s sleep, and adopting a regular sleeping pattern is good for both your mental and physical health; not only this, but according to the NCBI, sleep deprivation hugely impacts several cognitive functions that you need in order to be at your optimum. They found that a severe lack of sleep affects important things like attention and vigilance, both working and long-term memory, critical thinking and decision making, and a host of other things. Looking at that list, I’d say that there are a lot of things that seem pretty vital to us being able to do the things we are supposed to do properly, that are impacted negatively when you don’t get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep makes you able to tackle your tasks much more easily and efficiently, which will lessen the stress and your workload will feel less suffocating!
As well as the impact that a lack of sleep has on your ability to conduct work at your optimum level, you will also find that you are more irritable, agitated and generally less patient. Get in your 7-9 hours and your mood will be better, and you’ll be more pleasant to be around – and then no-ones complaining!
A healthy body is a healthy mind
If you have a poor diet, it’s likely that you will feel lethargic and sluggish, which is exactly the opposite of how you want to be feeling when it feels like you’re getting slowly (or rapidly) buried alive with work. It’s difficult to stay healthy when all you want to do is take out your frustrations on a family-size bar of Dairy Milk, but the binge won’t solve your problems and will probably fill you with regret (and potentially an upset stomach) afterwards anyway. Do both your mental, and physical state a favour, and have proper nutritious meals paired with fruity snacks for some mid-afternoon energy. Skipping breakfast is never the answer, and will end in a mid-morning burnout (which definitely won’t help you to tackle the workload).
Disclaimer: I’m not a nutritionist, or expert on the matter in any way, and will not claim that having a nibble of chocolate won’t make you feel better – we are all human and there are some days when chocolate is the only answer (in moderation!), it’s just not a sustainable diet.
Un-glue yourself from your desk once in a while
Getting to work and then doing nothing but staring at your screen for 9 hours straight won’t do you any good, especially when you feel like your workload isn’t going anywhere. Taking a second to step away from your desk can serve as the small break your brain needs to reboot and refocus. It’s easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed when your list of tasks only seems to be getting longer, but small breaks can be invaluable in increasing your productivity levels. If you can get outside to get a bit of fresh air, even better! Try to have your lunch break outside, or away from your desk at least, so you can break up your day and give your poor, stressed brain some R&R.
Find an activity to distract you
Whether it’s a craft or a sport, keeping busy in a non-work capacity can be the distraction your brain needs to relieve some stress – and, hey, if you choose boxing or a physical sport of some kind, you can take your frustration and aggression out on a punching bag or (in some cases) someone else…
If you’re not one for physical exercise, then take some time out to make or fix something – maybe you have some DIY that you’ve been putting off, or you’ve got a crafting kit that you got for Christmas a few years ago and put in the cupboard straight away. Your brain needs to switch off somehow, and keeping it busy with things that don’t involve work can be the perfect way to relieve you from some of that strain.
Being plugged in 24/7 is bad for our batteries
In this tech-focussed world, we spend so much of our day connected to some kind of device, whether that is our mobile phone, work computer, laptop, TV, tablet or whatever else. I bet you can’t remember the last time you went somewhere without your mobile phone – I know it’s unfair to generalise, but it’s extremely likely that this statement applies to the vast majority of us, regardless of demographic. When we are constantly attached to a device, just like technology, our circuits will inevitably become fried (excuse the prolonged tech analogy).
Put down your phone, don’t check your emails for a weekend, read a book, do anything that doesn’t require looking at a small illuminated screen, you’ll feel better and probably get a better night’s sleep! This is a good time to refer to the above point, because if you’re doing an activity, then you’re probably not staring at your phone screen.
Have a natter with your nearest and dearest
It is often said (by mothers, mostly) that a problem shared is a problem halved. There is a lot of truth in this saying, and telling your family and friends about the things that are getting you down can be a big weight off your shoulders. You may think that you can handle it on your own, but those who know you best may be able to shed some light on the situation from an outsider’s perspective – plus, who doesn’t feel better after having a big vent about the things that are playing on their mind!
Reflect on your progress and the end goal
Last, but certainly not least, think of the big picture and take a minute to think about why you’re doing all of this. Remember your goals and aspirations, and refocus on where this will get you. You’ve probably already made considerable progress, which is easy to overlook – have a little think about all of the achievements that you have made along the way, big and small. Whether those victories were as little as mastering the database at work, or as big as winning a client, reflection can be a beneficial practice for those who need a little boost of motivation.
Hopefully this has helped you if you’re currently suffering from stress, or if you’re not, hopefully you will bear these tips in mind for when you next feel like things are getting a little out of control! If you’re in the midst of a job search are interested in a role in recruitment, get in touch with one of our expert colleagues here at 5Q Consultancy – we connect graduates, sales-people and recruiting professionals with top tier enterprises in London and across England. You can ring 0203 7008483, email caitlin@5-q.co.uk/
