The smartphone and the internet have revolutionized our daily lives, bringing a revolution of information, usability, and convenience. However, constant connectivity comes at a price, and it has permeated the work world. If in the past, work ended at a certain hour, today the virtual keyboard is always with us. The boundaries between work and home have blurred, and various studies show that stress and anxiety levels are rising over the years, not just at home but also at work.
Are We Stressed? How Can We know that?
It might sound strange, but we’re not always aware if we’re stressed or if something is just happening “in the back of our minds.” Symptoms of stress can include a wide range of phenomena: rapid heartbeat, headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, exhaustion, mood changes, appetite changes, and more.
If your phone is constantly ringing, or rather you have dozens of WhatsApp messages, emails keep coming, and you’re racing against the clock, barely managing to eat lunch, and always worried about work, you’re probably stressed. Beyond the unpleasant feeling, stress can harm our productivity at work and complicate our relationships, both at work and outside it.
The good news is that stress can be managed. You can be healthier, more efficient, and maintain better relationships with your colleagues. The interest is mutual—both for employees and employers. To escape this pressure cooker, we’ve gathered some tips to help reduce work stress (and in life, actually).
How to Deal with This Stress? Task Organization First
First and foremost, set priorities. The natural tendency is to “clear the desk,” focus on simple, small tasks, and avoid more complex and challenging issues. The problem is that, in the long run, this doesn’t work. It’s important to arrange tasks by their importance and act in an organized manner. One well-known method is to divide tasks into four categories: important and urgent, not important and urgent, important and not urgent, not important and not urgent. Good luck.
Secondly, delegate tasks. Sometimes we feel that explaining something to someone else will take more time than doing the work ourselves. In most cases, this isn’t true. Don’t try to handle all the tasks yourself, and free up your time for the important (and urgent) things.
Your Immediate Environment and Meals – What About Them?
Working in a cluttered space filled with distractions can make it difficult to focus on work, affecting motivation and productivity over time. Wasting time searching for needed items, background noise, and conversations that disrupt our attention—all these can be problematic. Understand what hinders your concentration and productivity and act accordingly—organize your workspace.
Sometimes, a change of scenery can get us out of a rut. Try temporarily disconnecting and find a quieter, more relaxed place. Take a short walk, even daily. If you can’t leave the office, visit the kitchen or walk around the corridors. You’ll be surprised how a few minutes of walking can reduce stress and increase productivity.
It may seem obvious, but during stressful periods, we tend to forget the most basic things. Recharge your batteries and make sure to eat proper meals. Instead of eating while working at the screen, take the time to have a real break to refresh your body and mind. Don’t rely on snacks to save time; nourish yourself with what’s good for you.
The Bottom Line – Shared Interest and Personal Responsibility
Feeling stressed? Take control of the situation. The interest is mutual, but the responsibility is personal. If you’re not feeling stressed (yet…), it’s important to maintain a daily routine that allows for rest, breaks, creating interest, and recharging so you can be productive. And if you’re already stressed — don’t worry, you can learn to control what you can change here and now, and it can help in the immediate term.