Managing Stress Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by [deleted]

The American Psycho­logical Associ­ation (APA) lists a number of factors tend to go hand-i­n-hand with work-r­elated stress, among them: low salaries, excessive workloads, few opport­unities for growth or advanc­ement, work that isn’t engaging or challe­nging, lack of social support, not having enough control over job-re­lated decisions and confli­cting demands or unclear perfor­mance expect­ations.

Work-r­elated stress in particular can be managed in a number of ways, whether it’s company management making a conscious decision to improve the company’s culture or a worker’s own prerog­ative to take steps to reduce stress. Whatever it is, stress management might mean lifestyle changes, new routines or something as simple as taking a mental health day to regroup.

On a personal level, the APA says a person can use the following techniques to manage stress:

Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them.

Instead of attempting to fight stress with fast food or alcohol, do your best to make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise. Exercise is a great stress­-bu­ster.

In today’s digital world, it’s easy to feel pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner.

To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, we need time to replenish and return to our pre-stress level of functi­oning. This recovery process requires “switching off” from work by having periods of time when you are neither engaging in work-r­elated activi­ties, nor thinking about work.

Techniques such as medita­tion, deep breathing exercises and mindfu­lness (a state in which you actively observe present experi­ences and thoughts without judging them) can help melt away stress

Healthy employees typically are more produc­tive, so your boss has an incentive to create a work enviro­nment that promotes employee well-b­eing. Start by having an open conver­sation with your superv­isor. The purpose of this isn’t to lay out a list of compla­ints, but rather to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you’ve identi­fied, so you can perform at your best on the job.

Accepting help from trusted friends and family members can improve your ability to manage stress. Your employer also may have stress management resources available through an employee assistance program (EAP), including online inform­ation, available counseling and referral to mental health profes­sio­nals, if needed.