While a reasonable amount of stress during work is needed to help you focus and be more productive, too much of stress in a long period of time can actually wreak havoc on your well-being. It may also cause certain health issues, ranging from headaches, insomnia, to more serious conditions like anxiety problems and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, it is very crucial to get hold of the roots of stress before it gets uncontrollable. On this week's journal, we will be explaining a few tips you can do to manage stress related to the workplace.

1. Get enough sleep

There are a lot of benefits a good night's sleep can offer, including re-energizing our body and improving concentration. The latter may help in managing your emotions and stress, as you will be feeling much fresher and much less irritable from lack of sleep.

Achieve a proper night's rest by shutting off your gadgets early, at least 30 minutes before you're planning to go to sleep, as well as going to bed on the same time every night. This habit helps to train your internal body clock to wake up at the same time every morning and feel refreshed. Aim to have 8 hours of sleep every night to maintain optimal productivity in the workplace.

2. Stay organized

Procrastination might be one of the bad habits almost everyone go through at some point of their life. But as fun as it feels to put off work until the end, it also triggers your stress levels to go up. That is why, planning and organizing your routine can massively improve your productivity and help resolve your stress. For example keeping a daily planner in your desk helps to monitor your time spent doing work, and managing your time in general. That way, you will get things done in the most effective manner, without the unecessary stress and pressure.

3. Manage your workload

Aside from spending your time wisely, you need to also prioritize your work and put them into categories. You can then easily track which work needs your utmost attention at the time being, as well as which ones you can put off until later. By managing your workload well, you will then be able to avoid being overwhelmed when you have a lot of work to do. Also, remember that multitasking is not recommended, simply because the human brain is not designed to do two or more things at the same time. Instead of jacking up productivity, multitasking will just ruin your concentration levels and probably resulting in subpar effort.

4. Set a realistic target

A target is obviously needed in order to achieve things and excel at work. However, be reminded to not harbor yourself into perfectionistic traits, as this can hinder your progress and add more unnecessary baggage, such as stress. Accept when things are not as perfect as you want them to be, especially when you are working in a fast-paced job. Striving to do your best and rewarding yourself after giving your best effort is recommended to put yourself at ease and be less stressed.

5. Practice effective communication

When you involve other parties in your work, you definitely need to practice good communication as it offers an array of benefits. Improving teamwork, decision making, problem solving and avoiding work-related conflicts are some of the things you can reap. By communicating your needs and opening your ears for other people's opinion, you establish a transparent communication line that can accommodate everyone, including your superiors and co-workers. This way, you can bear less stress in your mind and able to perform effectively.

6. Take breaks

Sometimes, you may feel bored and uninspired at work. This is a sign that you need a break for a short while, and then come back with a renewed vigor. You can always do a short walk during lunchtime to refresh your mind, or do some exercise before or after work to replenish your energy. Living an active lifestyle can actually help you combat stresses during work, fix your mood, and get you into better shape at the same time.

7. Keep your workspace comfortable

Last but not least, make sure to have a comfortable working setting. This is often an overlooked factor, but a cluttered workspace is often a culprit for feeling stressed at work. Therefore, make sure to clean up your workspace regularly and avoid documents or other things piling up on your desk as this can create a visual distraction and frustrate you in the long run.