Stress at work is inevitable; just don’t let it trigger something worse (Holistic Hustle)

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and “Holistic Hustle” columnist for Startland News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co.

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Let’s dive into the ins and outs of depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout. Today, we’re tackling stress. With that in mind, stress in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. According to Stanford Medicine, stress is when the brain responds to challenges with fight-or-flight activators.

There are two types of stress: acute and chronic. 

Acute stress lasts for just minutes to hours and can actually have benefits. Acute stress can enhance your immune system, boost your body’s ability to heal and respond properly to vaccines, and improve mental and physical performance. 

Chronic stress lasts from months to years and can have the opposite effect of acute stress. Chronic stress can make you age faster, impair brain function, weaken the immune system, and can lead to depression or anxiety.

At work, bouts of stress are inevitable. The key is to prevent acute stress from turning into chronic stress. In the case that does become a bigger issue, it’s also important to have the right tools to manage it properly and to know how to recover.

Prevention

Sometimes, life can throw circumstances your way that make giving your best at work easier said than done. Taking time to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate between life and work can help. Insert 30 minutes to 2 hours of solo me-time where you can release tensions and frustrations from your personal life and get your mind ready for the work day. It can be meditating, taking a nap, journaling, going for a walk, or another practice that you find beneficial. It can also be helpful to insert this space after clocking out so that workplace drama doesn’t spill into your home life.

While you’re at work, resisting the urge to participate in office gossip can keep your mind clear and spirit up. Even just listening to it can cause unnecessary stress. The last thing you need rummaging around your mind is negativity brought on by he-said-she-said crap. CNBC actually reported a study by Stanford that found a link between listening to people complain for 30 minutes, stress, and damage to the brain’s hippocampus (that’s the part of the brain responsible for making memories). 

Management

A study in the Journal of Occupational Health found that work stress can cause anything from cold and flu to heart disease and metabolic syndrome, so it’s important to get it under control as soon as possible. Once you realize that stress has been haunting you for quite some time, it’s time to create a management plan. 

Creating a comfortable work environment that caters to your physical health can do wonders. If your job requires you to sit most of the time, be sure to pencil in time to go for quick walks. Or, on the flip side, if you’re constantly on your feet, take out a few minutes each hour or so to sit down and rest. If you’re on the computer a lot, be mindful of your screen settings to avoid eye damage and headaches. Also stretch your fingers and arms so that carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t set in from all that typing.

Staying organized is important for managing stress because it helps you feel in control of your day. Beyond projects and tasks you want to complete, staying organized means practicing good time management and reducing clutter that can make you feel overwhelmed. Resisting the urge to multitask can also help you stay organized and manage stress.

You may also want to get clear on your workplace boundaries. Establishing and enforcing healthy boundaries by not working during your hours off and utilizing your vacation days or personal time isn’t just good for managing stress, but can stop it from turning into depression or anxiety. Talking to a counselor or therapist can help you sort out how healthy boundaries at work best look for you and your job situation.

Recovery

Harvard Business Review defines stress recovery as a skill that involves “restoring symptoms of work stress back to pre-stressor levels.” Ironically, a study published in Research in Organizational Behavior shows that when we need this skill the most is when we’re least likely to be able to perform it. Some of the tips HBR recommends to recover from work stress include:

1. Detaching psychologically from work once you’re off. (Hello, workplace boundaries!)
2. Taking 10 minute micro-breaks throughout the work day.
3. Choosing high-effort recovery activities (like working out) over low-effort recovery activities (like binge watching a show).

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Fueled by her expertise as a news producer, writer, and certified health coach, Kharissa Parker is passionate about helping entrepreneurs in Kansas City achieve their goals without sacrificing self-care. Check out her brand, The KP Method, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.