Sitting at a desk all day is stressful enough (our bodies were made for moving), but add snarky co-workers, deadlines, and too much noise can ratchet your stress sky high. Instead of letting your job run you into the ground with tension and anxiety, try these three easy office stress-busting tips.
Sitting at a desk all day is stressful enough (our bodies were made for moving), but add snarky co-workers, deadlines, and too much noise can ratchet your stress sky high. Instead of letting your job run you into the ground with tension and anxiety, try these three easy office stress-busting tips.
3 Ways to stress less at work
1. Stretch
Sitting all day may seem like a luxury to people who do hard physical labor, but sitting can tighten up your neck, back, chest, and leg muscles since the seated position is not anatomically friendly. Take 5 minutes every hour or so to stretch your arms, shoulders, neck, and back. You don’t even have to get up to let these stretches do their tension-melted magic. Lift your arms overhead, push them in front of you, and grab your hands behind your chair. Breathe deeply while holding each stretch 15 to 20 seconds.
2. Get up
You aren’t chained to your chair so get up every hour. Even better, if you can multitask, use a Bluetooth and walk around while taking phone calls. When you have a break, do exercises at your desk — squats, lunges, push-ups against the desk, dips on your chair — then stretch your whole body. For the ultimate in fitness at work, try the FitDesk, which allows you to peddle while working. Keeping your body moving while working or just getting up every hour or so can help you stress less and get in some exercise.
3. Snack smart
Healthy snacks can help you stay energized and focused, keep your spirits high, and even halt weight gain. Vegan nutrition bars, bags of fresh veggies and fruit, trailmix, dairy-free yogurt and granola, and even small servings of soup or half a sandwich are smart choices for at-work snacking. In addition to keeping your hunger at bay until lunch or dinner, they will keep your blood sugar on an even keel so you don’t get the grumps. Along with your snacks, be sure you also stay well-hydrated. Even slight dehydration can make you tired or irritable and impair your ability manage stress.
Leave a Comment