Ever have those days when you feel like you might drown under all the work and stress? When quitting sounds easier than trying to complete all the items on your to-do list? I’ve been there!
When I’m stressed, exercise is always my go-to reliever. But on busy days, the idea of taking a quick walk break stresses me out more because it means less work time! Try these eight ways of reducing work-related stress – all without leaving the office.
1. Drink some water
Sometimes we can go long periods at work without rehydrating. It’s not going to reduce your workload, but you’ll be surprised how much better your body feels once your cells are replenished with a little H2O.
2. Sit up straighter and relax your shoulders
When stress hits, our bodies natural instinct is to tighten; we go into flight or fight mode. While this may have been helpful when our ancestors were being chased by wild animals, it’s pretty useless when you have 20 urgent emails in your inbox. Shake off this reflex by perching on the edge of your chair and relaxing your shoulders down your back. A deep breath while you do this will help too.
3. Square breathing for eight rounds
You may have heard your yoga teacher talk about the square breathing method. Thing is, it’s not just for yoga class. You don’t have to close your eyes or even stop working. Just count silently in your head to inhale, hold, exhale, hold, for four seconds each. Repeat for eight rounds, or until you feel all zen inside.
4. Go upside down
No need to flip over into a headstand or handstand for this one. Studies show that bringing blood flow to the brain can relieve stress and increase energy, so you’ll be relaxed and able to hold out on that afternoon coffee break.
If you have a bit of privacy, simply lower your head below your knees while seated and hold for five breaths. Slowly roll back to an upright seated position when finished. If you don’t have privacy at work, my trick is to head to the bathroom and do a quick forward fold in the stall.
5. Drink green tea
Did you know green tea is what Buddhist monks have been drinking for thousands of years to prepare for meditation sessions?
Although usually caffeinated, green tea releases slower than coffee into the bloodstream, so you don’t crash later or get those coffee jitters. Prepare for some clear-minded productivity time.
This is my favorite brand of green tea. And if you’re a matcha fan, this is what I use.
6. Stand up and twist
It’s amazing how a little stretch break can work wonders. While you’re on the phone, talking to a colleague, or just gazing out the window, gently twist the torso towards the left, placing the left hand on the lower back, and twist. Repeat towards the right side. Make it as discrete or obvious as you want. (I prefer to do my exaggerated stretching in the bathroom where I get a little more privacy!)
7. Close out of unnecessary windows
When our brains are overstimulated, stress can arise from attempting to make sense of it all. If you are the type to have 30 different browser tabs, ten drafted emails and another five excel spreadsheets open at once, try to close out of everything that isn’t related to your current task at hand.
An organized work environment – even on our screens – can lead to a happier mindset and less anxiety.
8. Remember you’re just one person
When you feel overwhelmed by how much you need to get done on a given day or week, remember you are simply one person. There are over seven billion people all over this earth living their lives. In the grand scheme of the world and universe, if you finish the quarterly expense reports at 4pm, and not 2pm like the boss wanted, is the building going to collapse? Will anyone starve to death? Sometimes a little perspective can help us get a handle on runaway emotions and stress.
