Stress levels at work

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by Guest Posts on Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:57 am

Stress levels at work

I would like to know how I can improve my stress levels especially at work please.

I have always had anxiety problems and need to address this issue please.

Regards

Caroline
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Simone Gilbert
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by Simone Gilbert on Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:05 pm

Re: Stress levels at work

Hi Caroline
Yes, in our always-on and always-connected world stress is having a big impact! Please know you are not alone in feeling that stress at work is a challenge. Id love to know what sorts of things you do and strategies you use at the moment to support you in stressful times. A few suggestions without knowing your details include:
We all need regularly breaks, so remember that simply getting up and stepping away from your desk or work environment can help alleviate the feelings of pressure. It's a great idea to take this time to grab a glass of water. We deal with everything when we are well hydrated. My recommendation is to have a reasonable sip (half a glass) every 45 minutes. If this means that you have to go and fill your glass, even better!!! It gets you standing, moving and rehydrating all at once!!
Standing up regularly and doing a few stretched helps your body relax and is a good way of alleviating work pressures. Try folding your arms across your chest and simply stand and sit back down 5 times. It improved blood flow in your legs and improves general circulation as well as getting you to breath deeper.
A nice thing to do is check in with your breathing as well. When you feel the stress levels rising, try putting one hand on your heart and one on your belly button and whilst nose-breathing, (into your belly if possible - so that your lower hand moves out with each inhalation) breath in for a count of 4, hold it for 7 and then exhale through the nose for 8 counts. Repeat 3 times. This nose breathing technique literally helps your body to calm down.
Being a health coach, you'd expect me to support you in terms of nutrition as well. We look at all aspects of a person's life to help them bring balance back to mind and body.
So, to fuel our body with the things that it most like to use for energy, it's a great idea to focus on whole foods as much as possible. If we top up with vegetables/salads, fruit, nuts, seeds and chosen protein, there is less chance we consume fast and processed foods which literally rob our bodies of energy and actually create stress for us (in our bodies)
Especially with these glorious days, are you able to get outside for breaks? It's shown that fresh air, a change of scenery and time away from work helps us cope with and manage our stress loads much better.
One last thing. Stress is sometimes amplified when we "stack"... we add stress to more stress and in our head we "load them up". Do you ever do that??? Why not write the things that are most bothersome - those things causing you most stress - on a piece of paper and focus on what steps are possible to manage / hand them off / get help with / reframe. Treat them separately as much as possible.

I hope you find these tips useful Caroline. If you have any more questions please do ask. I'm really happy to help.
Simone x
Health & Vitality Coach
Simone Gilbert
B. Ec, IAHC - Health & Wellness Coach

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ilbert.php

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Fran McElwaine
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by Fran McElwaine on Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:16 pm

Re: Stress levels at work

It is very common to feel stressed at work, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with!

One of the very simplest ways to calm down that anxiety that creeps up is simply to take deep breaths. I often recommend the 4-7-8 breath which involves simply breathing in through your nose for a slow count of 4, holding your breath for a slow count of 7 and then exhaling through your mouth for a count of 8. You can do up to four rounds of this at a time.

Doing this regularly two or three times a day has been shown to help lower blood pressure and lower anxiety levels. It is also an amazing technique to help you go off to sleep - especially if you wake up in the night and end up tossing and turning.

You may also consider taking some 'exercise snacks' throughout the day to ease any stiff muscles and keep the blood flowing. Simply straightening your back and stretching your arms can release a lot of tension, and if you get the chance to do a couple of quick press-ups against the counter while waiting for the kettle to boil so much the better! Other ideas could be just lifting your feet off the floor while you read through your emails, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or even just moving your head from side to side to ease stiff neck muscles.

It is also a good idea to get away from your desk while you are eating, so you can relax and digest your food properly. Now that the weather is better, having a quick stroll at lunchtime is also a really good idea - it helps to move your legs and also to let your eyes focus on a longer distance.

You may also find it really helpful to work out how much control you have over any situation that is stressing you out. If it is something that I can change or influence, then I will focus on that and not waste energy on the other stuff.

I hope you found this helpful,
let me know if you have any questions

Fran
Fran McElwaine
AFMC, CHHC - Functional Health & Lifestyle Coach

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... lwaine.php

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