From Burnout to Balance: A Guide to Managing Workplace Stress
In the corporate world, stress can feel like an unavoidable part of life. Long hours, tight deadlines, and constant digital connectivity are major contributors to burnout. But stress is more than just a mental strain—it can impact your physical health too.
Stress is an attitude of overwhelm and the non-stop onslaught of your “fight-flight” primal instincts. Many professionals find themselves suffering from fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, and even reduced productivity.
The key to staying at the top of your game is learning how to manage stress effectively. Let’s explore some ways to reduce stress - in and out of the office.
Gratitude Journaling
When stress is high, it’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong. Gratitude journaling can shift your mindset and improve energy and optimism. Take 5 minutes at the start or end of the workday to write down a few things you’re grateful for—whether it's completing a big project, having supportive colleagues, or simply enjoying your morning coffee. This practice builds resilience over time and helps you approach your day from a glass half full perspective. How to Start Gratitude Journaling
Set Aside Time
Dedicate 5 minutes at the beginning or end of your workday for this practice. Take 5 at lunch - it doesn't really matter WHEN, but please STEP AWAY FROM THE SCREEN. Consistency is key, so try to make it a daily habit. I like to habit stack, so adding this habit to your morning routine while drinking a cup of coffee barely takes time out of your day. Remember, we prioritize that which is most important to us.
Choose Your Medium
You can use a physical notebook, a digital document, or even a dedicated app designed for journaling. Choose whatever feels most comfortable for you. Most smartphones have a built-in journal, but I personally prefer to compartmentalize and braindump into separate journals, and decorate them to my liking. That way, when I pick up my business goals journal, it's not mixed up with the "what's going on in my life" journal.... My brain is already on overdrive, so keeping things separate helps with organizing the mental chaos. I also love to make things fun and use stickers, fun markers, and words from magazines.
Be Specific
When writing, aim for specificity rather than general statements. Instead of writing "I'm grateful for my job," consider detailing why: "I'm grateful for my career because it allows me to work with supportive colleagues who inspire me, and I love having access to educational material to continuously grow my skill set."
Reflect on Your Entries
Occasionally revisit your past entries to remind yourself of the positive moments in your life. This reflection can reinforce the benefits of gratitude journaling and provide additional motivation during challenging times. I actually really love this self-talk journaling set because it helps banish that inner dialogue that can keep us in a state of perpetual "stuckness" and improve our self-worth. I'm not going to lie: I have definitely burned journals before... can you say high school cringe?!
Brain Dump for Clarity
Ever wake up already thinking about your never-ending to-do list? I know I'm guilty of waking up and immediately getting on my phone, which puts me in a stressful state first thing. I step outside with ym cup of coffee and notebook and do a quick "brain dump" to help clear the mental clutter and see what 3 items I need to focus on or achieve for the day. Spend a few minutes jotting down everything on your mind. Getting those thoughts out on paper makes it easier to prioritize and focus on the day’s most important tasks. I personally like use the google tasks app as well, which is built right into your google calendar. You can add subtasks, multiple lists to toggle between, and even set due dates. This keeps my never-ending flow of thoughts organized into one area where I can easily check things off the list, or delegate out.
Reduce ‘SNACCS’
The office snack drawer is often filled with stress-inducing foods: sugary treats, caffeine, and processed snacks. And our diet can severely stress our body & mindset. While it’s easy to reach for that quick sugar fix during a busy day, this can lead to crashes and irritability.
Try to limit “SNACCS”—
Sugar
Nicotine
Alcohol
Caffeine
Chemicals
Instead, opt for nutrient-dense, “alive” foods like fermented foods, fruits, protein bars, and nuts. Healthier choices fuel your body and help you handle stress more effectively.
Step Outside
Getting outside for just a few minutes during the workday can do wonders for your stress levels. Nature has a calming effect that allows your brain to engage in “involuntary attention”—where you can focus on the beauty around you while simultaneously processing your thoughts. Even just 10 minutes of fresh air will lower stress hormones and improve your mood and "feel good" hormones. If you live in an area that is a bit gloomy, you may want to invest in a seasonal depression light that tricks your brain into thinking it's the sun. If you're unable to get outside fr a few minutes, then a grounding mat would be a good addition to your workspace!
