How not to get stressed out at work

THE HOLIDAY is over and a new quarter has begun. We face pressure at work and home with tasks and deadlines.

Here are some tips from the Daily Mail, to help reduce stress at work.

Learn to manage your time more effectively

We waste a lot of time doing unimportant tasks, so prioritise your day and do the important jobs first.

Unimportant ones can wait (and often they will disappear) leaving you time to do other things.

Do not put off unpleasant tasks.

Every time we think about them we cause ourselves stress, so give an unpleasant task a high priority and do it first.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle If we eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and ensure we get adequate rest our body is better able to cope with stress should it occur.

Physical activity works off the biochemical and physical changes that occur within your body due to stress. Know your limitations and do not take on too much

We cause ourselves a great deal of stress because we like people to like us and do not want to let people down, so we try to do more than we should.

Learn to be assertive and how to say no without upsetting or offending people.

Find out what causes you stress

Take time to discover what is worrying you and try to change your behaviour to reduce it.

Avoid unnecessary conflict Don’t be too argumentative. Is it really worth the stress? Look for win-win situations. Look for a solution to a dispute where both parties can achieve a positive outcome.

Accept the things you cannot change

Changing a difficult situation is not always possible.

If this proves to be the case recognise and accept things as they are.

Take time out to relax and recharge your batteries You will perform much better after a break and easily make up the time you used for relaxing.

Find time to meet friends Friends help us see things in a different way.

The activities we engage in with friends usually help us relax.

Relaxation helps your body return to its normal healthy state.

Good relaxation techniques include breathing exercises, massage and a variety of complementary therapies.

Try to see things differently If something is bothering you try to see it differently.

Talk over your problem with somebody before it gets out of proportion.

Often, talking to somebody else will help you see things from a different and less stressful perspective.

Avoid alcohol, nicotine and caffeine as coping mechanisms

Long term, these faulty coping mechanisms will add to the problem.