10 Simple Stress Reduction Secrets For The Office

The typical office is not exactly the ideal location for somebody who is prone to or suffering from anxiety and stress. I mean, let’s face it, going to work is often what causes that stress in the first place.

But, we all need to pay our bills, so going to the work is usually a necessary evil, which means you need to find a way to deal with being there for seven or eight hours a day – without triggering constant anxiety attacks.

And that can be easier said than done – unless you have a variety of coping tools at your disposal, and that’s exactly what this report is all about.

Start Off On The Right Foot

The tone for the entire day can be set before you even walk out of your front door.

Yes, that’s right – there are a few preparatory things you can at home that can reduce your anxiety and stress levels once you get to work.

Some of the key factors here include:

1. Start the day with some deep breathing exercises, to calm you down.
2. Make sure your breakfast is truly nutritious, and not some hastily microwaved fast food that is neither good for your body nor your mental state. (We have another report about foods that can help reduce anxiety.)
3. Plan, mentally and physically, for the day ahead. For example, you likely know the people you may encounter who rub you up the wrong way, so accept the inevitable, since you probably cannot avoid them, and when you do come across them, you’ll be better prepared. If you have a presentation to make, then ensure you’ve got all your materials ready and you’ve rehearsed it, in front of a mirror if necessary. If parking is likely an issue, then either leave a bit earlier, or again, just accept that which you cannot change, if it’s truly out of your control.

Avoid Ambiguity

Most humans do not like uncertainty, and if you’re unsure what is expected of you, then this will likely raise your anxiety levels.

You will be worried whether the work you are doing will be what is actually required, which may affect the quality of your work, or maybe it will take longer than it should.

So, the easy solution (in most cases) is to have a talk with whoever has asked you to do a particular job and discuss the precise requirements. (This should, of course, have been done when you were first assigned that task, but my experience in the corporate world has shown that this is nowhere near as common as it should be.)

Alternatively, if you are needed in a company meeting, make sure you understand why your presence is required, and what you are expected to contribute.

Avoid Conflict

This almost goes without saying, but steering clear of politics, religion, and other controversial subjects, is a must if you want to avoid unnecessary drama and the consequent anxiety it can provoke.

Similarly, not participating in office gossip will not only distance you from potential conflict (e.g. you’ll not be forced into taking sides), but you’ll get more work done.

And if you can physically avoid the people you know you don’t get on with, or those who you know to be argumentative, then so much the better.

Be Organized

I’m not a natural planner, but I do recognize that some level of planning can make for a much smoother day.

And part of planning is being organized. For example:

• Making sure you know where things are so that, when you need them, you’re not wasting time and energy trying to hunt them down.
• Setting off for meetings or other appointments in plenty of time. That way, you will not feel flustered and apologetic when you arrive, and because you’re not in a rush, the chances of some form of mishap en route (especially if you’re driving) will be minimized.
• Scheduling tasks in a sensible manner will mean you do not put yourself under undue pressure because you didn’t allot enough time for them.

All of these things can raise your anxiety levels if you are disorganized, and the other big benefit, apart from helping keeping you calm, is you’ll be more productive.

Do Not Attempt To Multitask

There is a common perception that high achievers are experts at multitasking.

Unfortunately, recent research shows that efficient multitasking is a myth – the additional effort required to switch between the various jobs you’re trying to work on can easily outweigh any potential benefits.

On top of that, it requires more mental effort and brain power to manage, which increases the chances of making a mistake, which in turn can cause your anxiety levels to rise.

Even something you would think should be simple, such as talking on the phone (on a hands-free headset, of course) while driving, can have a profound effect on your ability to pay attention to what’s happening on the roads around you.

So, rather than trying to multitask, try to “chunk” your work instead (i.e. assign specific chunks of a time to task, and only work on one job at a time). Chunking is recognized as being better aligned with the way our minds work than multitasking, and in the long run, it ends up being more efficient.

