While many of us need a certain level of stress to achieve peak performance, too much stress can take its toll, increasing the risk of job burnout, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hypertension, and frequent illnesses. The more an organization can do to reduce stress on the job – and the more individuals can do to better manage the stress in their lives – the safer the workplace.
Employees can better manage workplace stress by implementing the following:
- Eat a balanced and nutritious diet starting with breakfast, and get a good night’s sleep.
- Volunteer time and services; doing something for others can help a person forget their own problems and increase self-esteem.
- Seek professional help; use employee assistance programs or participate in special therapy that can teach ways to better manage the problems causing stress.
- Keep moving – studies show that exercising for 30 minutes a day reduces stress.
- Learn to express your feelings – you don’t have to face problems alone.
- Determine the source of the stress; if it can’t be removed from your life, learn to cope by developing a systematic and rational way of thinking through the situation and taking control by figuring out options to better handle the problem.
You will never completely remove stress from your life, but identifying and managing stressors can help you maintain a positive and healthy lifestyle.