Our Blog

10 Fresh Ways to Cope with Office Stress - InteGrand

We all have those days, weeks or months where works is just overwhelming. Whether it’s a recent project, office transitions or other work stresses, it’s important to find your ‘happy place’ every once in a while. Here are some new ways to relieve stress in the office that you may not have thought of:

1. Imagine that nobody’s around. Sometimes it can help us focus when we’re alone, but in the office there are always people to distract us. Imagine that you’re by yourself, try to create silence in your mind, and feel your vision and hearing lose what’s peripheral. Start focusing on what’s in front of you!
2. Read a piece of fiction. It might sound strange, but going into an imaginary world just for a moment, even if it’s a short story or a couple pages of an enjoyable novel, can help take your mind off whatever’s stressful and put you in a new place of perspective.
3. Listen to music. There is a lot of ambient music out there, and with programs like Spotify and YouTube it’s easy to find channels that are purposefully made for those who are trying to focus at work. There is also the option to listen to meditative music, nature sounds, or fireplace noises; these can be surprisingly soothing and better suited to relaxation than what you might normally listen to.
4. Focus on the project at hand. This is not a new idea, but it’s something most people forget to do. Multi-tasking might seem like the right move at the time, but if you really focus on the project at hand, you can check things off one by one instead of having half-checks after every item on the to-do list. It’s proven that most people get done work faster and do a better job when they attack things one at a time.
5. Turn your cell phone off. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not impossible to turn your cell phone off for a few hours, or even for an entire day, at work! Minimize distraction and feel more focused when you’re concentrating on the single notebook or computer in front of you. It means you can’t check your e-mail when you’re at lunch, either.
6. Take many short breaks instead of one long lunch break. It can be more efficient to take many short breaks instead, because you’re not losing the mindset you were in while in the middle of completing work. Stay productive while also getting a little bit of air and a short walk, knowing you can do so again in a half hour or so.
7. Breathe in through your mouth as though you’re sucking in through a straw: this will make your mouth feel cooler and ensure that you’ll think before speaking or doing something impulsively. That way, you’ll be more mindful, as well as avoid doing something you’ll regret, which you might then stress over later.
8. Start a mantra for self-confidence. For example, if you are feeling harried, remember:I am capable of this. Repeat to yourself as many times as necessary to get yourself through the day. Here are somehelpful self-empowerment mantras from MindBodyGreen.
9. Leave for work earlier in the morning. It’s insane how much stress the morning commute can cause the average person. By waking up and leaving just ten or even five minutes earlier for work, we can stop the self-conscious horror we feel when the clock is nearing 9 a.m. and we’re still a few minutes away. You also will buy yourself time to grab a coffee and evenstart a bit earlier than your co-workers, giving you some alone time to be productive.

10. Understand what’s essential. In other words, adjust your perspective as often as necessary. Re-write to-do lists in order of what’s most important to least important, and demand only #1 from yourself. At Integrand we understand not only how to understand what’s most important, but how to streamline it structurally in order to be effective. Remember: work is temporary, but your mental health is forever.