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Feeling Stressed? How to Improve Your Mental Health at Work

The ability to cope with stress in the workplace is a key skill, not just for your professional performance, but also for your overall well-being. Chronic stress that goes unchecked can put your health at risk, from negatively affecting your immune system to exacerbating depression and anxiety, leading to a vicious cycle that creates more stress from these ailments. Fortunately, you can empower yourself and take control – improve your mental health at work with these tips: 

Schedule Your Day Strategically

A major contributing factor to workplace stress is operating in a state of constant reaction, rather than being proactive and setting your own priorities. To combat this, schedule your day strategically. Identify your most important tasks and give each one your maximum focus – even if it is just for a 20 minute block, you will make progress toward something that will have an impact, rather than being busy all day with no major results to show for it.   

Identify Your Triggers

Get in the habit of observing the reactions, mentally and physically, you experience with particular situations at work. Identify your triggers of what causes you stress, so you can prepare coping strategies ahead of time when you are in a more clear-headed state of mind. For example, if you notice your heart pounding or your mood becoming more irritable whenever you vent to colleagues about a specific topic, you can decide to excuse yourself or change the subject if it comes up next time.  

Reduce Self-Imposed Expectations 

Be honest with yourself and reflect on any assumptions you are making about what is expected of you at work and if they truly align with what your boss’s expectations. Reduce self-imposed expectations that are negatively impacting your mental health – i.e., just because your boss emails you outside of working hours doesn’t necessarily mean they need an immediate response. Gain some clarity on what is truly expected of you, and then establish boundaries to protect your mental health (such as not checking your email outside of designated times).  

Practice Mindfulness Exercises 

When you are in the midst of a stressful experience, you can redirect your mental state through mindfulness. Practice mindfulness exercises, such as closing your eyes and taking deep breaths, identifying the current state of of your body (i.e., “My hands are clenched, my feet are flat on the floor, etc.”), or repeating a mantra to yourself (such as “I am in control.”) Try out different exercises to find what is most effective at calming you down in the moment.  

Take Time to Recharge 

Taking breaks is so important for your mental health. Your brain gets fatigued through extended dedicated usage just like your muscles do after periods of physical activity, and is then more susceptible to reacting negatively to stressful situations. Schedule time into your workday to recharge, such as going for a walk at lunch time instead of eating at your desk while still working or setting a reminder to just look away from your computer screen for five minutes.  

Explore New Opportunities

If you are not satisfied with the current trajectory of your career, IFG can offer you support in your job search endeavors. Here at IFG, our team of recruiting experts work with candidates like you to connect them with the opportunities from our clients that would be the ideal fit for your needs. Contact us today to meet with an IFG Business Partner today.