You can first start to manage office stress by getting your body back in shape. It’s no surprise that stress affects both the mind and takes a toll on our physical health. To begin to cope with stress, eat healthy foods like green vegetables and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, like flax seeds. Skip the greasy hamburger for a grilled salmon salad and watch your mood lift in the afternoon.

Of course, don’t forget to exercise regularly and move as often as possible during the workday. Make sure to stand for at least thirty minutes every hour, or take short breaks to stretch and walk around the office. At the end of the day, head to bed early. Office stress is only intensified by sleep-deprived minds, so shoot for 7-8 solid hours each night.

Another option to deal with office stress is to make your workspace feel more like home. Bring in family photos or small nick-knacks to place on your desktop. Add a few plants to spruce up the environment and help you relax.

According to the Huffington Post, hospital patients with indoor plants reported having lower stress levels than patience without them. Of course your office isn’t a hospital room, but plants will have the same effect nonetheless!

Although it may seem impossible, it’s important to learn how to say no. Taking on more than you can handle can leave you overextended, overworked, and overstressed. If you feel a project is starting to be more than you can handle and someone asks you take on just one more thing, calmly but firmly say no. Then you’ll have more time to focus on producing quality work on time.

Being glued to your desk for hours on end really does have an effect on your stress levels. So with that in mind, schedule a portion of your day that’s just dedicated to you. If you don’t have time for a full lunch break, try to carve out at least 20 minutes to walk around the block, read or sit outside. But the main thing to remember is to get out of the office for at least a little while. You’d be surprised how far a little sunshine can go in relieving office stress.

To follow up with getting out of the office, make it a field trip and bring a few coworkers along. Spend time together not talking about impending deadlines and projects, but instead try to get to know each other. Having quality social time allows you to unplug for a bit and relax your mind.

Office stress will never fully be eliminated, but there are tools to help you manage it that can lead to fulfilling, long-lasting careers. How do you cope with stress at the office?

The post How to Cope With Office Stress appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

1. Laugh
It’s no joke, laughing causes immediate stress relief (no pun intended). According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing has both short-term and long-term benefits. Laughing enhances the amount of oxygen in the body, and ultimately stimulates your body’s organs and releases mood-boosting endorphins to de-stress. It also increases your heart and blood pressure slightly that leads to a relaxed feeling afterwards. So with that, take a short break and watch a funny YouTube video or Google pictures of adorable animals—something to help you smile and de-stress.

2. Eat
Yes, you can de-stress by healthy eating. There’s nothing worse than having a mountain of work to do while feeling those hunger pangs strike. That only results in unnecessary stress and the inevitable overeating. Instead, keep healthy snacks nearby that you can enjoy to stay relaxed and focused on the task at hand. Take a short break, a deep breath, and enjoy your snack. Nuts, avocados or a hardboiled egg are smart choices that won’t lead to inadequate nutrition and will keep you full.

3. Move
As you know, it’s so important to keep moving throughout your day! Not only will this help keep you fit, but also help you de-stress in a big way. Adjust your desk and stand for thirty minutes every hour, stretch, and talk to coworkers instead of emailing them. Movement has the power to boost creativity and endorphins, leading to a stress-free, relaxed work day. If you have time, go for a short walk around the block. Walking helps clear your head and take your mind off of whatever is causing you stress.

4. Breathe
When tension and panic start to rise, ever realize that you’re holding your breath? Deep breathing exercises are one of the most powerful ways to de-stress, and it only takes a second. Deep breaths increase the amount of oxygen in the body and stimulate a relaxed feeling, leading to reduced tension and stress.

5. Read
This may come as a shock, but reading is actually linked to reduced stress. According to the Telegraph, psychologists believe reading causes you to concentrate and focus on a literary world instead of the present one that’s causing you stress. Silently reading for as little as 6 minutes can help you de-stress by 68 percent!

How do you de-stress during the week? Share in the comments below!

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Try to resist the sugary doughnuts your coworker brought that day, and even that warm, delicious slice of coffee cake from the bakery nearby. Sugary, salty snacks may seem like a quick fix to give you that extra boost of energy, but once the sugar wears off you’ll start to crash.

We’ve put together a list of quick, healthy snacks you can eat sitting behind your standing desk. And once you’re finished, stand up and feel the energy flowing and a boost in concentration. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

1. Edamame
This healthy snack is super easy for the person who needs to grab and go in the morning. Edamame is full of protein and fiber, two elements your body needs on a daily basis. You can buy the frozen version and keep them in your office freezer, but fresh produce is often the best. So buy a bag and throw it in the office fridge Monday morning. Warm them in the microwave and you’re all set!

2. Hard Boiled Egg
Eating eggs doesn’t have to be reserved for breakfast. Boil a few eggs Sunday night and you’ll have a healthy snack every day of the week. One hardboiled egg contains about 70 calories with five to six grams of protein. They’re easy to crack and peel while working at your standing desk.

3. Almonds
Almonds have been a healthy snack staple for years. One ounce is about 184 calories, and almonds are high in omega-9 fatty acid. These are good fats that improve heart health. Go for raw or with minimal salt. Pour a few in a plastic bag before work and store them at your standing desk so they’re within arm’s reach. You won’t even have to take a work break!

