Four Steps to Reduce Stress at Work

The Chris McKay Radio Show

According to the experts at Forbes, the average business professional has 30 to 100 projects on their plate at any given time. Modern employees are interrupted seven times an hour and distracted up to 2.1 hours a day. Plus four out of 10 people working at large companies are experiencing corporate restructuring, and are facing uncertainty regarding their futures. Perhaps this is why more than 40% of adults say they lie awake at night plagued by the stressful events of the day.

Signs of job related stress include headaches, trouble sleeping, problems concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, and low morale. Workplace associated stress comes in different forms, but ultimately it affects your mind and body. There are steps you can take to reduce stress at work so it doesn’t take over.

1. Meet with Your Manager – Start scheduling one-on-one sessions with your manager to touch base and keep the lines of communication open. Use these meetings as an opportunity to reconnect with your manager so you are both on the same page. Don’t wait until these meetings to let your manager know you are stressed.
2. Organize Your Workspace – Clutter = chaos. It might feel like something to add to your already long “to-do” list, but cleaning up your workspace will ultimately help eliminate stress by allowing easier access to files, documents and whatever else you might need to find on a daily basis. Prioritize your projects and consolidate the stacks of work – you might even find you have less to do than you thought once you’re organized.
3. Practice Time Management – Time management is essential when it comes to meeting project deadlines without feeling stressed. Just like organizing your workspace, you need to organize your tasks with some sort of planner, whether it’s written, on your computer or even on your smartphone using an app. List daily tasks and priorities along with approaching deadlines. You’ll get an overall picture of what to focus on each day and as long as you don’t procrastinate, you should reduce your stress.
4. Avoid Interruptions – Yes, it sounds easier than it is, but by limiting distractions and focusing on the task at hand, you can help eliminate stress. Emails, phone calls, pop-ups, instant messages and sudden, urgent deadlines conspire to make you more distracted than ever. While you may not have control over the interrupters, you can control your response. You can train those around you by answering email during certain windows, setting up office hours to talk in person or closing the door when you need to focus.

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