10 Ways to Reduce Job Stress
I benefit several ways when I relax my mind.
- I think more clearly.
- I make better decisions.
- I feel better.
- I make other people feel better and help them think more clearly.
- I am healthier. My heart rate goes down. My blood pressure goes down.
- I have more energy. The weight of stress leaves my body.
- I feel refreshed.
- I have greater focus.
- My intuition is greater.
- I think at a higher level.
Every season has things that cause stress. Rather than list those things and give them attention, I will move on to the ways to find comfort in times of stress.
Learn to relax. You can seek professional help in learning to relax. You can find relaxation methods on the Internet. You can read books on relaxation. You can subscribe to magazines and newsletters on relaxation. All of these methods are excellent. They teach you to relax. They reinforce your belief in relaxing and remind you to relax.
Relaxation methods are simple. You do not have to join any organization or follow any teacher to learn simple methods of relaxation.
One popular method is to repeat a meaningless phrase silently. You can create you own phrase. Settle on something simple, one or two syllables. Choose soft sounds. Use the same phrase every time you practice this relaxation technique. Close your eyes. Just allow the phrase to float through your mind. If you find that your mind has wandered from your phrase, simply let it return softly.
Use breathing as a form of relaxation. Breathe in slowly. Breathe out slowly. For the first minute, simply focus on your breathing. Think about the sound of your breathing. Think about the physical sensation of your breathing.
You can add methods of counting as you focus on your breathing. Close your eyes. Breathe in to the count of four. Then breathe out to the count of four. As you breathe in, silently count, “one, two, three, four.” As you breathe out, silently count, “one, two, three, four.” This method of relaxation may help you fall asleep.
The quickest relaxation method is to count to ten. Sometimes just counting to ten becomes so comforting that I may just continue to count to ten. Counting to ten helps me find space before I say or do things I regret. I clear my mind. I have better judgment. I let each number come to my mind slowly, softly.
During your work breaks, leave the workplace. Take a walk. Sit in your car and listen to things that help you feel calm. Go to a quiet restaurant. Visit stores where you can browse quietly. If you have time, go to a museum or a park.
Find a place where you can sit quietly. Release thoughts of work. Whatever ideas come to your mind, just allow them to pass. If someone joins you, accept their presence quietly. If they say something, smile and tell them that you are taking some quiet time. They are welcome to stay and join you. Then close your eyes and sit quietly. If the person then speaks, just continue to sit quietly. Once they get the point, they might like to join you in quiet time.
Be a cheerful friend. Other people are more pleasant when I am more pleasant. I can set the tone in my relationships. When I meet people who are unpleasant, I can avoid them.
When people say things that disturb me, I try to let the comments pass. If you comment, you will increase the issue in your mind and in the mind of the other person.
Drink water and eat healthy. As you drink more water, you will drink the less sugared and caffeinated drinks. Also, as you drink more water, you will eat the less.
Energy drinks may give you a boost in energy. They can also make you feel manic and jumpy. For energy, eat a piece of fruit. Bananas can quiet your hunger pangs and your nerves.
Melt like ice. Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Imagine your fingertips and toes melting. Imagine your hands and feet melting. Imagine your scalp melting. Slowly let your imagination melt your arms, legs, and face. Then relax and let you body melt into a calm pool of water. Enjoy the calm being like water.
