Essential Strategies To Help With Work Stress And Improve Your Work-Life Balance

As we head into winter, a lot of us are starting to brace ourselves for hard times ahead. This time of year is always tough as the weather gets worse, the days get shorter, and we must worry about cold and flu season in addition to the escalating work demands that always seem to accompany the build-up to the holiday season. Anyone with kids will tell you that trying to keep your family healthy at this time of year is always an uphill struggle, and there are rising energy bills to worry about. In short, you don’t need a pandemic to be stressed at this time of year. 

One of the biggest causes of stress for a lot of people is the old issue of the work-life balance. It has been particularly tricky over the last year and a half as so many more of us have started working from home. It has become a lot less simple to leave the day job at the office when that office is your sitting room. It’s also tough to put your personal worries aside and focus on work when you can see that letter from the bank from your workstation and you are worried about what turning the heating on during the day will do to your bills. However, there are always a few things that you can do to make things a bit easier. Here are some strategies to help you get started.

Make A Routine

If you are starting to feel like everything is starting to roll into one giant ball of stress, then the best place to start is with a timetable. Some people find that mapping out every single minute of their day is stressful. But giving yourself some clear dividing lines will go a long way towards helping you feel like you know where everything is going to be and what you are supposed to be doing. It might sound a little simplistic but having a set time that you get up every morning and go to bed every evening does give your day structure. If you are working from home, then try to make sure that you are giving yourself time to eat breakfast and shower before you start. You’ll be surprised by how much of a difference it makes.

When You Sign Off, Sign Off

This is one of the most common complaints from people who work from home. It’s great to have the flexibility to work from anywhere, but that comes at the cost of your employer being able to contact you wherever you are. If you are working on a big project, then you know that there is always going to be that temptation to open your laptop and put another hour in after you’ve had your dinner. It is so important for your mental health to be firm about when you have finished work for the day. Turn off your work devices when you sign off for the day and close the door of your home office if you can. If you are worried that your employers might not be sympathetic, then it is worth talking to them about it upfront and being clear on your position.

Make Life Easier For Yourself By Getting Organized

This header sounds a lot easier said than done, but it is important to remember that one of the best ways that you can get a handle on stress is by taking a step back and looking at how you can get organized. If you are worried about how you are going to complete all your household tasks, such as paying those bills and making sure that you are stocked up on essentials for the week, with a busy work schedule, then make a list. Give yourself targets that you can cross off as you achieve them. 

One of the biggest stress factors out there is debt, and it’s the kind of worry that can easily find its way into your work life. It can be incredibly tough when you have several different debts that you are working on repaying at once, and it is easy to start feeling overwhelmed. Living debt-free can seem like a pipedream when you are struggling but there are steps that you can take to make things easier. Tally’s credit card payoff app can save you up to $4,185 in five years, and they have been featured in the likes of The New York Times and Forbes.

Don’t Forget To Get Outside

In the winter months, it is so easy to start to cocoon. With the shorter days and colder weather, there is always the temptation to stay in bed for as long as possible, especially if you work from home. But getting outside into the fresh air for some exercise is vitally important for both your physical and mental health. 

Try setting your alarm an hour, or even half an hour, earlier and going for a brisk walk or a jog before work. Make sure that you take your lunch break and go for a walk around the block to clear away those cobwebs and keep your body and mind active. If your company has brought you back into the office, try to find a way to get out into the winter sunshine even if you are commuting. 

Think About Your Stress Habits 

We all have those habits that we fall back on when we are stressed, but they may not be helping as much as we think they are. For example, those sugary snacks may give us a bit of a boost, but they are not doing our health any favors. Similarly, we all need a caffeine jolt to get us going in the morning, but too much coffee can make your stress levels worse as it can raise your blood pressure and play havoc with your sleep patterns. 

If you have an alcoholic drink in the evenings to help you wind down, remember that it is a depressant and can also contribute towards disrupted sleep. We cannot overstate how important getting the right amount of sleep is, not to mention the right kind of sleep. If you feel like your sleep is being impacted, then you need to look at the habits that are not helping.