You’re running late for work. You hit three red lights in a row. Someone took your parking space. It’s a flippin’ long walk. When you finally get in, your computer decides to have a full-blown meltdown. You come up with an alternative. You get given extra work. You head down to the photocopier. It jams and you can’t find the problem. A couple of people come in behind you. You try to explain and they look at you like you took a dump on their desk, photos, and left a post-it note on top, insulting their outfit. You go back to your desk and look at your calendar. Are those really due on Friday? You pop in to the break room for a quick cuppa. It goes quiet. Is Lisa talking about you? You notice agitated expressions on even the most seasoned professionals. There are whispers about job losses all day. You work late.
Sound familiar? I too have spent hours, days and months stressing out about everything from a passive aggressive email to my future employment. And while it’s becoming almost impossible to escape stress with job cuts and extra responsibilities at work, it has been proven that prolonged stress can weaken your immune system, cause anxiety, depression, and even increase blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack. With this is mind, how can we keep stress under control? Here are seven quick ways to reduce stress that are scientifically proven and Grace approved.
1. Stretching
Yep, you read that right. Taking at least 60 seconds to stretch during the day has been found to be a great way to reduce stress! Aila Accad on behalf of the Honor Society of Nursing (STTI), states that “energy becomes stagnant from sitting too long at your desk or in front of the computer…. A good stretch decreases stress and increases energy.” When you stretch, you boost your circulation and this increases your energy, making you more productive. Taking a little break to stretch can put you in a better frame of mind to do what you need to do. Here are 5 stretches that you can do at work:
2. Do something that you enjoy
If you’re always working, you’re neglecting yourself. Self-care is important too, so go get an ice cream, do some drawing or spend time with a pet. Whatever you do, do something that makes you smile! Interestingly, spending time with a pet is especially effective. Scientists have found that simply petting a cat or a dog considerably lowers your blood pressure and reduces Cortisol levels caused by stress. TIME wrote an article about the effect of animals on mental health last year. Even just taking 15 minutes to do something that you enjoy each day will make you feel happier. And if you’re happier, then you’ll feel less stressed.
3. Talk about it
When stress comes-a-creeping, talking about it could be the last thing on your mind. For one, you may not have the time, and two, you may not have the opportunity. We all know, however, that stress will only build to a certain point before it erupts out of you like Vesuvius. A problem shared is a problem halved. Call your mum, granny, talk to your girlfriends, or anyone that you trust. Talking about it not only feels good, but it can also help you problem-solve aloud. Don’t let your stress/problems consume you. Lessen their power over you by setting them free.
4. Laugh
It’s time to get out your Friends boxset or book a ticket to your local Comedy Festival, because laughter fills your body and lungs with oxygen which makes your brain release endorphins, making you feel happier. Laughing also boosts your immune system and helps your brain release natural pain relievers, particularly beneficial if you get stress-related muscle spasms. Laughter is incredibly effective at reducing stress. Who knew? I’m off to get some popcorn.
5. Unplug
I’ve discussed our curse/blessing of living in the digital era before. On the one hand, we have access to information at the click of a button and can connect with more people and faster than ever before. On the other, we are bombarded by notifications, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content being posted each day, and let’s not forget, risking our privacy and security. Have you ever considered the toll technology is taking on your stress levels? Trying to keep up with social media may only be adding to your stress levels, so give yourself a break. Why don’t you spend the time reading a book, going for a walk or participating in a tech-free hobby? I’m not saying that you have to give up social media completely, just give yourself permission to take a break and unplug every now and again. You’ll be surprised by how much more relaxed you feel.
6. Sleep
It may seem unproductive to sleep when you could be working, but it’s really important to get enough sleep in order to function at your optimal level. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep a night in order to reduce the levels and effects of stress. Dr Raymonde Jean, Director of Sleep Medicine and Associate Director of Critical Care at St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Centre in New York City believes, “[With sleep] people can have better control of their blood pressure. It’s also believed that sleep affects cholesterol levels, which plays a significant role in heart disease.” For those of you who can get away with 3-7 hours, (lucky you) you have no excuse! Surely you can find a few hours to recharge and feel ready to take on the day?
Napping in times of stress can also be beneficial. I’m sure you can think of a time when you were tired and stressed and practically bit the head off anyone who even looked at you the wrong way. *Cough cough* (Sorry, babe.) Tackle that with a nap! According to The Sleep Foundation, napping for 20-30 minutes can “help to improve mood, alertness and performance.” A short nap shouldn’t interfere with your night time sleep and if it can help you tackle stress and give you the energy needed to work better, it’s a win all-round!
7. Pray/meditate
Praying or meditating is a simple stress reliever that anyone can do, at any time. In the book, The SuperStress Solution, Dr. Roberta Lee dedicates a section to spirituality and prayer. “Research shows that people who are more religious or spiritual use their spirituality to cope with life,” she says. How so? Well, when you pray, you believe you are talking with a higher power. As a result, you are vocalising those thoughts that may be stressing you out and are putting in faith in someone/something else to sort it out for you. Religion also provides you with a support base, reinforces your belief system, gives you guidelines on how to live and attaches meaning to events which inspires hope. Dr Lee notes that “[Those who are religious or spiritual are] better able to cope with stress, heal faster from illness, and experience increased benefits to their health and well-being… Spirituality connects you to the world, which enables you to stop trying to control things all by yourself. When you feel part of a greater whole, it’s easy to understand that you aren’t responsible for everything that happens in life.”
We’ve all heard of meditation. It involves sitting still in a relaxed position, usually with your eyes closed, focusing on your breathing and being present in the moment for 10-20 minutes. (If this seems too long, you can always work yourself up to it.) But how does meditation reduce stress? Well, if you’re stressed, what’s going on in your mind? It’s racing around – you replay what happened in the past and worry about what will happen in the future. You aren’t here in the present. Being present means letting go of those thoughts that cause you stress. Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School states, “If you have unproductive worries, you can train yourself to experience those thoughts completely differently… Mindfulness teaches you to recognise, ‘Oh, there’s that thought again. I’ve been here before. But it’s just that—a thought, and not a part of my core self.’” A number of studies show that meditation eases psychological stress such as anxiety, depression and pain.
Stress is inevitable in this day and age. With increased responsibilities and less job security, I’d be surprised if you weren’t stressed! Before you burn out, try these seven ways to reduce stress. Simple actions can have big results!
Want to take this a step further? Access my free resource library and download the Stress Less Workbook now.
Have you got any other stress-busting tips? Comment below. We need all the help we can get!
P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on my socials to keep up to date with new content.
Peace out!
Grace x
