

10 tips for reducing workplace stress


Stress in the workplace can not only have an impact on your role, but it can also have a detrimental effect on your health. Understanding how to avoid workplace stress, or deal with stress once it occurs is vital for all employees and will significantly improve job satisfaction. Take a look below as we explore our top 10 tips for reducing workplace stress.

  1. Start your day as you mean to go on

A stressful day can begin before you have even entered your workplace, as a result of rushing, traffic or any number of things. Effectively planning your morning can make a huge difference, so set your alarm early enough, lay out your work clothes ready for the morning, have a nutritious breakfast and leave plenty of time for your commute.

  1. Learn effective organisational techniques

Many times, stress comes as a result of a busy workload that an employee finds hard to keep up with. Prioritising tasks effectively comes from great organisation, which can be done in many ways. Often, we have found that making detailed lists or spreadsheets helps employees to gain insight into what needs to be completed and are subsequently able to organise the list in order of importance.

  1. Understand time management

Everyone will have experienced a moment of panic when they struggle to complete a task on time but this added stress is one that can be avoided with effective time management. More often than not time runs away from you due to distractions, in the workplace this is often caused by continually checking and responding to emails in the midst of other work. We would highly recommend setting aside three periods of time in a day to check and respond to emails, so that you aren’t juggling multiple tasks at once.

  1. Keep your workspace comfortable

Physical discomfort in the workplace can also lead to stress and therefore it is essential that employers and employees ensure that they are comfortable in their working environment. Whether it is an uncomfortable chair, improperly aligned computer screens or office noise, they can all impact on how stressed you feel in work, and therefore how effectively you work.

  1. Take time at lunch for yourself

It is a common habit for people, particularly those that work in an office, to eat lunch at their desk. However, research has found that stepping away from your workspace over your lunch break can greatly improve stress levels and therefore make you much more productive once you return to work.

  1. Speak to co-workers

Cultivating positive relationships with colleagues can be highly conducive for a stress-free working life. These work friends provide you with a support system within the workplace, therefore if you do happen to feel stressed they can be a great way to vent your frustrations, ask for help or simply someone to talk to during break times.

  1. Set realistic goals

It is a great idea to set yourself goals when it comes to work, particularly those working to certain time constraints. However, these goals must remain realistic; in setting goals that couldn’t possibly be accomplished in time will ultimately add to stress levels and impact quality of work.

  1. Separate your work and home life effectively

For some roles it may be necessary to work outside of normal working hours on occasion, however more and more people are working much longer than they are contracted to, as well as checking and responding to emails at evenings and weekends. Setting boundaries as to where your work life ends for the day and home life begins is key to reducing stress levels.

  1. Talk with managers/ supervisors

According to research, a happy workforce is 12% more productive than an unhappy workforce, therefore if you are experiencing stress in the workplace we would highly recommend you arrange a meeting with a manager or supervisor to discuss how the source of your stress can be resolved.

  1. Consider a change

If all else fails and your working life is still causing you a significant amount of stress, then it may be time to consider a move. From our experience, if an employee is unhappy with the work they are carrying out, then they are unlikely to be in their ideal career.

Are you seeking a new workplace to reduce stress levels? Speak to the team here at Flex Recruitment today to discuss making your move into a brand new role.