5/8/2012

With increased demands on your time and fewer resources, it can be difficult to control your stress. However, you will do yourself and everyone with whom you work a favor, by not becoming a working stiff. Try these tension-relieving tips before stress gets the better of you.

1. Breathe in, breathe out

Fighting work day stress can be as simple as taking a deep breath from your diaphragm. Most people breathe from their chests when they’re feeling out of sorts. If you breathe from your diaphragm muscle instead, a greater carbon dioxide-oxygen exchange will occur in your blood, which leads to a feeling of relaxation.

2. One-a-day relief

Before you head to the office, head to the medicine chest and take a stress-fighting vitamin or natural herb. B-complex vitamins help the body handle stress by maintaining the nervous system. As always, it’s best to check with your physician before adding supplements to your diet.

3. Take Lunch

Avoid that working lunch at your desk, take the time to get up walk away and eat somewhere else. By leaving your desk you can come back in 30 minutes with a clear head ready to work again. Not only will you be rejuvenated, but you can take that time to enjoy your meal and socialize with your coworkers. See how much laughter you can fit into your lunch break and by the time you get back to your desk you’ll be ready to tackle the rest of the day.

4. Designed to relax

Instead of staring at the blank walls of your cubicle, decorate your workspace with family photos, souvenirs, and artwork that inspires you. Next time you’re feeling bogged down, gaze around at pictures of loved ones and your favorite artists’ creations, and you may be surprised at how much more at ease you feel.

5. Work it out

If you start taking the stresses of work home with you, take a quick walk at lunch or hit the gym for a cardio work out. Thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise, three times a week can release pent-up stress and tension. Not only will the workout help with the physical impacts of stress but exercise related endorphins will help lift your mood.