9 Ways to Handle Job-Related Stress

This article comes from Entrepreneur.

9 Ways to Handle Job-Related Stress

Here are nine stress-management techniques for you to try.

1. Start your day off right.

As a busy executive or employee, mornings can be a flurry of activity. Many people arrive at the office with already high-stress levels after scrambling to get the kids nourished and off to school, walking and feeding the dogs, dodging traffic, combating road rage or gulping down coffee in lieu of a more nourishing alternative. This is a recipe for disaster that can trigger a downward spiral.

How you start your day matters. When you arrive at work stressed, you become more reactive to stress throughout the day. Make sure you wake up and have a nourishing breakfast, full of whole grains and fiber. Research has shown that eating breakfast boosts memory and concentration and decreases levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.

2. Get organized.

After you’ve arrived at the office, planning and organization should be your first priorities, even if you’re a naturally disorganized person. You can use a to-do list or other tactics to help you avoid unexpected roadblocks. It’s also important to ensure that your physical environment is in order. One study by researchers at Harvard University found that students who functioned in a clutter-free workspace were able to complete their work steadily for 7.5 minutes longer than students surrounded by cluttered. The study ultimately concluded that an untidy work environment can “undermine people’s persistence in completing tasks.”

3. Forget multitasking.

Multitasking was once heralded as a prime way to maximize time and get more accomplished. It didn’t take long before people realized that simultaneously looking through their desk drawer, speaking on the phone and answering email caused their speed and accuracy (not to mention sanity) to plummet. There’s a certain kind of frazzled feeling that comes from splitting one’s focus that doesn’t work well for most people. Rather than multitasking, try an alternative strategy known as chunking. This involves breaking up your day into chunks of time that are devoted to specific tasks.

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