Manage your Stress at Work

Every organisation has employees that take time off due to stress.

You would think they’ve learned by now that stress is a serious thing. The employees need to be taken care of well before something like this happen.

But unfortunately, even big organisations, including Universities, do not do enough to prevent this problem.

by Elia Strange

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I personally know of a few people who experienced burnout at work when they were not able to function anymore, to the point of stopping their career, and becoming chronically ill.


One lady had to take a year off from work, taking anti-depressants and staying at home most of the time. She then changed her job and stopped her higher education. Now, a couple of years later, she is learning to take it easy, working part-time for a charity that cares for brain-injured children.


Although some stories have a good ending, the journey often goes through hell. So learning how to recognise the signs and symptoms of stress in yourself, knowing which stage of stress you reached by now and quickly taking measures to reduce it, and of course educating yourself on how to reduce stress in your life, is simply vital.

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Time management

There are 24 hours in a day: 8 – for sleep, 8 – for recreation, 8 – for work. The reality is often very different. Who on Earth is having 8 hours for fun and recreation?
Ok, as this topic is concerned more with work rather than play, we’ll focus on that.

Time management means you spend time effectively and productively. Do you know that if you decided to allocate 30 min for your usual 45-min activity (e.g. project, exercise, housework), you will actually do it!

Not in 20 min, and not in 40 min. Your mind will strategically guide you to do everything you planned to do in 30 min exactly. This strategy is really good if you need to fill in some forms, like application form for a new job, writing a new CV, or tide up your workplace.

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Where to begin

• Break up overwhelming tasks into smaller jobs. Set deadlines for completing the entire task and work on it a little by little every day.
  
  
• Draw up a ‘to do’ list of all the tasks you need to complete in the short term (within the next week), the mid term (the next month), and the long term. Regularly review your ‘to do’ lists and tick off the things that are done.
  
  
• When planning your work task, try to alternate enjoyable ones with not-so-enjoyable ones. And start your day with one of the enjoyable ones!
  
  
• Clear the top of your desk and put everything out of sight except for the task you are currently working on.
  
  
• Notice when you prefer to do big tasks and when is the time for smaller ones. Some people prefer to start on the big tasks first thing in the morning. Others would prefer to work on them in the afternoon.
  
  
• Balance your phone calls, emails, and paperwork. Bring some variety in your day.
  
  
• Take responsibility for your own time management and your health. Nobody concerns about your health as much as you should. Make it your priority.
  
  
  

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Also, here is my own advice to you:

Most of us have to work for living. So you have two choices:

1) Pretend it's a game. Play your role well and try to enjoy it. Or

2) Find job which is enjoyable to you.



I like the words of American Sociologist - William Du Bois, who said:


"The return from your work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world's need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near heaven as you can get. Without this - with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need - this life is hell".

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Other Articles you might like:

How stress affects your health: What stress is doing to your body

Reduce your Stress

Symptoms of Stress


What is Bipolar Disorder?

How well can you cope with stress? (Quiz)

Signs and Stages of Stress


I am depressed... What to do?

How to reduce your stress instantly

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