Tips for a Less-Stressed Workday

Simple Changes Can Affect the Quality of Your Day

While a significant part of workplace stress arises from circumstances we can't always control, there are steps you can take to ensure that your day is as relaxed as possible:

1. Alter your physical environment if necessary by making your environment as easygoing as you can. Even if you only have a cubicle, you can control some aspects of your physical space. Pay attention to lighting, air quality, and pleasing colors.

2. Tackle excess noise. Decide how much noise you're comfortable with and take steps to reduce or eliminate unwanted distractions. Reducing background or open-office noise can help soothe frazzled nerves and even reduce levels of stress hormones in the body.

3. Cut down on the caffeine. Not only is it addictive, but this popular stimulant drug can also send your stress levels soaring. If you can't eliminate caffeine, try to alternate caffeinated beverages with mineral water or decaffeinated tea.

4. Think about your interaction with your surroundings. Read up on ergonomic principles for the workplace. The angle of your chair, position of your keyboard, or the type of seat cushion you're using can all be significant contributors to elevated office stress levels.

5. Allow time for some fresh, unrecirculated air. If opening a window is not a possibility, take at least part of your break outdoors.

6. Rest up. Admittedly, this isn't going to be possible for everyone, but if you have a chance, give power napping a try. A brief ten-minute siesta during the post-lunch slump can improve both mood and productivity.

7. Learn some desk exercises to relieve stiff muscles and improve circulation. The EHS Ergonomics Exercise site offers tips for working out at work.

8. Don't become a slave to e-mail. It's easy to fall victim to the trap of constant checking and responding to e-mail, often to the detriment of our own productivity. Peggy Duncan explains how to reduce e-mail overload and the stress it causes in this how-to article.

9. Find some more time. Refresh your workplace time management skills and find those extra minutes in the workday you never knew were there, with more tips from productivity expert and consultant Peggy Duncan.

10. Don't go hungry. Skipping meals only leads to after-work binges and overdoses of fast food when your energy plummets. To deal with a stressful day, you've got to have fuel and energy. Keep yourself nourished and don't wait for the hunger pangs.