6 ways to combat workplace stress

It can be hard to work when the stress feels suffocating, and understanding what is happening is the first step to tackling it. Be it your work-life balance or feelings of isolation, research by the Guardian has examined what to do and how to cope when the walls feel like they’re closing in and deadlines loom overhead.

Identify the trigger
Examining your own thought processes to paint a picture of who you are can help you develop a counter attack against the negative thoughts. The feeling of being overwhelmed when your demand is higher than your output rate is a natural response, with stress coming from the build-up of cortisol and adrenaline in your system as survival instincts kick in. Updating a thought journal can help you keep track of what’s causing stress.

Don’t isolate yourself
When you feel the stress building and the work piling up, talking to your manager or boss may not sound like an attractive prospect. Stay calm, bring notes and be assertive – a superior doesn’t want you to be so daunted by your job that you can’t do it, they want results, and if there’s a problem you need to let it be known. Keeping a network of friends in and out of work will also give you a natural source of support.

Know your limits
Embracing assertiveness, learn to say no if you think you’re not up to the challenge. It’s all very well rising to every challenge, but if you let yourself get overwhelmed it’ll affect both your confidence and your reputation. Maintaining a good relationship with a work friend or freelancer can mean suggesting them to the boss to get the job done, showing your employer strength, self-awareness and strong managerial and organisational skills.

Take a step back
Perspective can make all the difference to a situation. Staring at the same issue for too long can lead to you only seeing the problems without being able to come up with solutions. Leave the stress of the work day where it belongs – at work. Take a walk, set your brain to new challenges and come back with a fresh mindset.

Switch off
It can be tempting to pull all-nighters, to keep pushing through the stress until the job is done to meet the deadline, but taking a moment during the work day to breathe, check your emails and compose yourself can make all the difference to your resolve. Pushing through the fatigue will only affect your thought processes and stop you from working at 100%.

Let go
If the job isn’t what you expected and you’re struggling to keep up, then moving on may be the best and most mature option. Staying in a job you aren’t happy with can wear down your self-confidence and will make finding future work much harder. Taking your experiences to a position that leaves you fulfilled will help you excel to the best of your abilities.

Got any of your own top tips? Tweet us @PALifeMag