Sometimes, it’s easy to underestimate how much stress affects you. If you start becoming aware of how you feel, you may find yourself emotionally exhausted and pessimistic by the end of some days. Think about those little treats in life that put a smile on your face, and get more of them into your day. These little happiness-boosters, known as “pleasures” by psychologists, can lift your mood in a measurable how to destress after work way and reduce stress in the process. Listening to music is also a known strategy for stress relief, and a simple one to do while sitting in an enclosed space.

Risks of not relaxing enough

A more realistic approach is to adopt effective coping strategies to reduce stress at your current job. Stress can be a constant in your life, and knowing how to reduce stress and anxiety can be helpful. Recognizing and giving thanks for all the positive things in your life can help reset your perspective and improve your stress levels. While it’s important to stay informed of the latest news and developments, the evolving nature of the news can get overwhelming. And spending lots of time on social media seeing “perfect” lives of others can negatively affect your body image.

How to Be More Mindful

• Children who are encouraged to take up relaxing behaviors tend to be better focused and have an easier time learning than children who are more stressed.
• Working with a mental health professional may help you better identify the sources of your work stress and find ways to navigate them.
• Make sure that you’re managing your stress before you even start your workday.
• With less time to rejuvenate and more time feeling unpleasant, those who ruminate get a double dose of stress with limited ability to recover.
• These people also have lower rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stress-linked inflammatory responses.
• So investing some time in mindfulness strategies is well worth it.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change. Spend time with family or friends, sharing experiences and enjoying laughter together to enhance your mood and create a supportive environment to unwind after work. Just a few minutes of sitting quietly to focus on your breath, or using a guided meditation, can help calm your mind. There are many strategies you can use to become more aware of your thoughts.

The Locus of Control Shift

• Aim for around 7 – 9 hours of shut-eye each night to wake up invigorated.
• Also, remember that some people, especially those with serious mental health issues and a history of abuse or trauma, may have feelings of emotional discomfort during some relaxation techniques.
• Massage therapy is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and can even increase your serotonin levels over time, according to scientists.
• Some people try to reduce stress by drinking alcohol or eating too much.
• But when work stress becomes chronic, it can affect your physical and emotional well-being.
• Regardless of whether you watch a documentary, draw, or solve a crossword puzzle under a weighted blanket, the blanket will almost instantly put you at ease after work.

Be aware of what causes your stress and take breaks during your work day. Adequate rest is crucial for maintaining mental health and recovering from work stress. Research suggests that getting even just 60 – 90 extra minutes of sleep per night could result in being overall happier and healthier. Aim for around 7 – 9 hours of shut-eye each night to wake up invigorated.

• Stress can be a constant in your life, and knowing how to reduce stress and anxiety can be helpful.
• These micro-breaks can help reset your stress levels and improve your focus when you return to your tasks.
• Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations.
• You may start by taking a few minutes each day to focus on being present and enjoying a simple activity — a short walk around the park or appreciating a meal at your desk.
• The ride home from work can be stressful if you keep replaying the stresses of the day, or letting traffic stress you out even more.
• If you need to get that presentation just right or find yourself working extra hours perfecting a report you finished days ago, it may be time to take a step back and reflect.

This can prevent stress from getting out of control and lowering your quality of life. Just as it helps children relax and go to sleep when they have a bedtime ritual, having a post-work ritual is a great way to help yourself unwind after a stressful day of work. Even better, it can be a way to create a mental habit of relaxing your mind and letting go of job stress after a long day of work. It can boost the production of the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters to improve your mood and decrease feelings of stress.

In addition to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, taking steps to minimize stress before work can be helpful. Managing conflicts, staying organized, and having a comfortable workspace can also be very helpful. With the right strategies, you can keep workplace stress to a manageable level.

However, if you find yourself stressing or ruminating over problems at work, it’s best to leave that burden at work. It’s very natural to seek emotional support when dealing with difficult co-workers. However, as with job stress venting in general, focusing too much on the stress created by difficult co-workers can rob us of the joy of our non-work lives. Complaining about work to a loved one is a common pastime of people with stressful jobs. All too often, people choose the latter option when the former—letting the drive home be a freeing experience—is so much more beneficial.