5 Helpful Ways to Manage Pressure at Work

You’ve probably heard of the saying, “Pressure builds diamonds.” But let’s be real — pressure just builds stress, anxiety, and exhaustion 90% of the time.

For many people, stress happens at work or in the office. So many factors can contribute to workplace stress, such as long working hours, poor working conditions, excessive workload, being underpaid, discrimination, harassment, or bullying from coworkers.

Dealing with workplace stress will never pass the vibe check. Even if you don’t feel overwhelmed yet, now is the perfect time to learn how to manage stress at work before it creeps up on you and takes over your life.

Managing Stress at Work: Why Is It Important?

Here’s the thing: Stress is inevitable in most jobs, especially high-stakes ones. However, the human body can only handle so much of it before the chaos unfortunately begins.

If you are unable to learn how to cope with stress at work, you may put yourself at risk of chronic stress and its effects, namely:

Headaches
Muscle tension and discomfort
Stomach pain
Poor sleep quality
Excessive weight gain or loss
High blood pressure levels
Tendency to have emotional outbursts
Instances of burnout and/or fatigue
Increased anger and irritability
Lack of motivation or focus
Restlessness
Withdrawal from social activities
Higher risk for heart disease
Higher risk for anxiety and/or depression

Fam, it’s never too early to start thinking about your mental health at the workplace. Don’t wait for a full-blown office menty B (AKA mental breakdown) to happen — this is your sign to manifest less stressful working days into existence.

Learn How to Manage Stress on the Job With These Steps

Group your to-dos into “chunks” instead of multitasking.

For many years, many believed that multitasking helped boost work productivity. However, this practice may be low-key bad for you. According to researchers, multitaskers tend to be more distracted at work, are more prone to make mistakes, may not perform well, and work at a slower pace.

A better approach would be to chunk your tasks. Schedule similar tasks in batches instead of jumping between unrelated ones. Train your brain to focus on one thing at a time instead of moving on.

Try the Pomodoro Technique as well. Work in 25- to 30-minute intervals, then take a 2- to 3-minute break. After three to four sessions, enjoy a longer break. This method can help focus and prevent burnout.

Make room for movement.

When your head’s in the game and your target is in sight, it can be easy to zone out and lose sight of your surroundings. It’s giving maximum productivity — love this for you!

However, becoming too comfortable in your workspace and sitting on your chair for hours may trigger extra stress and increase your risk for illness. Here’s how you can sneak in movement during your workday:

Stand up and stretch for at least 3 to 4 minutes every hour.
Take the stairs when possible (or exit the elevator early and walk a few floors).
Pace around while taking phone calls.
Do calf raises, partial squats, or light stretching while waiting for printed materials.

A little movement goes a long way in keeping your energy and focus sharp.

Establish a healthy work-life balance.

The concept of work-life balance may give peak pandemic era vibes, but it’s def something worth establishing years after people became aware of it! A healthy work-life balance can help reduce stress levels, lower the risk of burnout, and improve quality of life!

But where does one even begin to establish a work-life balance? The answer lies in one word: Boundaries. When you draw the line between work and leisure, you give yourself time to rest and your body the opportunity to “switch off” from thinking and doing work tasks. Here’s how you can set boundaries between work and personal life:

Set a hard stop for work. Log out, close your laptop, and disable work notifications once your shift ends.
Turn on the “Do Not Disturb” feature. Silence work emails and messages from work communication platforms.
Resist the urge to check in. Your job can wait. Your mental health cannot.

Take a break.

Real talk: You’re not a machine that is made to work for hours and hours on end. You’re a human being with physical, mental, and emotional limits. It is important to take breaks, as it can help prevent instances of chronic stress and burnout. If you’re allowed to take breaks during your work day, use them accordingly! Try to:

Eat something nourishing.
Take a short walk.
Grab coffee.
Play your comfort game.
Call a friend or family member.

There’s no wrong way to take a break — just make sure it actually helps you disconnect from work, even for a few minutes.

Surround yourself with positive support.

The Beatles said it best in their 1967 track titled “With a Little Help from My Friends.” No matter what industry you are in, remember that some days will resemble battlefields more than walks in the park. And that’s totes fine.

Having a confidante in the form of a friend, family, partner, or even trusted coworker by your side high-key makes a difference. They can listen to your rants, laugh at your jokes, and even teach you how to handle stress at work better.

Mind Your Mental Health Even During the Daily Grind

Every workday is a fresh start — a new chance to handle stressors before they handle you. While good results are not promised daily, knowing the basics of managing workplace stress can help you look forward to better days to come.

If workplace stress has spiraled into intense feelings of anxiety or depression, now may be the right time to answer this assessment and seek help from a mental health professional.

Mind Connect Philippines can help working Filipinos talk to a licensed professional who can listen to their thoughts, help people understand their emotions, and suggest ways to act on mental health problems.

Gain access to information that can help you Mind Your Mental Health better while you work, achieve your goals, and even strengthen your relationships with coworkers and clients.

References:

Share this Article