5 Ways to De-stress at Work

The stats about stress at work are startling. 

More than nine in ten workers say they are stressed at work. Nearly nine in ten say there’s more workplace stress now than there was five years ago. And almost all of them say that this stress affects their well-being. Some stress is good—it’s a signal that you’re being challenged—but too often, stress at work creates anxiety, fear, a decline in performance, or a combination of all three. “Today, stress is epidemic,” says Korn Ferry Advance career coach Val Olson. 

Research indicates that stress depresses employee motivation and innovation, so it’s in a company’s best interest to help its workers manage it. About 40% of employee turnover is attributable, at least in part, to burnout. Employee-assistance programs can provide support, experts say, but so can a variety measures you can incorporate into your workday. “We can only become more effective at managing ourselves and our situations,” says Anya Weaver, a Korn Ferry principal consultant who has helped both leaders and teams handle stress more effectively. 

Exercise, sleep, and eating healthy are essential stress busters, of course. While you’re on the clock, here are five other ways to help de-stress yourself at work.

Set boundaries.

Everyone has limits, even the most ambitious of us. Never saying no is a recipe for both feeling and being overwhelmed “Don’t say yes to everything that crosses your desk,” Olson says. Setting boundaries can of course entail some uncomfortable conversations with coworkers or managers, and it’s best to have these talks in a structured one-on-one meeting in a calm setting, Weaver says. The conversations should clearly define responsibilities and deadlines.

Track your stressors.

Keep a journal for a week or two to identify the situations that stress you most and how you respond to them. You might discover that you’ve already developed effective coping strategies, but don’t use them consistently. 

Keeping track also enables you to consider, in a free moment, whether the situation really was stressful. Or was your mind making it into a much bigger deal? “Challenging negative thoughts by asking if they’re true is a good stress reducer,” Olson says.

Organize and prioritize.

Stress often feels worse when you’re confronted by a set of work challenges that seem essential and critical. But in reality, very few work assignments are of equal importance and urgency. Spending a little time to determine the true importance of each task really can make your situation feel more manageable. An organizing system such as the Eisenhower Matrix can be a useful aid in setting priorities. If you’re uncertain, just ask your boss for clarity about which task you should tackle first. 

Get input from others.

Talk to your boss, of course, but talk to others as well. “Compare your situation to peers within your department—or others outside it who are doing similar work—to see how they are managing their time and tasks,” suggests Olson. The idea here isn’t to see if you’re doing more than everyone else, but rather to find out if there are behaviors or methods you can adopt. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, either,” adds Frances Weir, a Korn Ferry Advance career coach. Identify and share the sources of your biggest stressors and be clear on the kind of help you need, she says.

Relax your mind for a few minutes.

Taking a nap in the middle of the workday might not be feasible, but setting aside a few minutes in your schedule to practice mindfulness is usually not too difficult. Mindfulness, which comes in many forms, is just a way to slow your thoughts down, and experts say it leads to better decision-making. Olson observes that there are numerous apps and courses—many of them requiring no significant commitment of money or time—that will help you take a few minutes out of your day to breathe and “just be.”

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s career development capabilities from Korn Ferry Advance. 

Read more This Week in Leadership articles