Managing stress to boost productivity at work

The key to succeeding in any working environment is being able to manage stress and use it positively when it does arise. When you are able to manage stress and use it to your advantage, you will inadvertently boost your productivity levels. Having that bit of pressure and incentive can inspire innovation and more efficient workflows. But that’s far easier said than done.

However, too much stress can lead to burnout and even worsening levels of mental health and wellbeing.

We want to help ensure you are utilising stress as a tool for productivity rather than it being a limitation of your growth and productivity. In this guide, we’ll discuss key tricks and techniques to manage stress and effectively utilise it for improved productivity.

Strategies to lower stress and increase productivity at work

Stress is a natural part of life. There is no way of eliminating it entirely, nor would you particularly want to. Stress is the body and mind’s natural reaction to challenges, demands and threats. It can help you to avoid danger, inspire you to meet a deadline or keep you focused on a singular goal. This comes from our body’s natural ‘Fight or Flight’ reaction, which is intended to keep us from harm.

Despite this however, excessive stress, especially when coming from various sources, can be overwhelming. Where a healthy level of stress might inspire you to meet a deadline and keep you focused on a singular task, overwhelming stress can distract you from a goal and further increase stress levels over time. As well as this, it can also negatively impact your physical wellbeing by affecting your sleep cycle, causing tension and headaches and damage your overall health.

So, with all of that in mind, it is invaluable to recognise where stress might be occurring in your life and developing strategies to minimise and overcome stress to maximise productivity.

If stress is caused by work

Time management No matter what, you will always have tasks to complete in the workplace. You may be able to get months ahead of advance with your tasks, but there will always be something to do, and you will always be able to get further ahead of your work. However, sometimes things are out of our control, and tasks can pile up and multiple deadlines approach at the same time. Instances such as this can be very stressful and can cause your head to spin trying to keep up with it all. The best way to stay on top of tasks, whether they are long term projects, daily tasks or a new priority, is effective time management. Laying out time each day to address different aspects of your workflow will help bring a sense of calm to the workplace and alleviate stress as you have clearer timelines and can keep you focused on the goal set for that dedicated block of time.

Regular breaks It can seem like the best way to remain productive is to solely focus on your tasks in working hours, never switching off or breaking concentration. This is only going to be even more detrimental to your productivity levels as you become more stressed. Taking regular breaks is just as essential as focusing on your work. . Simply taking a short break to go for a walk, catch up with team members or go for a coffee helps you switch gears, and you can return to any tasks at hand with a more mindful approach and a new perspective as you are calmer and more settled.

Compartmentalise tasks Much like time management, compartmentalising tasks is key to effectively managing your workload. This is especially true with long-term, overarching projects. When multiple tasks are all going towards completing one project, it is essential to keep track of all the little tasks and seeing them as such. Viewing each task in the grand scope of things can quickly cause stress as you lose perspective and a grasp of what you need to focus on in the moment. Breaking things up into smaller tasks and viewing them as such, separate from the larger task at hand makes them feel more manageable.

Workplace support and openness In almost any working environment, you will have someone with you to help overcome an issue. Whether it be speaking to a line manager or even delegating tasks so you can focus on another task that takes priority, it is vital you are open and understand that the people around you will support you if they are able to. Being open and admitting your workload is too much to handle by a certain date opens the door to greater support.

Communicate Whether it is professionally or socially, communicating and bonding with colleagues is vital to relieving stress and calming nerves. Connecting with those around you keeps you grounded and committed to being productive to support each other. You can air concerns about any stress you’re experiencing; you can bounce ideas off of each other and innovate to make work more efficient or you can simply take your mind off any stresses with social interactions. Avoiding isolation can be central to alleviating stress and enhance productivity levels.

If stress is caused by things outside of work

Incorporate regular movement To maintain mental wellbeing and prevent stress, you must be able to maintain physical wellbeing. The working day can take a lot out of you, no matter which sector or working environment you operate in. Regularly exercising helps you to maintain your energy levels throughout the day so you can avoid burnout and focus on the tasks at hand. This isn’t just vital for the workplace, but also just for general life admin. Regularly exercising is proven to relieve stress, practice discipline, improve energy levels and motivate you to be productive throughout the day.

Practice mindfulness It is almost impossible to focus when your mind is unclear. Your thoughts become scrambled, you can’t maintain a level of commitment to the task at hand as you’re thinking of other tasks you need to manage. To clear your mind and maintain your focus, it is necessary to practice mindfulness. This might be meditation sessions, journalling or even yoga to help clear your mind and keep you focused.

Take up new hobbies When you are unable to maintain a healthy work-life balance, you begin to get stressed and lose focus. It can impact your personal life and your professional workflow. Creating this separation is about more than just leaving work in the workplace, it’s about finding pursuits and passions to engage with at home to create clear separation. This is why it is important to try and find new hobbies and understanding what you enjoy and brings you peace of mind. It helps create a clearer divide between your personal and professional life. Detaching from the stresses of work and unwinding by doing something you enjoy or are passionate about ensures you are fresh and prepared for the working day.

Connect with friends and loved ones Speaking to those you are closest with is a proven stress buster. Humans are inherently social. Regardless of if they are incredibly introverted and quickly become exhausted by social interaction, they will crave and require social interaction at some point. Connecting with others, especially those you feel closest, most comfortable and safe with can release endorphins, stave off feelings of isolation and loneliness, ultimately reducing feelings of depression and anxiety. By maintaining social connection, your mental wellbeing will be greatly enhanced and enable greater productivity.

Take breaks from social media In the age of the smart phone and social media, we are always connected to others and have access to an endless source of information. In the same breath, the ability to be constantly connected can lead to greater feelings of isolation as we are always awaiting a notification and never having in person interactions. The endless source of information leads us to be constantly exposed to negative and distressing news. The recently coined phenomenon of ‘doomscrolling’ can have an extremely detrimental effect on our mental wellbeing. It is shown to increase levels of anxiety and stress, and with the ability to constantly partake in this behaviour and the dopamine hit it provides, it can prove a difficult cycle to break. Regulating yourself and your screentime can be hugely beneficial to your mood. This can be done by setting timers and using apps that limit access to social media platforms. It encourages greater in-person interactions and allows time to focus on hobbies, exercising and more with an improved mood.

How can an Employee Assistance Programme can help you reduce stress

Sometimes, relieving stress is easier said than done. In some cases, you may be burnt out with your mental health spiralling, making it harder to address the issue, worsening the issue again. In such cases, you may require expert support. With HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), you can access a 24/7 counselling helpline, 365-days a year. You will be connected with an expert counsellor through the only BACP accredited national EAP provider to provide solution-based counselling. However, you will also have access to take wellbeing management into your own hands with exclusive access to the Wisdom App. Using our dedicated wellbeing app, you can track your mood, nutrition, health using hydration trackers and unique recipes and practice mindfulness with soundscapes, breathing methods and exercise routines. Using the resources available to you through HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s EAP enables you to reduce stress and be your most productive self in the workplace.

Conclusion

Stress can be caused by a multitude of things, in and out of the workplace, and it can have a significant impact on your productivity levels. This can lead to even more stress, declining levels of mental health and eventually burnout, in the workplace especially. That is why it vital to manage stress and use it to your advantage to boost productivity levels, but this is only possible if the stress is not overwhelming. Dealing with stress is part and parcel of the workplace and managing it is the key to success.