Editor’s note: This is the second article in a series of two articles about reducing stress at work.
We’d all like to reduce our level of stress at work. But it’s easier said than done, right? We recently gave you a few tips for making strides toward doing that very thing, and today we’d like to present a few more.
Dale Carnegie dedicated a whole book to reducing stress and worry, and here are a handful of great reminders:
Avoid conflict. Interpersonal dynamics affect not only your emotional health, but your physical health as well. As great as it is to foster relationships in the workplace, it helps to avoid being too candid about your opinions on topics such as religion, politics or sociological issues. If you can, have a standing agreement with your coworkers to avoid these topics if you know discussing them will only cause undue tension. This way the workplace remains peaceful.
Get out of the office. Unfortunately, most office environments lend themselves to a sedentary lifestyle, which combined with poor diet and lack of exercise can profoundly affect workers both mentally and physically. We recommend getting out of the office during your lunch break to stretch your legs and get a mental break from your surroundings. Take a walk around the building or use gym facilities if they are available. Whatever you choose, just getting out of the office briefly will definitely help you center yourself.
Manage trying to be perfect. Striving for perfection is admirable, but obsessing over perfection will only cause more harm than good. Perfectionists tend to spend so much time fussing over little things that it winds up costing valuable time, or may cause them to drop the ball altogether. As mentioned in Tip #3, mistakes are unavoidable. The more you obsess over avoiding mistakes, the more your stress level will skyrocket, causing you to overlook something and stress out even more.
Stay focused and organized. Multitasking enjoyed a brief moment in the spotlight, but is now regarded as more ineffective than efficient. Doing an adequate job on several things at once doesn’t trump doing a great job on one or two things. Furthermore, splitting your attention means piling more on your plate, and the higher that pile grows the higher your stress raises.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Central & Southern New Jersey, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in New Jersey. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @CarnegieJersey.