Exercise During Your Lunch Break

For people working in an office, the sedentary lifestyle is not particularly healthy. I know when I moved from doing a physical job to an office job, in my late teens, I gained a lot of weight very quickly.

So, make use of your lunch break to get some exercise in.

This doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or swimming pool – although if you have the time and energy, go ahead.

More practical, for most people, is a simple walk.

For example, rather than eat your sandwiches at your desk, go for a walk to a nearby park and eat them there.

Not only will this give you the benefits of exercise, it will get you out of the office, away from people you may not choose to be with in any other situation, allow you to get some fresh air instead of the recirculating air often found in offices, and a chance to clear your head and forget about problems at work for a short while.

Play Stress Bingo

This idea sounds a bit counter-intuitive, but the idea is that you create your own form of a bingo card, which has box for each of the things that trigger your anxiety (e.g. rude colleagues, unappreciative boss, computer problems).

Then, whenever one of those stressors happens during your work day, you mark it off on your card.

And if you manage to get a bingo, reward yourself with something nice.

The reason this technique works (for some people) is that it re-frames your anxiety, almost making you look forward to triggers happening, because you know you will get a treat.

Try To Be Comfortable

The less comfortable you are, the more worked up you will become, let alone any health problems that may arise.

So, make sure, where possible, that you wear comfy clothes, and pay special attention to your footwear, particularly if you’re on your feet a lot at work. (This may be more difficult if you have to wear protective clothing, for example.)

Also, try to make sure your chair is not causing stress and strains on your body. The last thing you need is backache, which is almost guaranteed to make you feel tetchy.

Temperature is another factor that can stress you out – if you’re too hot or too cold, it will affect your performance at work, as well as your mood. Of course, this may not be under your control if you work in an office with others.

If you use computer equipment, make sure it’s positioned correctly to minimize issues such as RSI and eye strain.

And lastly, consider the surrounding noise levels, since they can cause anxiety, not to mention problems concentrating. Again, this may be hard for you to control, but if there is somewhere quiet you can sit to do your work, or maybe you’re in a job where you can work from home occasionally, then it can become more manageable.

Watch Out For Perfectionism

This one is tough, as I know from personal experience in a previous role in information technology – IT staff seem to have this inbuilt need to create the perfect computer system, even though that may offer features that are not actually required.

You want to do the best job you can, but trying to get every little detail 100% right can lead you down a path of frustration and, ultimately, anxiety and stress.

The problem is, especially at work, you will rarely have the time to do a perfect job. (Obviously, in some jobs, e.g. safety inspectors, there may be no room for mistakes because of the potential consequences.)

In addition, many project budgets do not support the extra time and effort required to satisfy your perfectionism.

It’s necessary therefore to accept that good enough is good enough – and if you need to know what is good enough, then this is why you need to set clear boundaries and agree requirements, as discussed previously in this report.

This one will take practice and a lot of soul-searching, but it’s definitely worth it.

Relax On The Way Home

Even if you apply all of the above strategies, you may still find yourself worked up as you leave your job to go home.

So, rather than sit in your car or on the train stewing about it, listen to some relaxing music instead.

Free Gift

Here is a free brainwave entrainment audio file that can help you to relax. Just right click on the following link and select Save As to download it to your computer (or phone):

Relaxation.mp3

Conclusion

Mankind did not evolve to spend a third of the day in a building with a bunch of people they may not know or like, sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen – this new information age only happened very recently in our history, after centuries of working outdoors doing physical work.

So it’s not surprising that office work can be one of the greatest stressors we encounter.

That’s why it’s crucial you do everything you can to minimize the almost unavoidable anxiety that such a job can entail, so give these ideas a try, and once you really understand what it is that triggers your anxiety (maybe by journalling, which I cover in a separate report), you’ll be able to come up with your own additional tricks to help you get through the day without blowing your top.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Communication Skills Course
2. How To Stop Being A Perfectionist
3. Tony Robbins on Chunking