11 Proven Tactics for Beating Career Stress

When you’re feeling stressed out at work, it can be tough to focus on your tasks and get things done.

And when you’re constantly feeling anxious and overwhelmed, it’s hard to feel satisfied with your career.

Luckily, there are a few tactics that can help you beat career stress and feel more in control of your job. Here are eleven proven tips that can help lighten the load.

After you read these tips, share some of your own tactics with us in the comments below.

#1: Get Organized

When you feel anxious and overwhelmed at work, it’s hard to stay on top of things. It can be tempting to let little things slide or put off important tasks until later.

But one of the best ways to beat career stress is to be organized and get a handle on your workload. Creating a system of organization can help you accomplish tasks more quickly, which can relieve some of the pressure you feel at work.

Here are a few tips for getting organized:

- Inbox zero: This tactic will reduce clutter in your physical and virtual workspace and help you feel more in control.

- Make a to-do list: Creating a set of tasks for the day can make you feel like you’re getting things done, instead of getting overwhelmed by everything on your plate.

- Plan out your week: Schedule times for individual tasks as well as meetings and time slots to complete your daily to-do list.

- Remove items that are not necessary to the task at hand, including personal items.

#2. Identify Your Stressors and Find Ways to Avoid or Reduce Them

If you’re frequently feeling stressed at work, it could be a sign that your workload is too heavy or that you have other issues going on in your life.

Look for patterns: Do you feel overwhelmed at the end of every week? Before important meetings with bosses? Try to pinpoint times when you’re experiencing career stress. Once you know what’s causing it, try to find ways to avoid or reduce the problem. For example:

- If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work on Friday afternoons, ask your boss if you can postpone some of your tasks until Monday so that you have a more relaxed weekend.

- Steer clear of office drama: If you notice that certain co-workers or clients are making you feel anxious, try to avoid interacting with them as much as possible.

#3: Get Some Exercise

Exercise is a powerful stress reliever and can make it easier to tackle all of your tasks. In fact, some research suggests that working out daily may reduce stress and improve your productivity at work.

One of the best ways to beat career stress is to create a fitness routine that you can stick to — even if it’s just ten minutes in your office! Here are some tips:

- Exercise during your lunch break: Even just a brisk walk or jog around the block can help you clear your head and recharge for the rest of the day.

- Exercise at home: If you exercise frequently, consider leaving your workout clothes by your bed so that you can just roll out of bed and get the workout started. If going to a gym or meeting a personal trainer is too expensive, try using free resources like YouTube videos to learn workouts.

• Exercise with a friend: If working out alone is too boring for you, or if friends are always asking to tag along, try exercising together. Or organize your own weekly fitness meet-up with other work friends.

#4: Practice Mindfulness Meditation

Meditation can be very helpful when it comes to beating career stress. Focusing on your breathing can slow down your heart rate and make it easier to relax.

- Pick a place in your office or work area where you can complete this task without being disturbed, like an empty conference room.

- Sit up comfortably with good posture.

- Close your eyes and breathe deeply, focusing on each breath.

- Once you’re relaxed, try to clear your mind of all stresses and distractions. If an issue comes to mind, allow it to float away before bringing yourself back into the moment.

#5: Take a Work Break

An excellent way to beat stress is to take a break from work every once in a while. Even if you’re in the middle of a deadline, find five minutes to step away from what you’re doing.

- Go for a walk around the block. Or go outside and take some deep breaths in the fresh air.

- Set an alert so that when your break is over, it will remind you not to get distracted again.

#6: Change Your Work Environment

Try changing your work environment so that it’s more comfortable and less stressful. Here are a few suggestions:

- Move to a new desk. Depending on your workspace, you might feel more comfortable in a quieter or louder location, so be open to trying it out.

- Redecorate your desk/office. Try adding some plants to the room if that will help you feel more at ease. You can also try using scented candles or essential oils to create a calming environment.

- Try listening to meditation music during your workday so that you can focus on the sounds rather than anything else happening around you.

#7: Organize Your Email Streams/Social Media

Do you find yourself lost in a sea of unread emails and social media notifications? Organizing these work and social media streams can make it easier to stay on top of your workload and beat stress.

- Try organizing your inbox by priority or time-sensitive nature. Then, only check the “high priority” box during times you know you’ll be able to dedicate all of your attention to these emails (like first thing in the morning, or after a work break).

- Make your social media notifications visible so that you don’t have to go digging to see what’s happening. Then, you can catch up on all of the posts in one swoop when you have more time for it.

• Unsubscribe from emails and social media streams that send out information that you don’t really need to pay attention to. You’ll be surprised how much less stress you feel when you’re not inundated with notifications all day.

#8: Try Stress-Busting Supplements

If these tips aren’t quite helping yet, consider adding some supplements to your diet. There are many out there, but here are a few that we recommend:

- Magnesium — Magnesium is known to have some stress-relieving benefits. It helps muscles relax, so it can be useful before workouts, bedtime, or even just after you’ve had a particularly stressful day at work.

- Ashwagandha — This herb is known for its stress-relieving properties and may help improve your focus too.

All of these supplements can be purchased online or at your local health store. Just make sure to follow the directions on the bottle and consult a medical professional if you’re uncertain about the dosage.

#9. Connect with Friends and Family Members Who Will Support You Emotionally

You may have heard that those who are socially isolated often experience greater rates of stress, as well as a variety of other ailments. In fact, people who have 10 friends they consider to be close usually live happier and healthier lives compared to those with 1 or 2.

- Try to connect with at least 5 people every day so that you know you have a support system that will be there for you when you need it.

- Find at least one friend or family member to connect with at least once every day, such as over the phone, through text message, or even by email. Try to avoid having serious conversations during work hours if they might cause stress and distraction at that time.

- Show your friends and family how much you appreciate them by thanking them every day for the positive impact they’ve had on your life. Everyone likes to hear this.

#10. Avoid Multitasking

Doing several things simultaneously can be especially stressful when it affects your performance in all areas affected by multitasking. When you try to concentrate on several projects at once, you may feel overwhelmed and stressed out.

Instead of trying to do too much, focus on one project at a time. If you really need to multitask for your career, make sure you don’t neglect the quality of your work in order to complete several projects simultaneously.

#11. Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep every night is important for both your physical and mental health.

When you’re tired, your mind can feel foggy and it’s more difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. It will also be harder to manage stress if you aren’t getting enough sleep. Additionally, lack of sleep can also affect your immune system, which may make you more likely to get sick or feel even more stressed.

A lack of sleep can also affect your work performance. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may not be able to focus on tasks at work, which can hurt both your career and your personal life.

The Bottom Line

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but you can learn to manage it so it doesn’t take over your life. By keeping the things on this list in mind, you should be able to get through your next big project with grace — and maybe even enjoy yourself.

Are you feeling overwhelmed at work? What are some ways that you recharge when things get stressful? We want to hear from you. Do you have any that we didn’t mention here? Let us know in the comments.