How to manage stress in the workplace

Workplace stress management is vitally important for employees in every industry. High levels of workplace stress impact both the individual worker and the entire company. Businesses experience lower productivity, reduced work engagement, and higher employee turnover when their employees are chronically stressed. Workers may suffer from physical, emotional, and mental symptoms of stress at work. Properly managing work stress can create a more pleasant and productive environment for everyone involved.

Recognize the signs of workplace stress

“84% of workers indicate that their workplace conditions contribute to at least one mental health challenge.”

Some degree of stress at work may be inevitable, but you shouldn’t experience so much stress that you’re suffering from disruptive health conditions. The American Psychological Association reports that 59% of employees experience some type of negative impact from workplace stress. Over a quarter of employees have a lack of energy, motivation, or interest, 21% have trouble focusing, 17% experience negative thoughts, and 15% suffer from anger and irritability toward customers or coworkers. Some common effects of stress include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Muscle aches and pains
• Back pain
• Difficulty sleeping
• High blood pressure
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Changes in appetite
• Nervous behaviors such as nail biting, pacing, or fidgeting
• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching
• Depression, anxiety, or moodiness
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty concentrating

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, 84% of workers indicate that their workplace conditions contribute to at least one mental health challenge. It’s important to recognize when excessive or chronic stress has become a serious issue. Ask yourself, “How do I manage stress at work?” Consider it a worrisome red flag if your answer includes any of the following:

• Regularly consuming alcohol after work to unwind
• Overeating or undereating
• Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine
• Sleeping too much when you’re off work
• Using illegal or unsafe drugs
• Relying on sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medications, or muscle relaxants in response to workplace stress
• Smoking or chewing tobacco

Talk to your doctor if you’re suffering from chronic health problems of any kind so you can rule out other possible causes and determine whether stress is the ultimate culprit.

How to reduce stress at work

Wherever possible, the best strategy for handling stress at work is to get rid of it altogether. If you can identify the source of your stress, you may be able to eliminate or minimize that stressor. Try the following tactics to make your professional environment and experience more pleasant.

Speak up for yourself

Workplace stress often results from unfair working conditions such as an inappropriately low salary or lack of upward mobility. You may be able to resolve some of these issues by advocating for yourself. A third of employees report that if they could get just one extra perk at work, it would be more money. If you’re struggling with chronic stress because your salary is too low to support your family, ask for a raise or seek better-paying employment. 

If you’re struggling with work-life balance, ask your employer about remote work opportunities a few days a week. If you think you deserve a promotion, put your name in the running when a better position becomes available. If you’re already doing more work than you should, revisit the job description for your position or check your employment contract. Respectfully point out that you’re essentially doing a higher-level job without the accompanying salary or benefits. 

When you advocate for yourself calmly and professionally, you will often find that your superiors are more than willing to consider your requests and make adjustments to help relieve the stress you’re feeling on the job. If you can’t achieve the workplace conditions that you need in your current job, consider building a profile on CareerBuilder so new employers have the opportunity to find you.

Set boundaries

Workplace stress becomes a serious issue when these concerns follow you home from the office. Set boundaries to leave your professional concerns at work so you can create a haven for yourself at home. Clarify the nature of work emergencies so you’re disturbed as little as possible outside of working hours.

Make it clear to clients and colleagues that you’re only available for routine needs during set office hours. Don’t check your work emails from home. If you have a separate cell phone for work, turn it off in the evenings and send work messages straight to voicemail. If these restrictions are too strict for your job, at least give yourself a break during dinner and overnight by turning off your devices during those times. 

Find a satisfying workload

Workplace stress can result from both too much and too little responsibility. A Qualtrics survey found that a whopping 79% of respondents were at or beyond their workload capacity. This is an obvious contributor to stress at work. If your workload is unmanageable, it’s important to reassess your methods and consult with management to find a better approach to your daily duties.

On the other end of the spectrum, you may suffer from the stress of having too little to do or finding too little meaning and satisfaction in your work. Employees who don’t feel challenged often suffer from workplace burnout. Burnout is the result of chronic stress at work. Employees who are burnt out are less productive, efficient, energetic, motivated, and enthusiastic.

How to cope with stress at work

Implement some intentional strategies for handling stress when it’s unavoidable. These tactics will help you stay healthy and productive even when you’re facing difficult challenges.

Take brain breaks

In school, teachers often provide students with brain breaks that shift mental focus from one type of activity to another to facilitate optimal learning. This is a science-based strategy that allows brain chemicals to replenish themselves in resting pathways while other parts of the brain take over. You can utilize this same approach as an adult by scheduling breaks throughout the day where you shift focus to another activity so your neurotransmitters can replenish themselves in overused parts of the brain.

Set your alarm to go off about every two hours. Step away from the task at hand and move to a different type of activity. If you’ve been locked into a spreadsheet, use this time to make a phone call or catch up with colleagues at the water cooler. If you just stepped out of a meeting, switch to a solitary task like working on a report. Changing your activities often will help reduce stress and ultimately boost productivity.

Practice stress release

Find a few strategies that help you effectively release stress. Experiment with different options until you find an approach that works for you. Build a toolbox that includes at least two or three go-to tactics for stress release. Options include:

• Muscle relaxation practices
• Breathing exercises
• Yoga stretches
• Short meditations
• Journaling

Keep your body healthy

Your body can’t combat stress if it’s not in prime condition. Take care of yourself by maintaining a healthy diet with minimal sugars, caffeine, and processed foods. Fresh produce, whole grains, and lean proteins are the best fuel you can find. Coffee and snack cakes may feel good when you’re stressed out, but they won’t deliver the same restorative and health benefits as an apple and peanut butter or a juicy orange and a handful of mixed nuts.

Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. If you have time, a brisk walk on your lunch break is a great way to get your blood flowing and reinvigorate yourself for the second half of the day.

Understanding how to cope with stress at work can dramatically change your experience on the job. Eliminate what you can, and cope with what you can’t so you can excel at your job and get optimal enjoyment and satisfaction from every part of your life.

More tips for managing stress at work

• Learn how to identify burnout as well as avoid it so you can maintain your enthusiasm and engagement at work.
• Are you stressing out about your job even though you work from home? Tackle your daily to-do’s in a better way to optimize your day and combat stressors.
• Add National Stress Awareness Day to your calendar and set aside time to educate yourself and your coworkers about better stress management on the job.