Another source of work stress reported by employees is lack of support at work. There are many things employers can do to create a more supportive work environment, but there are also initiatives individuals can take to obtain more support at work. These include being more proactive, not being afraid to ask for help when needed, talking to one’s manager about one’s concerns, speaking up when the workload gets unmanageable, establishing meaningful relationships with colleagues and seeking a mentor and / or coach for guidance.
It is also helpful to incorporate stress reduction techniques throughout the day. The simplest yet one of the most effective techniques is to take a few deep breaths whenever we feel stressed. Breathing deeply sends a message to the brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to the body. The reactions when we feel stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as we breathe deeply to relax. Other simple techniques can be getting up regularly from our desk to walk around the office. This not only activates the body which reduces stress it also facilitates connections with colleagues. Having meaningful relationships is one of the most important factors for a happy and less stressful life.
In a December 2015 CNN video on managing stress, Kathleen Hall, CEO of Stress Institute, gives simple tips to incorporate in the daily life to reduce stress (Gupta, 2015). These include:
• Finding things that bring you home to yourself such a picture of your family
• Putting an organic lavender eye bag over your eyes for 5 minutes – studies show that the smell of the organic lavender lowers blood pressure, heart rate and immediately calms the body, mind and soul
• Having a picture of something that calms you down on your mousepad or on the wall, such as a beach or a pet
• Have a concern box with a family picture in the family room and have every member write down what they are concerned about
• Having fresh flowers in the house or in the office – a Harvard study showed that it increases happiness by 40%
