Tips to Reduce Stress at Work and at Home

Experiencing stress at work and home is common for employees. This makes the need for daily stress reduction essential.

Ongoing exposure to high stress at work and home can lead to mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. It also can result in burnout.

As a result, you must engage in stress reduction techniques throughout each day. These suggestions can help.

Implement these tips to reduce stress at work and home:

Engage in Healthy Habits

Eat nutritious foods, exercise daily, and get adequate sleep at night—also, practice yoga, mindfulness, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques.

Maintain boundaries between your professional and personal life. For instance, establish set work hours. Also, avoid checking email during the evening and on weekends. Additionally, disengage entirely from using electronic devices during set hours.

Take Breaks

Take 10- to 15-minute breaks throughout the day and an hour for lunch. Go for a walk, stretch, or meditate. Or read a book, listen to music, or talk with coworkers on break. Leaving your desk promotes feelings of calm.

Use all your paid time off. Take a vacation, spend time with family and friends, or pursue an exciting activity. Completely disengaging from work lets you come back relaxed and ready to produce.

Monitor Your Stress Triggers

Write down the situations, events, and people who cause a negative physical, mental, or emotional response during a week at work. Include where you were, who was involved, your reaction, and how you felt.

Use your list to evaluate your stress inventory. Look for obvious causes of stress. Perhaps you lack clear expectations or control over your decisions. Or, maybe you have a long commute or an uncomfortable work environment.

Consider how you can reduce the stress related to each situation or event. For instance, you might be behind in your work because you must pick up your child at school every afternoon. You could ask whether another school parent can pick them up. Or, you might arrive at the office an hour earlier to catch up on your work.

Find Support

Talk with family and friends about your stress sources at work and home. Find out whether others face similar problems and how they approach them. Ask for insight and coping mechanisms.

Engage in after-work activities you enjoy. You might meet friends for dinner, participate in a sport, or pursue a hobby. These activities help reduce your stress level.

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