Top 5 Ways to Combat Office Stress
Anyone who has ever worked in an office, especially in a cubicle environment, knows how much personal stress can develop, with neck and shoulder pain, headache, increased blood pressure, shallow breathing, and a bad. Then you take all the stress home with you. There are, however, various ways to relieve the stress build-up. Although there are a multitude of opinions and suggestions about the best ways to relieve office stress, most can be combined into five general areas.
Breathing: Most people in a stressful environment exhibit shallow breathing. To instantly relieve some stress, take in a deep breath, and then slowly exhale. Repeat this deep breathing exercise three times. Try to notice your breathing periodically during the day, and when you catch yourself repeating the shallow breathing, do the deep breathing exercise. Yoga classes will also teach stress-relieving breathing techniques, and they are offered at many community centers.
Exercise: Do shoulder raises. Roll your head to the left, the right, backwards and forwards. Stand up and stretch. Take a quick walk around the office. If there are stairs in your office, walk down and back up. Any of these motions can help relieve tension and reduce stress. See if a co-worker will massage your neck and shoulders for you. Join a tai chi class, as the exercises will help you relax and will use up excess energy. It will also strengthen your muscles.
Sharing: If you have a co-worker you trust completely, share your feelings with that person. Sometimes, talking about the tensions will actually help alleviate them. If you cannot talk with a co-worker, then talk with a friend, family member, or counselor. Most importantly, stay away from negative co-workers. They will only increase your stress level. Laughing and crying also help alleviate stress in a natural way.
Journaling: Writing about your stressors helps many people. Just putting the words down on paper sometimes brings clarity and the sense of unloading tension. Some people carry a journal with them in order to write about stress triggers when they occur. Just don't leave the journal where others might read it.
New Age Therapies: There is evidence that aromatherapy can help some people with stress, so light an aromatherapy candle at your desk, if you are permitted to do so. Certain scents, like lavender, are known to relax the body and mind. Visualization is an exercise that you can learn to do. If you can close your eyes and envision a quiet, peaceful place you love, it will help you relax. Qi gong classes will help train you in this guided imagery. One of the best ways to bring relaxation into your personal workspace is to have a tabletop waterfall. The sound of water tumbling and falling down over rocks or running from one container to another is soothing to everyone. Focus on the sound of the water, and you will automatically envision calming, positive emotions.