4. Produce and Hummus
Hummus is the perfect snack no matter the time of day. It contains beneficial fibers and nutrients, and it’s filling when eaten with produce. Try celery, broccoli or carrots. Another favorite is hummus with red bell pepper – a veggie packed full of carotenoids, antioxidants and vitamins.

*Tip: After you return from grocery shopping, chop up your veggies all at once and place them in containers, then you can grab and go when you need a quick healthy snack. You can also rinse your fruits and veggies with vinegar and water to remove most of the pesticides. Learn more, HERE.

5. Avocado
Absolutely delicious with just a hint of lime or salt, avocados are an extremely healthy snack to enjoy mid-morning. Avocados contain nine to 11 grams of fiber per avocado. Slice up half an avocado, or make a spread to put over a tortilla for a quick snack to enjoy.

Try out a few of these during the workweek and let us know how you like them! Do you have any other ideas for quick snacks to enjoy between meals? Let us know!

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After a bit of research, we’ve come up with a few tips on how to manage stress at work, from sprucing up your workspace to having better time management skills.

Practice Time Management
When you first arrive at the office, take a second to settle in and prepare yourself. Take a few deep breaths or read a news article instead of diving into things head on. Then develop a priority list of tasks and work through as much as you can. For pressing deadlines or large projects, block a portion of your day to focus on that without any interruption.

It may not be extremely appealing, but try to tackle the task you don’t want to do first to remove some stress at work. Then it’s out of the way and you won’t have to worry about it when the mid-morning rush picks up or the day starts to come to a close.

Organize Your Workspace
Think of it this way: mess equals stress. If papers pile up around you, or regular junk, you may notice your stress level at work start to rise. Focus becomes difficult when your desk is littered with cards, papers or anything else that’s unnecessary.

Before you’ve even developed a list of things to do, organize your desk and have everything you need within arm’s reach. Then you won’t have to stress about finding that lost phone number or random Post-it note. It’s always calming to have familiar things around you, like family photos or personal touches to make your workspace your own.

Take a Lunch Break
We’ve mentioned this before, but a lunch break will greatly reduce office stress. You may not have a full hour or even half an hour, but 20 minutes of stretching, walking and eating a healthy lunch can completely turn around a hectic workday for the better.

No matter your time limit, get away from your desk. Your mind and body will thank you for it once the afternoon hits.

Improve Your Communication Skills
Improving communication skills to help eliminate office stress starts with bettering how you view yourself. Instead of seeking approval or blaming yourself for things that are out of your control, try to focus on the work itself. Then learn to actively communicate your needs, or talk with a trusted coworker about the stress you’re experiencing. They may have some great advice about how to handle it head-on.

Leave it at the Office
Occasionally it’s unavoidable to not take work home, but for the most part try to leave it at the office. Many workers suffer from a lack of work/life balance, which ultimately affects productivity and your stress level. Once the day comes to a close, look back at the things you’ve completed and take note of your accomplishments.

The commute or public transit ride on the way home can be rough. Before you leave, spend a few minutes in your office in silence without frantically worrying about everything you didn’t accomplish. There is always tomorrow.

How do you manage office stress?

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Standing desks, treadmill desks, and adjustable height desks have been shown to act as a great outlet for nerves, stress, or extra energy. When you’re sitting all day and something comes along—a sudden deadline! An overdue report! A broken printer! Whatever!—it is no wonder that you get stressed out.

Your body goes into fight or flight mode, your muscles tense, and all you want to do is run! Well, with a standing, adjustable height, or treadmill desk, you have an outlet for that energy. Then you can focus on the task at hand—and not the idea of running out the door!

Aside from a treadmill desk, adjustable height desk, or standing desk, there are many other ways that you can relax and reboot at work—without even leaving your office.

• Listen: Listen to your surroundings, the type of your coworkers’ keys, your breathing.
• Sweep: Practice a mental sweeping of the chalkboard of your mind. Pause intentionally and visualize an eraser ridding any overwhelming thoughts.
• Look: Look at a picture of your family, pet or a vacation spot you love.
• Count: I think Thomas Jefferson said it best: “When angry, count to 10 before you speak. If very angry, count to 100.”
• Take in relaxing sounds: Listen to calming music or a recording of soothing ocean waves, rain, or whatever sound floats your boat (perhaps the sound of a boat?). This will calm you down—plus, studies show that classical music can improve brain function.
• Organize your desk. If you are surrounded by clutter, it is no wonder your mind might feel cluttered as well. If you’re stressed, take a moment, breathe, and clear off your desk, thus clearing your mind.
• Workout. Who needs an hour and a half to sit down and eat anymore? Use that time more wisely and hit the gym, go for a run, get to yoga, or just move! You can eat in a few minutes when you get back. Work that stress out.
• Meditate. The beauty of meditation? It requires nothing—nothing at all. You don’t need to be at any special place, in any special position, or in any special state of mind. Just close your eyes, focus on your breath, and merely observe the thoughts that flit around in your mind, like leaves blowing in the wind. They’ll start to slow. And so will your stressed-out heart rate!

If you’re stressed at the office, try some of these de-stressing tips (note—these de-stressers work just as well at home too!). And get up, stand up, and get moving with a treadmill desk or even a standing desk to prevent anxiety in the first place. Remember, things don’t stress you out—it is all about your reaction to them. It’s your choice.

Do you use an adjustable height desk or treadmill desk at work? Have you noticed a difference in your stress levels? Share your thoughts!

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