Reduce Work Stress: Performing a Much-Needed Balancing Act

Your boss just put a project on your desk that needs to be done tomorrow. You have three other deadlines at the end of the week. Your phone keeps ringing. You have a meeting in an hour. Oh, and the daycare called, and your child is sick. Sound familiar?

Working the 8-5 grind while retaining your sanity can be a balancing act. Finding ways to relieve stress at work is key to staving off burnout. You need to focus on finding ways to eliminate unnecessary stress. Now, it would be a ridiculous notion to think you could eliminate all stress from work. That's why it is called work. There are a few things you can do during the day to help yourself.

Take breaks. Lunch break and smaller breaks are given for a reason. Take thirty minutes away from your work at lunch. Get up and walk around in the morning and afternoon. Your work will actually benefit from this. Prolonged work reduces your effectiveness.

Stretch. Get up from your desk. Stretch your arms. Stretch your back. Get your blood pumping. It'll increase your energy level.

Smile. Relax your face muscles. Unclench your teeth. Tension at work can leave you feeling physically exhausted.

Walk away. Sometimes that confrontation you had with a coworker or a customer on the phone can be really stressful. Instead of stewing over it at your desk, get up and walk to the break room and get some water. Take your break early. Go outside and get a breath of fresh air. Go vent to a trusted co-worker/friend.

Find the right mindset. Are you going to let that guy yelling at you on the phone ruin your entire day? How big a deal is it in the grand scheme of things? Are you going to remember next week? Next month?

Create a friendly atmosphere. Decorate your desk/office in such a manner that there are pleasing things to look at. Put up a picture of your family. Maybe add a picture of your favorite vacation. When work just seems to much, take a moment, close your eyes and imagine yourself there.

Find a hobby. Hobbies are extremely important for mental health. Find something you enjoy doing and invest time and energy into doing it.

Take care of your physical health. Diet and Exercise are proven stress reducers. Eating the right combination of foods along with a healthy amount of exercise will increase your energy levels and reduce your stress levels.

Leave work stress at work. Don't take it home with you. It can be an easy thing to go home and complain to your partner about the day you just had. Odds are, they had a crappy day too and aren't going to have the reaction you want. Don't let it consume your life outside of work.