Is that a Stress Ball in Your Pocket…or Are You Just Unhappy to See Me?

Tracey Minella| April 15, 2016| Nassau Jobs

April is Stress Awareness Month, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that long hours at work, a difficult or unappreciative supervisor, a long commute…or all of the above… could add up to some serious stress.

So now is the perfect time to take a deep breath, step back, and evaluate whether the level of stress you’re currently under is healthy or not. Everyone has stress at times. And our bodies, particularly the hormone cortisol, help us manage that occasional stress in a healthy way.

You’ve probably heard of the “fight or flight” response to stress and how the cycle of “enter the stressor> hormone/adrenaline rush reaction>remove the stressor>return to normal state” has been around since the caveman days. But when the stress is constant, severe, or unrelenting (instead of in occasional bursts) our bodies can’t handle it and sometimes serious mental and physical health problems can result.

If you want the gory details, Officevibe has a great post and infographic on 11 Scary Statistics About Stress at Work. But let’s keep it upbeat and just focus on some of the suggestions on how to relieve workplace stress and increase productivity:

  • Meditation
  • Say “Good morning”
  • Focus on sound (music)
  • Use a stress ball
  • Volunteer
  • Mentor a new employee
  • Come in well-rested
  • Have a healthy breakfast
  • Smile at colleagues
  • Go outside during breaks
  • Eat away from your desk
  • Compliment someone

I’ve got two more suggestions: Find a job you enjoy that’s closer to home. And make the most of your weekends… especially if you’re lucky enough to be a Long Islander.

This weekend, you can leave your troubles at the door and come to the Cabaret, or check out a Guitar Festival, or enjoy plenty of other stress-relieving great things to do on Long Island. Work hard. Play hard.