In Part 2, I looked at factors that can cause stress in the workplace. Now, I am going to focus on some stress busting techniques in the workplace. I have written about stress and work life balance before. But here are some reminders and some new tips that are aimed at keeping the stress levels as low as possible.
BODY
- Get moving! This can be anything from simply getting up and walking around the office. But it is also things like taking the stairs rather than the lift. Leaving the building for your lunch hour and going for a walk. But the secret is: get away from your desk!
- Breathe! I have written about 7/11 breathing elsewhere on this site. But any breathing where you breathe out for more counts than breathing in, will work. And this you can do at your desk and no-one will know you are doing it.
- Muscle relaxation. You can do this along with the breathing. As you breathe in, tighten a set of muscles. As you breathe out, relax them. Start at your toes and work your way up your legs, into your abdomen, down your arms to your fingertips.
MIND
- Manage expectations: Do you expect too much from yourself? Do you expect too much from your employer or employees?
- Reframe expectations: You might have heard of Growth Mindset which is the idea that abilities and intelligence are not fixed and can grow. Human Givens calls this REFRAMING. Instead of saying: “I cannot do this!” train yourself to say something like: “I have not mastered that skill YET.”
- Stand back: Observe in a more objective way. Inspect your own thought processes and see the bigger picture.
- Guided Imagery: This is something that a coach, therapist or counsellor can show you. It involves a state of deep relaxation and then using your imagination to rehearse situations. It is very powerful.
BEHAVIOUR
- Learn new skills: You might be lacking in skills or you have skills that need tweaking. Our brain loves to learn. Give it a job to do and it will not let you down.
If you would like some help learning how to manage workplace stress, click here to call or to send me an email.
If you are interested in learning more about the Human Givens approach to stress in the workplace, I highly recommend this course on Stress in the Workplace that is offered through The Human Givens College. This 3 part blog is a very brief summary of what the day has to offer.