Anxiety disorders are incredibly complex, in that the exact cause and origin of these disorders can be difficult to locate. Indeed, there is a tendency among those with anxiety to believe their anxiety can be linked to one or two specific events, when the reality is that anxiety is generally something that is forged over time through millions of life experiences.

But one area in life that commonly causes anxiety is the workplace. The modern workplace can be an incredibly stressful environment, and because the economy was tanking for so long, few people are at a place where they’re comfortable leaving their job and looking for something less stressful.

While the workplace isn’t necessarily a place of “anxiety,” it is a place of stress, and studies have shown that long term and persistent stress can actually create anxiety disorders. That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to control your stress at your job and figure out what you can do to reduce the impact that it has on your life.

Strategies to stop work stress

There is no perfect strategy to overcoming work stress because a part of it is based on your own mental state. You need to be of the mindset that your job is just a job, and that it cannot and should not affect the way you feel outside of work. But until you’ve adopted that mindset, here are several strategies that can reduce the impact of workplace stress.

1. Game Creation – Your job is likely not very enjoyable, and that’s one of the issues that causes the stress to add up. You need to find a way to make your job more fun. One way is to figure out what area of your job you can turn into a game. For example, if you do data entry, then you can time yourself for one hour and enter as much data as you can, then see if you can beat your “high score.” You can also make bingo cards out of issues that cause you stress, and if you get a bingo you treat yourself to something nice. Turning work into a game changes the way you look at your job, and hopefully the stress it creates.
2. Exercising Regularly – Exercise is also a crucial part of overcoming stress at the workplace. Exercise has been extensively studied, and research confirms that it may actually be as powerful on mental health as some of the leading antidepressants and anxiety medications. So integrate exercise anywhere you can. See if you can bike to or from work, or exercise before or after to provide yourself with ample stress relief.
3. Workplace Comfort – You’ll also find your workplace less stressful if you adjust how comfortable you are physically in the workplace. Make sure you get up and move, and talk to a chiropractor about how to fix any back pains or muscle issues that may be contributing to discomfort. Physical stress and mental stress are related, and if you can reduce one you can automatically reduce the other.
4. Stay Busy – When you’re not working, you need to be immediately doing something that takes your mind off the stress you just experienced at work. Schedule things for yourself that start immediately after work. Make sure you spend time with friends and that you’re doing activities that reduce the amount of focus you place on your career. Less time thinking about workplace stress improves how much stress you experience within the workplace.
5. Fake Positivity – You may find that your job doesn’t appreciate you, or you don’t get along with your coworkers or boss, or you simply find your entire career to be a mess. But a positive attitude is still something that benefits your overall stress relief. Since you’re not feeling positive, the next best thing is to fake it. All day, pretend as though you’re incredibly happy and a positive person. You may even find that over time, that activity actually starts to become your mindset.

Outside of work, you also need to focus on relaxation and anxiety relief. Make sure that you commit to some type of anxiety coping treatment and that you consider your mental health a priority. What you do to reduce stress in the workplace doesn’t just take place at work. You need to make sure that you’re living a life dedicated to reducing anxiety, and your workplace stress will benefit as a result.

Editors note: Our Garland chiropractors offer customized nutrition plans to help you cope with stress and anxiety. Our all natural, drug-free methods of treating stress are affordable and completely safe. We’ll work with you to help you feel more relaxed, positive and excited about life. You can contact our Garland chiropractors by calling (972) 840-2520.

To learn more ways our Garland chiropractors can help you improve your health, return to our Home page.