Is stress getting to you at work? Are you losing sleep? Your appetite? Your sex drive? Or maybe your hair? Then it might be time to explore your options in dealing with it.
5. Schedule Time Off - Sometimes we need time away from something to prevent mental illness. What was that you say? There is a light at the end of the tunnel? The truth is you deserve time away, you've accumulated that PTO (if you're a permanent employee of course), and now you should reap what benefits you've sown. A little road trip? A cruise? An out of state flight? or maybe just some bum time staying inside your house without shaving?
For the love of god stop calling off sick would you? Everyone knows you hate your job. In fact, the boss is already working on your replacement. Most people would agree that calling off sick is a scary thing to do. To this day I have employees who text when they are not going to be in that day. Schedule the time off! Not only will you not feel guilty, you'll feel great about it! It will give you something to look forward to and your boss a reason to keep you off his/her radar.
4. Uninstall Java- This is a hard one, but it could make a world of difference in stress in the workplace. Giving up coffee could make those headaches a thing of the past. Studies show caffeine can have a withdrawal effect that could render you useless when it comes to focusing in your place of employment. Caffeine gives the body a temporary fix to a permanent problem. Try waking up naturally, take your showers in the morning, and start eating breakfast daily. You know those ugly bags under your eyes? The ones that give you that disgusting tired look? That's from caffeine.
Switch to tea or decaf coffee. If you can't give up Java then at least cut your daily intake in half. Caffeine stays in the body for 5 to 9 hours. Most peaks range from 15 minutes to 120 minutes after your first cup. Caffeine withdrawals can cause irritability, crankiness, headaches, tremors, hot flashes, itching, dry mouth and crush your ability to focus. Unless you have an IV in your arm hooked up to your local Starbucks, I would consider uninstalling Java.
3. Changing Your Commute- Are you one of the unfortunate souls who commute to work everyday? Have you gave some serious thought into public transportation? Studies show people who take public transportation have lower stress levels throughout the day then people who commute to and from work everyday. Make sense? Look into a local train or bus that runs through the city you work in, stay the night at a friend or family members house in the area a couple nights a week or look into the possibilities of carpooling.
Imagine the snoozing and snoring you could do when you don't have to watch the road. Let someone else ride the breaks. Consider being a passenger even if its only one day a week. Take a load off and relax, you'll thank yourself later.
2. Gauge Your Sleep- Sometimes too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Did you know you can oversleep? Yes, and when you wake up you will feel awful. This one is personal for me because I changed my sleep pattern and it really helped me.
I used to sleep 8 hours a night, wake up and still feel tired. I would yawn all day, I was starting to think I was just a lazy person. Until one night, I only slept 4 hours. The next morning I woke up feeling great. Throughout the day I was alert and more focused than ever. Most importantly though, when it came to bed time, I was ready for it. My point is everyone has different requirements for sleep. Sometimes you need more, sometimes you need less. Have you ever had a night you kept waking up every hour? Your body is trying to tell you that your battery is charged. Gauge your sleep pattern - determine if its more or less sleep you need. If something isn't working, its time to try something else.
1. Take Your Breaks- This is one of the most important, overlooked work related stress relievers of all. Most people work right through their break, especially at desk jobs. This puts a major amount of stress on your body's resources. Get up and take a walk, relieve some of that built up anxiety and tension. You are giving yourself a lot of grief by skipping your leisure. Not only is it against the law, but nobody notices you didn't take a break until you're lying on the ground complaining of chest pains.
Stop being a hero and take a stroll outside! Get some fresh air!