De-Stressing Yourself- Tips for the Working Professional 

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Excessive Stress Symptoms 

*Grinding teeth *a pounding heart *a dry mouth *increased anxiety *changes in eating, sleeping and exercise patterns *fatigue *increased smoking and drinking *digestive problems *trouble in concentrating *decrease in fun activities *alcohol or drug use

The following stress reduction techniques offer some easy guidelines to follow at work or at home.

 

At Work 

• Try numbered breathing.  Find a quiet place and seat yourself comfortably.  Close your eyes and take a deep breath.  As you exhale, say the word, “one”.  Repeat the breathing and counting procedure for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Take a 5-minute break when you feel an increase in anxiety. After the break period, write down

some possible solutions so that you don’t get stuck in the problem.

• Don’t isolate. Join a co-worker for lunch.  Take a few minutes to talk with someone in your workplace about non-work issues.

• Take a breather from your work.  Go outside for lunch or take a walk.

• Avoid coffee and caffeine.  Caffeine increases the stress response of your body.

• Talk out your troubles with a sympathetic and trustworthy friend.  Often another person can help you see your problem in a new light, so you can work on a constructive solution. Consider calling your (EAP) Employee Assistance Program.

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At Home 

• Find something to make you laugh.  Research is revealing that laughter has positive beneficial effects on the mind and body. “Laughter is the best medicine” has some merit.

• Shun the “super-person” image.  Decide which things you do well and put your major effort into these.  Seek help from family and friends in other areas.

• Share feelings with supportive family and friends.

• Buy and listen to some relaxation tapes.

• Avoid frequent frequent quarrels. Try giving in occasionally.  By yielding, you'll find others will also.

• Engage in aerobic exercise like jogging, cycling and tennis.

• When first arriving at home, take a few moments to relieve your body stress by lying down or

stretching.

• Limit the amount of time you spend conversing about work concerns.

 

For confidential counseling assistance and referral for stress related concerns please

call: REACH Employee Assistance, Inc. 1-800-273-5273

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De-Stressing Yourself- PDF Download

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