- Know your priorities: Be clear about your key deliverables, job objectives and how you can contribute to your department.
- Take regular breaks: After completing each mini task, step away for a short time to relax, stretch, chat with a colleague or get some fresh air.
- Avoid taking on too many projects: Set realistic expectations and avoid unrealistic deadlines. Delegate or share responsibilities when possible.
- Get enough rest and exercise: Being well rested and physically active can support your physical and mental well-being. Exercise produces endorphins, chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers.
- Be kinder to yourself: Recognise that career success takes time, opportunity and sometimes luck. Avoid placing unnecessary pressure on yourself.
- Avoid unhealthy coping habits: Smoking, excessive caffeine and unhealthy snacking do not help long term.
Beat work stress by getting a breath of fresh air every once in a while.
How To Manage Stress At Work
Work stress is a normal part of working life, but excessive stress can affect your productivity as well as your physical and emotional health.
Technology has also made it easier to stay connected to work outside office hours. A workplace survey found that 69 per cent of Singaporean employees tune in to work even when they are out of the office or on holiday.
Learning how to manage work stress can help you cope better with workplace demands and challenges. The Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group, shares some useful tips.
How Can You Manage Stress At Work
1. Prioritise to reduce work stress
See the big picture
Ask your boss what your key deliverables are. Be clear about your job objectives and how you can add value to your department.
Don’t be overwhelmed by multiple tasks. Here is what you should do:
- Prioritise your work
- Focus on one task at a time
- Keep your key deliverables in mind.
Having a clearer understanding of your priorities can help you avoid getting bogged down by individual tasks and feeling overwhelmed by your workload.
2. Reduce stress by taking a short break
Take time out
When you feel stressed, step away from your work for a while. Taking a short break of about 20 minutes can help you cool off feelings of stress, anger or irritation.
You could:
- Have a relaxing chat with a colleague or friend
- Stretch at the photocopy machine
- Go downstairs to buy a snack
- Get some fresh air.
Give yourself the small treat of a break after each task achieved. You deserve it!
3. How to take a mental break from work stress?
Escape for an instant.
When you feel stressed, think of a time in your life when you felt happy and relaxed. Hold that image in your mind for at least one minute. Smile – at least in your mind and eyes. Get Happy!
You can also keep a postcard or picture of your favourite landscape or holiday destination at your workplace and look at it when you feel stressed. Imagine that you are there. It works!
4. How to set realistic expectations to reduce stress
Don't be a hero.
Taking on too many projects or setting unrealistic deadlines can create unnecessary stress.
Wherever possible:
- Avoid over-committing
- Delegate tasks when appropriate
- Share responsibility for projects when possible. Remember - many hands make light work
- Discuss with your Supervisor to set realistic deadlines that you are both agreeable to.
Taking on more work than you can reasonably manage can affect both your well-being and your credibility at work.
5. Keep healthy snacks at your desk instead.
Look for positive ways to reduce stress and participate in healthy activities.
Stress can make you reach for high-calorie snacks such as potato chips or doughnuts. When you feel the need to munch, try these healthier snack options instead:
- Soy chips. Soy chips are made of soya chunks and/or tempeh, which contain muscle-friendly protein and fibre to help support digestion. Choose those which are low in artificial flavouring and salt, to maximise benefits
- Small packets of nuts and dried fruits such as raisins. These offer a combination of antioxidants, vitamins and protein
- Whole wheat crackers. Look for those with ‘whole grain’ as their main ingredient, as these provide iron, magnesium and B vitamins too!
With this, you get a feel-good (not guilty!) factor after snacking too!
Do not use smoking or caffeine to cope with stress
Smoking, excessive caffeine and unhealthy snacking are not effective ways to relax.
Nicotine is a stimulant that can increase anxiety. Caffeine can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol and has a mild addictive effect.
6. Proper sleep helps reduce stress
Get enough rest
Give your body the sleep it needs. Sleep Specialists at SingHealth advise that working adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
Being well rested can help lower stress levels and allow you to approach work challenges with greater composure.
7. How does exercise help reduce stress?
Get adequate exercise
Exercise produces endorphins, chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers. It can also improve sleep and reduce stress. Regular exercise helps maintain physical health and promotes mental well-being.
The World Health Organization recommends that healthy adults target at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week.
8. How can you avoid putting too much pressure on yourself?
Don't be so hard on yourself.
Much of our stress can be self-imposed. You may set targets for your desired salary, position or career progression. When these targets are not achieved, you may feel stressed or depressed.
Remember that:
- Success means different things to different people
- Career ambitions take time
- Opportunities do not always come at the expected time
- Luck can also play a part in achieving career goals.
Don't take yourself too seriously and recognise that your career does not have to progress according to a fixed timetable.
What causes stress at work?
Work stress can arise from many different factors.
Slowing economic growth and poor market performance can increase pressure on employees to perform. Technology can also contribute to work stress by allowing employees to access work emails and receive calls anytime and anywhere.
Constant connectivity can make it difficult to switch off from work, particularly when employees continue working outside office hours or while on holiday.
Does work stress affect men and women differently?
Gender can influence what causes stress at work and how people respond to it.
A World Health Organization commentary on gender disparities in mental health found that gender can influence a person's social position, status and treatment in society, which can in turn affect sources of stress and responses to stress.
Work that provides little opportunity for skill development and limited decision-making authority contributes to depression and is more prevalent among people in lower-ranking positions.
Women may be more prone to work-related stress because they generally earn less than men and more often occupy lower-ranking positions in organisations.
However, the causes of work stress can differ depending on the industry.
What causes work stress in men and women?
In the construction industry, for example, men may experience slightly higher levels of stress than women.
Men in this industry may experience stress related to:
- Risk-taking
- Disciplinary matters
- The implications of mistakes
- Redundancy
- Career progression
Female engineers in the construction industry may experience more stress related to:
- Opportunities for personal development
- Keeping up with new ideas
- Business travel
At work, women may also experience greater stress related to:
- Low income
- Income inequality
- Lower or subordinate social status
- Lower-ranking positions
These differences reflect the different roles and circumstances that men and women may experience at work.
What are the key takeaways about work stress?
Some work stress is normal, but excessive stress can interfere with productivity and affect your physical and emotional health.
You can better manage work stress by understanding your priorities, taking regular breaks, avoiding unhealthy coping habits, setting realistic expectations, getting enough rest, exercising regularly and being less hard on yourself.
The better you manage your stress, the better equipped you may be to handle the challenges of work.
Ref: F26
Check out our other articles on stress:
Stress Level and Personality Type: Is There a Link?
Have Diabetes? Why You Need to Watch Your Stress
Coping with Stress and Anxiety Q&A - Our Specialist Answers Your Questions
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