Let’s face it – A lot of us spend most of our hours awake at work. That fact alone is enough to cause an increase in stress! If you are in a demanding position, your stress level can feel as if it’s through the roof most days and it can start to harm your overall mental health.
If you aren’t careful, this can bleed over into your personal life, causing you to be snappy with loved ones during the little time you have together during the week. If this sounds familiar, then you are in luck. Here are six tips to decrease stress levels during your workday:
Start your day off with some dedicated time for relaxation.
Whether it’s prayer, meditation, or just some quiet time reciting affirmations, this time can set you off on a good note.
Sometimes we are so busy in the mornings trying to get everyone out of the house and making sure we have our mental checklist ready that we unintentionally add stress to the day before it even begins.
Take a lunch break.
I know that some of you are thinking, “I eat lunch every day”, but I mean an actual lunch. Time away from your office where you can step away and get a quick reset.
I realize that for some of you, this can’t happen daily, but it should be a part of your routine even if you can only commit to this weekly. You will be surprised at how refreshing it is to step away and how much more focused you will be once you return.
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Limit your social media time.
I know that some of you will say that social media is a stress reliever because it allows you to take a break from the workday stress. I agree that it can serve that purpose, but how many times have you spent more time browsing your social media account than you intended? These platforms are great, but they are designed to keep you engaged and focused solely on them.
Having this happen during the day can prevent you from completing tasks that were required of you, which can add to your overall stress level. It already feels like there isn’t enough time in the workday to get everything done so let’s not add to that stressful feeling! If you feel compelled to take a quick social media break during the day, at least set a timer so that you don’t lose track of time.
Create a list.
Having a list will help guide you through your day and keep you on task. The key to building lists is to prioritize the items so that the most urgent needs for the day are at the top. So, if you have an unexpected event and you can’t complete your list, you will have at least