Stressed Out at Work These 5 Tips Can Help

Stressed Out at Work These 5 Tips Can Help You have a project looming, and people on your team just arent doing their parte. Your manager is grumpy and taking it out on you. You feel like youre in a dead-end job.Weve all felt the effect of work stress at some pointprobably many pointsno matter where we are in our careers. Its an issue facing many people. In the American Psychological Associations (APA) 2012 Stress in America Survey, 65 percent of participants cited work as the top source of their stress.Americans work a lot. Acording to Pew, Americans worked an average of 38.7 hours a week and 46.8 weeks per year in 2015. Many, particularly full-time employees, work even more.So, whats a worker to do? If the sheer number of hours a person works stresses her out, and cutting back isnt an option, how do you take care of your mental well-being and prevent yourself from getting overly stressed out?Here are five stress management tips to help you and your mental health.1. Set limits.You k now how much you can take. If you have too much on your plate, its time to learn how to say no.When your boss or a coworker hands off a new task, politely explain that youre busy with other projects. Suggest an alternative or someone else who has a lighter workload.Your boss wont accept that answer? The youre elend in a healthy working environment. A manager who cant accept her employees limits is not a good manager. Perhaps its time to have a discussion about expectationsor look for a new job.2. Delegate.You cant do it all yourself. Many perfectionists have trouble passing off projects or tasks to other people, because they want to have absolute control over them. But thats not good for your own mental health or your employees growth in their careers.If youre worried about others taking on challenging work, start small, asking them to oversee one or two more minor projects. Once theyve proven they can handle the work, increase their responsibilities. Chances are, your employees wil l relish the new role. Not only will it help them grow, but it will ease your own stress levels.3. Sleep.Most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and many of us arent getting it. Make sure getting a good nights sleep is part of your to-do list. It will have a strong impact on your stress response and overall mental health.4. Take a break.If you make a mistake or are triggered by another stressful situation, its normal to feel anxious and upset. But before you completely unravel, pause. Take a deep breath. Practice soothing self-talk. Then return to the situation.Its also important to take longer periods of time for yourself. Use your vacation days and take a trip somewhere. Or have a staycation at home. Just dont think about work. Dont even check your work email. Instead, relax and unwind.5. Keep it in perspective.Often, our stress responses to issues that are bothering us at work are heightened because of the environment. Were around other people who are working on th e same project or toward the same goals, so we dont have perspective on how it matters in the larger scheme of things.Take a step back. Talk to your partner, a family member, or a friend who doesnt work with you. They can help talk you down and realize that in the bigger picture, the issue thats bothering you wont matter as much in the long run. Plus, they can be great sources of comfort in times of difficulty.