How to Deal with Workplace Stress

Workplace stress can get the best of us all. After years of “unprecedented times” and being always on, working from home with little to no boundaries, countless emails, Zoom meetings, and Slack messages, it’s enough to make anyone frazzled. 

Feeling tension is normal and there are days when work isn’t going to be rainbows and butterflies, but if workplace stress becomes chronic it can affect your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Below are some tips to keep workplace stress to a minimum!

Tips to Deal with Workplace Stress

1. Start your day off right. Do you have a morning routine? A morning routine allows you to set a positive, productive tone for the day. Take control of your day and schedule - don’t allow it to take control of you! Creating a morning routine does not mean checking off the most boxes possible, but rather it allows you to start your day with peace, confidence, and a positive attitude.
   
   Our Founder, Meredith Mitnick, starts her routine the night before so she is set up for success in the morning. Meredith said, “I always set out a glass of water in a mason jar before I go to bed. This way, I wake up & I have no excuse not to drink it first thing. Then I make my bed even before I get my kids up. That way I’ve already started my day feeling that I’ve immediately accomplished something.”

2. Be Clear on Job Expectations. One of the top causes of job burnout? Unclear job expectations. Do you know exactly what is expected of you and your role? Do you have clear deadlines? Or are requirements and job duties constantly changing?
   
   Take time to meet with your supervisor and create a clear outline of your role expectations and discuss strategies for meeting them. This will help alleviate stress for both of you!

3. Stay organized. Even if you tend to be a disorganized person, take a few moments to organize your day before you get started. Plan ahead so that you can remain stress free. Set realistic goals and deadlines for projects, make a priority list of tasks for your day/week/month/quarter, and protect your time. It is so important to block time out to work on an especially important or difficult project without interruption - you can even break these larger projects into smaller steps!
   
   Find yourself a system/platform you like and commit to sticking to it. Some great options are Trello, Asana, Airtable & ClickUp (yep it’s an affiliate link). You can check out more tips for how getting organized will boost your career. 

4. Get that R&R. This doesn’t mean you need to take tons of time off of work or an extended vacation. By taking even a few moments during a busy day for yourself, you can help prevent burnout. Go for a walk at lunch or jam out to your favorite tunes on the way home.
   
   Be sure to set boundaries around your working hours so that you can “switch off” and disconnect from work so that you don’t spend time at home checking work-related emails and messages.

If you feel that your workplace stress is becoming unmanageable, it may be time to consider a career change. 

Working hard should not be confused with overworking - especially not at the expense of your mental and physical health. A friendly reminder, that we all deal with stress differently & it’s always ok to ask for more help & support. If you implement these tips, talk with family and friends for support, etc. and you continue to feel overwhelmed by workplace stress, you may want to consider seeking professional help from a licensed mental health professional.