Prioritize & Delegate:
Corporate environments are notorious for creating mile-long to-do lists. Prioritizing tasks and delegating when possible is key to reducing overwhelm. At the start of each week, write down your top 3-5 critical tasks and tackle them first. (EAT THE FROG) Learn to delegate lower-priority items to team members, freeing up mental space and allowing you to focus on what really will get the needle moving forward.
Using the Eisenhower matrix is useful for figuring out the hierarchy of importance. Here's how to use it:
Quadrant 1: Do: Tasks that are both urgent and important
Quadrant 2: Schedule: Tasks that are not urgent but are still important
Quadrant 3: Delegate: Tasks that are urgent but not important
Quadrant 4: Delete: Tasks that weren't urgent or important
Chill Out
It’s hard to switch off after a busy day, but setting a clear transition from work to personal time is vital for stress management. Creating rituals for yourself will help you unwind and turn off work mode. For example, I immediately get out of my work clothes, light incense make a cup of tea, or take a short walk with my dog after to reset my mental battery - it’ll help signal to the brain that it’s time to relax. Creating this separation ensures that stress from work doesn’t spill into your personal life. And if you REALLY want to "chill out" then a cold shower or ice bath will help reset your nervous system.
Turn Off Technology—Especially Your Phone
Corporate culture often fosters a “always-on” mentality, and constant connectivity can keep stress levels high. It's time to say no to the toxic productivity culture. Try to schedule regular tech and stretch breaks during the day - setting a reminder alarm on your phone is free and reoccuring. During lunch, put your phone away and enjoy your meal mindfully. This will give your mind time to breathe and prevents the build-up of digital stress. Use a kitchen timer rather that relying on a screen. Install a browser plug-in to lock your screen to force your body into a stretch break. I nstall a news feed eradicator for your social media sites to lessen the urge to scroll - in fact, make sure any necessary social media time for business is time-blocked so you're not distracted.
PMR at Your Desk
Sitting at a desk all day can lead to physical tension, especially in the neck and back. A quick technique to alleviate this stress is Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). It involves tensing and then slowly releasing muscle groups. Here’s how to do it: Lie on your back in a comfortable position. Allow your arms to rest at your sides, palms down, on the surface next to you.
• Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply.
• Clench your hands into fists and hold them tightly for 15 seconds. As you do this, relax the rest of your body. Visualize your fists contracting, becoming tighter and tighter. Then let your hands relax.
• Now, tense and relax the following parts of your body in this order: face, shoulders, back, stomach, pelvis, legs, feet, and toes. Hold each part tensed for 15 seconds and then relax your body for 30 seconds before going on to the next part.
• Finish the exercise by shaking your hands and imagining the remaining tension flowing out of your fingertips.
Take Magnesium
One of the most overlooked fundamental nutrients? Magnesium. Magnesium plays a critical role in helping you reduce stress and improve your overall wellness. And for the busy professional, maintaining healthy magnesium levels can mean the difference between feeling burnt out or energized. This essential mineral helps to relax muscles, improve sleep, and reduce tension headaches. The best place you can experience the benefits of this amazing mineral is to try a float session at a salt therapy facility. You can also add 1-2 bags of unscented Epsom salts to the tub, but it wont nearly be as potent as going to a salt tank.
Say No
Saying "yes" to every project or meeting can lead to exhaustion. Learning to say "no" is a crucial skill in managing workload and stress. Protect your time by recognizing what tasks are essential and which ones you can decline or delegate. By saying “no” to some demands, you’re saying “yes” to your well-being. A great way to convey a time-boundary to your superiors is "I am a bit swamped right now with the projects on my waiting list. Is this new task something we need to prioritize? If so, let's choose which other to-do's need to be placed on the backburner for the time being."
Stress can feel like an inevitable part of corporate life, but it doesn’t have to take over. Ensuring that you’ve got tools to manage stress effectively is key to staying healthy and productive in your work environment. Make Your Cubicle a Spa Sanctuary! If you are able to customize your workspace for some mid-day self care, these are some wonderful additions to your desk: Heated Massage Mat
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