10 Ways to Manage Workplace Stress

“40% of U.S. workers report their job is very stressful and 25% of people feel their job is the number one source of stress in their lives.”

Stress in your workplace impacts people at an individual level, as well as company growth. Stressed employees are less productive, tend to take more time off, are less collaborative and much more irritable. Due to an overload of chronic stress, employees are susceptible to depression and burnout. From a company or employer perspective, workplace stress creates a toxic work culture leading to loss of revenue as well as higher turnover and healthcare costs. To hear from our experts, view Aerobodies Stress Management white paper!

Are your employees showing signs of stress-related burnout?

• Working long hours and/or weekends
• Moody, unenthusiastic to collaborate, staying silent during team meetings
• Tight deadlines and heavy, unbalanced workloads
• Lack of resources and support from managers or other departments

At the end of your work day, your employees should feel proud, energized, and accomplished. After all, facing challenges at work will help your employees and your company grow! Experiencing workplace stress, however, will result in emotional, physical, and behavioral health changes such as insomnia, outbursts of anger, weight gain, body aches, and even a weakened immune system. Most people do not realize they are experiencing stress, and instead attribute their problems as part of working hard at a demanding job. This is where Aerobodies can help provide your employees with go-to resources depending on the stressors!

Top 10 Tips for Managing Workplace-Related Stress

1. Get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day! Give yourself enough time to wake up, do your morning routine (don’t forget to stretch!), eat a healthy breakfast, and enjoy that latte. Start the day with enough time where you do not feel rushed.
2. Take wellness breaks at work. Take your eyes off the screen and stare outside a window, or better yet, go for a walk outside! If you can, position your desk near a window for some natural light. If your work environment is not inspiring you, it’s probably time for a WellSpace Audit of your office.
3. Build healthy habits during your day. Keep your water close so you remember to drink it throughout the day. Have healthy snacks handy and do not skip your lunch break (tasks tend to feel harder and situations feel worse when you are hungry!) Try to avoid foods high in fat and sugar to avoid an energy crash. Even a quick lunch-time workout or stretch can help to re-energize and re-focus yourself during a busy day. Whether you only have 5 minutes to spare, or a full 30 minutes, try out a virtual BLAZE Fitness class and see how renewed you feel after!
4. Manage job-related expectations by being realistic with your team about your workload and time restrictions. Be firm with your limits and collaborate with your team to get the job done. Clarity with tasks, individual responsibilities, and deadlines will ensure strong communication amongst your team while eliminating delays due to confusion.
5. When possible, try to avoid conflict in the workplace by keeping your emotions steady. Build your skillset of self-awareness and emotional intelligence so that you not only feel confident when workplace conflicts occur, you can start to notice the signs and avoid unpleasant situations altogether. WellTeamCulture Professional Members Community will help you with this!
6. Stay organized with your priorities. Whether you use calendar alerts, sticky notes, a planner, or a notepad – have your to-do list updated! Prioritize your tasks by due date and how long the tasks will take to complete, to ensure you stay on track. Already accomplished something on your list – WOW doesn’t it feel so good to cross it off?
7. Strengthen your relationships with your colleagues. Everyone in your company is working together for at least ONE common goal – your company’s growth and success! Also, nobody understands your company’s culture and demands better than those working alongside you. Improving your interpersonal skills can really offer support to and from your colleagues, making the work day more enjoyable AND more productive.
8. Be transparent with your time and energy. Time blocking on your calendar (especially on a departmental level) can help communicate with others when you are “busy” vs. “available”. This way, you do not need to spend time directly communicating with each individual colleague because everyone can see on the department calendar if you are available.
9. Avoid unhealthy habits for short-term stress relief such as drinking, smoking, excessive caffeine or snacking. Instead consider taking a BLAZE Fitness class, picking up that book you’ve been meaning to read, or spend some quality downtime with loved ones.
10. Be mindful with your intentions AND your actions. Mindfulness is the ability to be present in the moment and honor all the feelings and sensations you are having. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed because you are acknowledging yourself moment by moment. Meditation can often help you slow down and set the tone for intentionality.

It’s clear stress affects more than just our work—it impacts our well-being and organizations alike. By following these strategies outlined, you will be well-equipped to navigate these challenges. Making a commitment to implement these tips will not only benefit your own well-being but also the health of your work environment. Ready to combat workplace stress and foster a culture of well-being? Explore our WellTeam Culture program today and discover how to transform your workplace into a stress-free zone.