This guide outlines five key stress relief strategies to get back in balance again.
Workplace stress, especially for those who put in long hours in a windowless office sitting in front of a computer screen day in and day out, can have a serious impact on mental health. It may lead to anxiety, depression and further impact even those areas of your personal life that are outside the office.
5 top stress relief methods
Health plays a crucial role in your ability to get through the day productively, so it is extremely important to find ways to maintain it. From healthy diets to meditation, here are five stress relief tips for those who want to stay mentally healthy and maintain a busy schedule at the same time.
Sleep
For persons who are used to putting in long hours on the desk, sleep may be the last thing on their mind. That said, inadequate sleep may prove detrimental to health. After all, the ability to function well when awake, will depend upon not only the hours you rest on the pillow, but the quality of sleep you get as well.
Sleep deficiency has been associated with increased chances of contracting a chronic ailment, including: a stroke, obesity, depression and increased risk of injury, all of which can seriously impact mental health. The best night of rest should be between 7-9 hrs, so make sure you devote this time for a fitting sleep to help with stress relief.
Take help when in need
Seeking help for your overall health and stress relief is not a sign of weakness, it is a smart investment to stay mentally balanced. If you feel persistently overwhelmed at work, you should be proactive and consider seeking timely advice online from a mental health professional, before the problem gets worse.
Online counseling has proved to be very useful for those with hectic schedules and long work hours as they find it hard to manage time for physical counseling sessions. Without leaving the comfort of your preferred space, you can access a therapist to address your mental health issues through messaging or video chats, by just sitting in the car on the way to work.
Stay active
In order to prepare yourself for the busy day ahead, it is important to stay active in order to maintain the healthy blood flow through your body muscles. Give your body a head start by doing a short 15-30 minutes home workout every morning. Not everyone has the time to go to the gym, so doing simple and consistent exercises at home will improve stamina and stress relief for the hectic time expected ahead.
If you are spending time on the desk, staying still for too long can have a negative impact on the body.Take time out to get up and walk around, but if there are space restrictions you can do some simple stretches on the desk itself to improve posture and loosen the muscles. Sitting properly at the desk can also radically improve your health, and you have no need to take time out to do this.
Diet
Eating healthy snacks, in between meals, can help maintain blood sugar levels, help stress relief, balance metabolism and increase the energy in the body. The snack should be loaded with fibre and proteins to keep you full till the next big meal. Next time you get a midday craving, keep some dried fruit and nuts in your desk drawer.They make for great snack options and do not require refrigeration.
Planning healthy meals for lunch can be tough for those working till late. So set aside time and make 2-3 different meals that will keep your body fueled for the rest of the week. Pastas, salads and wraps are some simple and healthy suggestions that can be made in different ways. If there is an abnormally busy day ahead, try a protein smoothie as a replacement so that you don’t skip lunch altogether.
Meditation
For a workaholic, it is a luxury to take the time out of the day, even for a few moments, to focus on themselves. If you feel you don’t have ten to fifteen minutes to spare, there is no need to despair. Spending even a minute or two meditating can help you stay refreshed, healthy and improve your focus and stress relief.
Give yourself time to sit down and calm your nerves. Put your phone aside, shut your computer and rest your eyes. If you do this for just one minute, it will help reduce stress dramatically. Try out some one minute meditation practices and listen to your breath as you exhale and inhale. When you feel overwhelmed, you will be surprised how taking sixty seconds to try out some breathing techniques does wonders.
Conclusion
As an enterprising entrepreneur, do not let your ambitions supersede the importance of protecting your mental health. It should be an ongoing project which you should never neglect, even if it means spending extra hours over the weekend in the office to finish a report, regardless of other plans you might have made.
