Kanchan Rai suggests ways to turn your work-related stress and anxiety into accomplishments
In today’s fast-moving world, stress and anxiety due to work have become quite a normal phenomenon for employees. Whether it’s WFH — the new normal — as they say, or being physically present in the office. The unlimited virtual meets, back-to-back coordination with colleagues over calls, long office hours together have contributed to the ever-so-increasing pressure and stress in employees, thus, affecting their mental health and overall well-being. According to the latest data from Optum, a provider of employee assistance programmes to corporates states that 46 per cent of the work-force in Indian organisations suffers from different types of stressors. The pandemic and its toll have added to it. But it is important to keep in mind that overcoming drawbacks is a pre-requisite to building resilience. Instead of letting these emotions take over your self-confidence, you should go all out and face it with a smile and change these stressors into accomplishments.
Below mentioned are ways you can turn your work-related stress and anxiety into accomplishments:
Build positivity
When we’re feeling anxious, it becomes difficult to communicate and share our feelings with our colleagues. But it is better to have someone with whom you can speak your heart out and rely on, rather than suffer in silence. Hence, it is advised to start building positive relations with your co-workers and keep it transparent.
Be realistic
Always being available for a new task with a positive outlook is a good gesture, but most of the time this tendency can add to one’s stress and work pressure. Battling this is relatively easy when one knows and keeps a check on their to-do and accommodates their additional task efficiently. Employees should keep in mind that saying a no is not the problem, but over-committing and not being able to deliver might create a bad image and affect their overall performance.
Talk it out
Venting out what you feel is important. There would be times when you feel a certain way, and letting it out will only help you get clarity. It eases you out and helps eliminate the feeling of isolation. Socialising also helps reduce physical and mental exhaustion. As it is rightly said, “A problem shared is a problem half-solved”.
Let’s bond
To know more about whom you work with and spend almost nine hours of your day with them, it is important to initiate a conversation with your colleagues during lunch or tea-breaks. The topic of conversation need not be related to work, but just a casual talk to break the ice can do the charm. This forms a sense of comfort and ease amongst the co-workers and also helps to create a friendly working environment.
Create a to-do list
Simple hacks like making to-do lists will help you understand the amount of work you have and need to accomplish. The list should be in the order of priority, so all the tasks can be completed on time with utmost efficiency. This can help to be more organised and enjoy the work instead of stressing over the deadlines.
Take appropriate breaks
One should take enough breaks during their work hours. A break as simple as a brisk walk can do wonders as it releases natural mood-boosting painkillers called endorphins. It keeps the mind fresh and helps to be more focussed during work. Breaks not only assist in de-stressing and relaxing your mind but also monitors stress-levels. It increases productivity and re-charges you for the rest of the workday.
All these mental health ailments have a deeply-rooted seating in your mind. Though these simple practices might not completely eradicate them, they can surely make you feel comfortable and improve your mood. By imbibing these effective measures, one can convert their stressors into accomplishments successfully.
(The author is the founder of Let Us Talk and a mental and emotional well-being coach.)