Stress is a normal and healthy response to situations that are out of our control. However, prolonged or constant stress has a negative impact on your well-being. It can trap you in a cycle of stress where the various stressors keep coming back again and again. When left unchecked, it can become a serious mental health condition called Stress-Related Illness (SRIs). These SRIs affect your emotional, physical, occupational, and social functioning. Therefore, it’s important to identify ways to relieve stress at work. Even if you don’t know exactly how you’ll do this yet, exploring different options will help you create a plan for the future instead of just going through the motions at work right now.

Plan a break before you burn out

Burnout is a real but very rare phenomenon. Usually, you feel burnt out if you spend 70-hours a week doing the same job. This is way too much for most people, especially if you don’t love it. Therefore, it’s important to take frequent breaks from the hustle and bustle of work. Schedule a day off every two weeks or so and use that time to relax and do something you enjoy, even if it’s just sitting in silence. This can shrink the amount of time you spend on work tasks, which will make you feel refreshed and re-energized. Burn out is also more likely if you have high anxiety or are going through a stressful time in your life right now. If you’re feeling stressed, talk to your supervisor or HR. You don’t have to solve all your stress problems at once, and they may be able to help you find ways to relieve stress.

Breathe and practice mindfulness

Breathing is a very important part of our human physiology. It’s kind of like your ‘automated’ relaxation process. You don’t have to be good at it, you just have to do it. Whether you’re at your desk or stuck in traffic, take a few seconds to focus on your breathing. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and exhale it slowly. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system which calms you down and reduces stress. When you’re anxious, stressed, or focused on something that stresses you out, this is a very effective way to start de-stressing. Another simple mindfulness exercise is to focus on your breath for a few minutes. This can be very helpful for reducing stress in the short term and boosting your mood. You can also try breathing exercises like breathing in for four seconds, holding it for four seconds, and exhaling for six seconds.

Use color to reduce stress

Many studies have shown that certain colors have a calming effect on the mind. Blue, orange, and yellow have been shown to decrease stress and anxiety, while red and green have been shown to increase empathy and calm people down. Try using one of these colors at work to reduce stress. You can hang up posters or use a desk lamp with a red or orange bulb to create a warm and relaxing atmosphere. You can also try using a stress ball with a calming color inside. You can also try using colors to help you focus. A study found that certain colors can help you stay focused on a specific task, like reading a report. Purple, blue, and orange colors seem to be the best for this.

Know when to turn it off

Sometimes, you have to take a break from work when you’re feeling stressed. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it’s important to take a break every so often. However, when you’re stressed, you might need to shut down and put a stop to all your work for a while. Turn off your computer, put away your papers, and let your supervisor know that you need to relax for a while. This doesn’t have to be a long break. It can just be a few minutes of meditation or letting your mind wander. When you need to shut down and take a break, use it to relax and rejuvenate yourself. You don’t want to be in a constant state of stress and anxiety, so take a break when you need to.

Take a hike with a friend or loved one

Hiking can be one of the best ways to relieve stress. When you’re hiking with a friend or loved one, you’re able to share the experience and build a closer friendship. You can also talk about your day or your life in general. This can be a really therapeutic experience. If you don’t have a hiking buddy or you don’t have the time to go hiking, try taking a walk around the city or a nearby nature trail. The great thing about hiking is that you don’t need to be at the top of the mountain or at the beach in order to get a lot of benefit. In fact, you can get the same benefits from a simple walk in your neighborhood. Try walking for 10 minutes. This doesn’t need to be a long walk, just a 10-minute walk. Walking has been proven to decrease blood pressure and slow down the heart rate, both of which can help you relieve stress.

Build a friendly network of colleagues

A strong network of co-workers is often beneficial for both business and personal reasons. If you have a group of work friends, you can often get away with just bringing one thing to the table, even if you’re spread thin. However, a friendly network allows you to take advantage of their expertise and knowledge when you need help. If you have a network of co-workers that you can regularly call on when you need help, it’s much easier to keep up with work and social expectations without feeling overwhelmed. A friendly network is beneficial for both business and personal reasons. It helps keep you sane at work and can also turn into a social group if you’re interested in that.

Try gamification to create an incentive for change

Gamification is a growing trend in many industries, including healthcare. It can be used to create an incentive for employees to make changes in their work performance or adopt a healthier lifestyle. For example, a healthcare organization can use gamification to incentivize employees to take a break from their desk. Instead of just getting a break for a set period of time, employees are rewarded with points for every break they take. This creates a positive incentive for employees to make changes in their work life. The reward can be whatever the employees want, like a paid day off or a gift card to a restaurant. Healthcare organizations can use game-based incentives to help employees with healthy lifestyles.

The Bottom Line

Remember that it’s important to honor yourself to avoid burnout at work. Without self reward you exposed more to risk to burnout and get your soul messed up. Create room for yourself to start over can get your focus to new level and in the end increase your perform in workplace.