Ways to Manage Workplace Stress and Anxiety

Affecting performance, quality of work and workplace relationships, workplace stress and anxiety is a serious subject these days. Around one quarter of Melbourne employees experience some level of workplace stress and this is costing businesses billions of dollars a year in lost work hours. Even more importantly, stress at work can have a serious impact on our quality of life both in the office and at home. There are a few simple strategies you can start practicing to help lower overall stress in the office and help you stay calm, focused and productive.

What Causes Workplace Stress?

From deadlines to dealing with difficult people, lack of effective communication and poor leadership – there are many factors that can contribute to workplace stress and anxiety. Stress in a workplace can be detrimental to everyone, and like a sickness, it can almost feel contagious, people begin to take days off, the quality of work goes down and co-workers begin to gossip and vent rather than work together to solve problems. This all leads to a toxic workplace environment which is unhealthy for all employees. The most common triggers of stress in the workplace are:

• Excessively high workloads
• Underused skills
• Poor working relationships
• A toxic company culture (bullying or harassment)
• A culture of blame
• Weak leadership
• Poor environment (excessive noise, poor lighting or uncomfortable temperatures)
• Unequal pay
• A lack of opportunity and possibilities for career progression
• A lack of support or information
• Micromanagement

Ways to Deal with Workplace Stress and Anxiety

There are a few strategies you can use to help reduce any overwhelming feelings of anxiety or stress at work:

Ask for Help – In a busy workplace, it becomes easy to say ‘yes’ even when you don’t understand how to do something or even when you simply don’t have enough time. Asking for help may be uncomfortable for many people but it can decrease overall anxiety about responsibilities and expectations. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it shows that you genuinely care about doing a good job.

Avoid Gossip – Gossiping about co-workers or venting about others is rife is many workplaces. Although it may provide temporary relief, in the long run it only increases tension and stress. Negative behaviour such as criticising or talking poorly of a colleague or situation is unhealthy and does not benefit anyone so don’t gossip, don’t vent about colleagues and don’t share too many personal opinions about sensitive topics like religion and politics. Try to avoid people at work who don’t work well with others and who strive to bring the workplace atmosphere down.

Learn How to Deal with Conflict – Venting to a co-worker may be tempting when you are having issues with another colleague or manager, but try to keep the issue between you and the person with whom you have conflict. It may be difficult or unpleasant, but approaching the person directly and communicating with them one on one will get you a better outcome and hopefully resolve the problem. Conflict with colleagues can take a toll on your physical and mental health and can be difficult to escape so it’s a good idea to avoid conflict at work as much as possible and avoid bringing other people into the drama. If conflict finds you anyway, deal with it promptly and appropriately and if others try to involve you in their conflict, change the subject, leave the room or communicate that you would like to stay away from it.

Be Organized – Planning ahead and organising each workday can greatly decrease stress and anxiety at work. Being organized with your time means less rushing in the morning to avoid being late and rushing to get tasks done. It also means you are able to prioritise the more important tasks so you don’t feel overwhelmed by impending deadlines.

Be Honest with Deadlines – Try not to agree to deadlines or timeframes that you can’t meet. It’s better to be honest upfront than to apologise later. If you are asked to do something and you know that you simply won’t be able to get it done, then be honest from the beginning. If you find yourself missing or worrying about deadlines on a regular basis, it may help to have a talk with your manager and go over expectations and strategies for meeting them.

Exercise in Your Lunch Break – A great way to combat stress and keep your mind clear and focused is to take time away from the office at lunch to go for a walk, meditate or go to the gym. Keeping your mind and body healthy is essential for overall wellbeing. A small break away from your desk can help you blow off steam and lift your mood, leading to a more productive afternoon.

A certain amount of stress in the workplace is inevitable but if work-related stress is affecting your quality of life it might be best to seek professional help. Conveniently located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, at Psylegal our team of psychologists are experienced in providing effective anxiety and stress treatments tailored to each individual’s needs.

Make an appointment with one of our mental healthcare professionals in Melbourne city today and feel free to book before or after work hours (or even during your lunch break) and we can help guide you through ways to manage your stress and anxiety and keep you performing at your best.