Step up: Coping with work-related stress

A stress-free life is happier. With considerable pressure at work, however, employees could be hardpressed attaining happiness and peace. 

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Although you can’t control tension on the job, there are ways to manage it. The following are some strategies for coping with work-related stress: 

Learn to respond, not react. Dr. Sharon Melnick, a business psychologist and author, tells Forbes that it is better act rather than react. “We experience stress when we feel that situations are out of our control,” she explains. According to Dr. Melnick, it is important to identify the aspects of the situation you can control and aspects you can’t and learn to react on these conditions. 

Track your stressors. Take time to understand your stressors. One way is by taking notes to find patterns among your stressors and your reactions to them. This can help you develop better responses when tension arises. 

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Allow yourself to recharge. We all have limits. If we go beyond those, we tend to submit to burnout and symptoms of chronic stress. Take time to recover by “switching off” from work and learning to relax through meditation or whatever activity you enjoy doing. 

Eat right and sleep well. Insufficient sleep and bad eating habits can affect your overall well-being, including your feelings and emotions. So sleep well and eat right to reduce your susceptibility to stress. 

Practice these strategies to lessen work-related stress. Remember, stress is normal, but the way we respond to it is all up to ourselves. 

Marc Accetta helps people work through and overcome life’s toughest challenges. Follow this Twitter feed to learn more about improving your daily habits to achieve success.