Spending most of your time in an office trying to stay on top of projects and different tasks can lead to a huge amount of stress in our bodies. How we feel in the office can seriously affect our wellbeing and the relationships we have elsewhere, and when you consider what’s really important, it’s critical to avoid chronic stress. There are a lot of techniques you can try to keep a balanced, healthy lifestyle both inside and out of the workplace. The following may help if you are feeling a little overwhelmed:
Take a Walk – What better way to destress than to literally pause, take a break, and allow your mind to shift into something healthy and relaxing. A walk can take as little as 10 minutes around your office but can be so beneficial to your mind and work. A short walk allows you to clear your thoughts and get some fresh air which can regenerate your focus and energy and help you be more productive.
Prioritize Work – We’ve all been there. Sitting at our desk overwhelmed with the amount of tasks we have to get accomplished in a just a few amount of hours. Some individuals work well under pressure, but for most, it can be paralyzing and cause anxiety in the office. The best thing you can do when you have a lot to get done, is to make a ‘ to do’ list that you can prioritize from most important to least. This list will allow you to relax and provide some structure to your work day. Staying organized and completing one task at a time will actually increase your work production and make your job much more enjoyable!
Eat & Sleep Well – What you do outside of work really affects your wellbeing within the office. Getting enough sleep is so beneficial when it comes to how alert you will be getting tasks done. You will be in a better mood and you will have the ability to get more done. Along with sleep, what you fuel your body dramatically affects your mind and how you think and feel. The more you take care of your body, the less stress you will accumulate throughout your life.
Breathe – This one is super simple, but we forget it all the time! Breathing is taught in meditation and yoga which are two popular practices to help relax. Even though you’re not in a studio, you can repeat these techniques within your own cubicle and/or office. Set aside all of your tasks and be mindful of your breath and how it makes you feel. An easy technique is called 3-3-3. Which is breathing in for three seconds, hold for three, and exhale for three. Doing this a few times will help you be aware of your surrounds and develop a better sense of reality. Proper breathing does amazing things to our brain so it wouldn’t hurt doing this everyday.
Delegate – Often, there isn’t enough time in the work day to get everything we’d like to accomplish- no matter how hard we try! When this happens, it’s important to know how to delegate different tasks to the right people. Doing so, will allow you to do your best on a few tasks rather than doing ‘alright’ on multiple projects. Just having the option of delegating out different tasks can help alleviate a lot of pressure and stress knowing that not everything falls on your shoulders.
For more insights on marketing strategies that actually work for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!