De-stress your workday

KATHMANDU, May 12: The April 25 earthquake has shaken us all. Even after more than two weeks of the devastating tremor, life hasn’t still found normalcy, thanks to the recurring aftershocks that constantly remind us of the ill-fated day. As of now, many organizations have resumed operations, and many employees have gone back to work.

For many, like doctors, rescue workers, and journalists, the disaster only increased their workload. Working amidst chaos and uncertainty has definitely stressed people out. Below are some tips to de-stress yourself at work

Start early

If you have to reach office at 9 o’clock in the morning, leave home at least 15 minutes earlier than usual. Many research studies have found that the less rushed you feel in the morning, the less stressed you’ll feel for the rest of the day. For those of you who don’t have fixed working hours, keep yourself mentally prepared at all times and plan accordingly.

Bring your own snacks

We don’t know about the canteen in your office, but many eateries haven’t opened after the earthquake, and so it makes perfect sense to pack your own lunch or at least carry healthy snacks with you. You can bring your own tea/coffee or juice boxes to work, and have a bag of nonperishable (healthy) snacks on hand, like protein bars, dried fruits and nuts, or anything homemade. With added workload, going without a snack for even a couple of hours can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, and you’ll end up with increased level of stress. This way, even if you have to work back-to-back, you’ll be able to inject some fuel.

Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water. With the rise in the mercury level, keeping yourself hydrated is primarily important.

Schedule some ‘worry time’

With such a hectic schedule, this sounds like a wishful thinking. But hey, even if it’s just for five minutes, leave your work and sit somewhere alone and think about what’s stressing you out. On a sheet of paper, write down what worries you, why it worries you, and the worst thing that the worrying could bring. Once you confront the worst-case scenario, and realize that it probably won’t happen, you can get back to work with your worry load lightened.

If worry time doesn’t appeal to you, take some time out to do something fun and lighthearted. Like, indulge in some doodling, draw, catch up in Facebook, or browse Pinterest to improve your attitude and recharge your batteries.

Give yourself some credits

This is the last thing that comes to our mind while working so hard. But trust us, giving yourself the due credit is extremely helpful. Pat yourself (and maybe do a little victory dance) when you’ve completed an important task. Don’t wait for others to tell you what a good job you’ve done. That little act of self-praise will go a long way to helping you maintain your cool amid the workplace madness.

Stretch

This is especially important if your job involves a lot of sitting and working on a computer. Try lifting your legs up and stretching them for 30 seconds every hour or so. This movement is said to reduce the risk of blood clots that can result from sitting too long in one position.

Another useful exercise is to put one arm behind your neck and stretch it by holding on to the elbow with the other arm. Switch sides and repeat. Also, make exercise a priority. It can be as simple as a quick walk around your neighborhood. But keep in mind that moving your body is crucial for your sanity.

Socialize with colleagues

Socializing is one of the easiest ways to distract yourself from anxieties. So despite the rush, catch up with a colleague to chat for a few minutes. The chat could be work-related, too, but avoid venting out your stress and stick to tension-free topics. Like collectively figure out how to do something better, enhance productivity, or improve relationships.

Plan ahead

During challenging times, it’s even more important to look ahead and plan things out for the upcoming times—like the evening, the weekends, or other days. Make a to-do list for these times and tick off things off the list as and when you get things done. This will motivate you to work harder and make you happily look forward to better things in life.

Last but not the least, take a deep breath every now and then and rejoice in the fact that you’re alive and kicking!