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With so many businesses going remote these days, it's easy to get stressed out and feel on the job anxiety. There are so many new problems to navigate, so how are we supposed the deal with the stress? Expert Dr. Puma offered his advice, and below are the seven de-stressing ideas we can incorporate into our work-days. Incorporate “Distress Breaks” Into The Workday If you can, schedule five minutes for every hour in which you can dedicate to taking deep breaths, stretch, or even close eyes for one minute and meditate. View, Smell, and Touch a Potted Plant Even though it may seem odd, many plants and herbs (such as chamomile) may encourage relaxation. “Touching and smelling a potted plant lets you use a different part of your brain, allowing it to restore your attention to something natural”. How’s that for a quick escape at the office? Grab a Healthy Snack or Drink Hunger and dehydration play a large role in increasing the experience of stress. If you are in fact hungry or thirsty, head to the water cooler for a sip and make sure to pack healthy snacks along for the work-day. Hang a Nature Poster Dr. Puma says that, “views of nature in hospitalized patients improve satisfaction, lower stress levels and the need for pain-killing meds”. So why not try it out? Find a poster of a scene that you enjoy and hang it up at your desk or workstation. Use Your Lunch Break Wisely First thing, don’t ever skip out on your lunch break. Lunch is an important meal offering nourishment and energy to support you through the remainder of the work-day. Second, if you are able to, do another activity in addition to eating. Try to get outside for a walk, read a couple minutes of a book, and most importantly, make sure all lunch-break activities are away from your desk! Listen to Relaxing Music Find a playlist that offers relaxing music or nature sounds while you work. This can help soothe you and also helps to counteract stress. “White noise sounds have been shown to lower blood pressure, lower pulse, and cortisol levels”, Puma shares. Silence Notifications Imagine you were in a movie theater – you turn everything on silent, right? That’s how we should approach our work-day. We are bombarded all day long with dings, buzzes, and alerts – and this can cause stress. Some of us are not able to completely shut off all notifications, but try to limit them to just the priorities. |