Surround sound: Release your stress by assessing your workspace

Job stress can be constant, frustrating and debilitating. It can also be expensive. U.S. companies spend approximately $300 billion a year on healthcare costs and missed workdays for employees dealing with workplace stress, according to a study from Eastern Kentucky University.

And while the high cost of work-related stress is telling, it doesn’t accurately portray the feelings of sadness, anger, frustration and hopelessness experienced by those employees who feel crushed by their role and responsibilities at work. And the impact of stress isn’t limited to one’s mental health. In fact, stress can cause employees numerous physical problems, including aches and pains, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.

Although the surroundings have changed, it still can be a stressful location. Joel Goh, an assistant professor of business administration at Harvard University, says it’s not surprising that one’s place of employment can be a source of stress. “The workplace is where we spend a lot of the time— a third of our day,” Goh told the Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge newsletter.

While employers should continue to find ways to alleviate their employees’ stress, today’s employees, whether they’re working in an office or from home, should take a proactive approach to deal with stress.

We’ve outlined a few ways to keep your work-related stress level in check.

Meditation: Years of research have shown a connection between improved mental health and meditation. “Meditation and mindfulness are practices— often using breathing, quiet contemplation or sustained focus on something, such as an image, phrase or sound— that help you let go of stress and feel more calm and peaceful,” according to the American Heart Association. “Think of it as a mini-vacation from the stress in your life. Stress is your body’s natural alarm system. It releases adrenaline that makes your breathing speed up and your heart rate and blood pressure rise. It kicks us into action, which can be a good thing when we’re faced with a real danger or need to perform. But that fight-or-flight response can take a toll on your body when it goes on too long or is a regular occurrence.”

Unplug: Workplaces are noisy, whether it’s a cubicle or the kitchen. There’s aggressive tapping on keyboards, the off-and-on hum of office machinery, the ever-present background chatter and, if you’re at home, that dog in the yard next door who never stops barking. While it’s nice to be able to stick in some earbuds and listen to some music, stressed employees shouldn’t take the sounds of silence for granted. Whether you created a white-noise playlist, ask to work from home one or two days a week or retreat to a quiet corner of the office for an hour or two each day, it’s important to take a break from the noise.

Massage: Once considered an expensive folly by some, massage therapy has squarely entered the mainstream. Massage therapy can alleviate stress by reducing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, while simultaneously increasing levels of serotonin— which helps regulate mood, sleep, hunger, digestion and memory— and dopamine— which can promote focus and motivation.

Workspace: You know that feeling you get every day when you approach your desk? That feeling that rises up from your stomach and takes a permanent space in your head? Why is that? Could it be the pile of papers on your desk? The half-empty bags of chips in your drawer? Taking some time to clean your workspace can do wonders for your stress level. And don’t take a timid approach. Instead, throw out what you don’t need and then throw out 90 percent of what you think you need.