Exactly. Everyone’s been there, so we’re talking about how to manage it and move forward.

Stalk your stress

First thing’s first. Identify the aspects of work that cause you anxiety. Could be looming deadlines or maybe the lack of La Croix in the fridge. Make a list of these stressors and your reactions to them. This helps track patterns so you can break bad habits and embrace good ones.

Now that you know what these stress monsters look like it’s time to rein them in with these four methods:

Treat yo’ self

Don’t let tension sneak into your life and wreak havoc on your health. Use these tricks to ward off pits in your stomach and detach your shoulders from your ears:

• Make sleep a priority – Getting enough sleep at night fights off worries and leaves you rejuvenated.
• Reduce caffeine intake – If you’re having trouble sleeping, make the afternoon a no-caffeine zone. That’s not the only benefit. Caffeine produces an effect in the body similar to anxiety and can contribute to feeling anxious.
• Eat a healthy diet – Your mother was onto something when she said “eat your veggies!” Sticking to a healthy diet is key for your overall health.
• Schedule “you” time – Give some love to your hobbies (especially the silly ones). The benefits of taking time to relax and do things you love extend to the rest of your day.
• Get your exercise – Exercising is a healthy way to cope with stress. Binge eating a gallon of ice cream isn’t a healthy response. I REPEAT – ICE CREAM CAN’T HELP YOU.

Set digital boundaries

It’s time to redefine your relationship with your work devices. Turn them off after hours, turn on your favorite streaming service and dive into relaxation mode.

• Draw a line – Stop work from following you home by drawing appropriate boundaries. Ensure your boss, coworkers, clients etc. know your “on-the-clock” hours and communicate openly about PTO or schedule changes. This helps head off those after-hours client calls.
• Leave work at the office – Remove your work email from your personal phone and snooze Slack notifications – those messages will be there for you tomorrow!
• Organize your time – Set aside time to plan for the week, and find a planning method that works for you. This will give you uninterrupted work time and minimize the chances of forgetting assignments.

Press pause

When scheduling your day, make time for several breaks. The perfect intermission can be anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes. Here at Voltage, we spend our breaks playing with our office pups, chatting with coworkers over a snack or going for a walk outside. We also have an optional 30 minute Mindfulness Moment scheduled every week.

Consider these words of wisdom:

“Tony Schwartz of the Energy Project has shown that if we have intense concentration for about 90 minutes, followed by a brief period of recovery, we can clear the buildup of stress and rejuvenate ourselves.”

(Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/03/20/12-ways-to-eliminate-stress-at-work/#5464f197f290)

Honesty is the best policy

Sadly we aren’t superheroes. We don’t have powers, and we can’t do everything, but being honest about what you can handle goes a long way. Frantically trying to finish a project is no fun, so give yourself and your team practical timelines and avoid over committing.

And there you have it! Go forth and breathe easy. Interested in connecting with us? Give us a call at 303-664-1687 or email us at info@voltagead.com.