In today's demanding, fast-paced world, people can potentially be working 24/7. If your work email is synced to your smart phone, it's easy to check your email on the way home from work, in the middle of the night, at your child's soccer practice.
Even if you’re not checking email, when work is stressful to you, chances are good it stays on your mind, perhaps worming its way into your sleep. The end result: you never truly get away from work.
Work stress = bad news
The effects of self-neglect can pile up: You might not have time to go shopping or prepare dinner, leaving you less healthy dining options. No time for yourself can also mean not exercising, which can lead to weight gain, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Stress can also give you anxiety; contribute to depression; cause problems with your sleep; and create feelings of helplessness.
When you're stressed, your body pumps out stress hormones: epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. You need those hormones in acute situations, like the fabled saber-tooth tiger our ancestors fought off. But today, our stresses are frequent and multiple; yet our bodies are still putting out these acute-response chemicals that, over time, can be harmful to your body.
What you can do
Although it might feel like just one more thing on your to-do list, you can get a handle on work-related stress.
1. Identify the problem
The first step is to notice how much you're working and how little time you have for yourself.
Plot out your day, all 24 hours of it. How much are you sleeping? When are you working? In addition to your office time, are you logging hours at home or during your commute by checking and responding to emails?
Plot out how much time you're at work and all the times that you're doing work. See how much time you have left. Is it adequate for your self-care needs?
2. Learn – and regularly practice – relaxation strategies
If work is constantly on your mind, and you are dissatisfied with that, there are things you can do.
If you're anxious about work, practice relaxation and mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing or guided imagery. For example, in guided imagery you might use a CD or book to guide your imagination to a relaxed, focused state by helping you imagine yourself in a peaceful setting.
3. In the moment, breathe
Mindfulness experts recommend simple techniques to use in stressful moments.
A good way to know if you're stressed is to check your belly; if it's tight, try to relax it. Then you may notice that not just your belly but your whole body is clenched. When you notice that, consider: can you release that tension for a moment?
4. Make use of the silver bullet: exercise
Make sure you exercise regularly; research has shown that in addition to its physical benefits, exercise improves your mood and decreases your anxiety. Aim for 30 minutes a day, most days of the week.
Do your circumstances allow for a change, but you're just not changing? If the circumstances don't allow for any change, is it possible you could change the circumstance?
5. Seek a professional's perspective
If getting a handle on your work stress is proving harder than you anticipated, you may need to talk to a counselor about other factors at the root, like anxiety or the depression.
6. Look within
Do your circumstances allow for a change, but you're just not changing? If the circumstances don't allow for any change, is it possible you could change the circumstance?
Changing jobs is an option, but before taking that dramatic step ask yourself this question: Do you generally react to stress in this way? If you're fine outside of work, and you're able to relax, then it's likely some aspect of work may be the culprit. But it may not always be your demanding boss: It could still be you.
Is your stress something you're putting on your work? For instance, is it possible you have unrealistic expectations that are causing your stress? If so, consider relaxation techniques or talk therapy.
But if the answer is objectively an external source like the amount of work, your supervisor or your coworkers, then it might be time to think about another job — one that will give you the work-life balance you need to be happy and healthy.
