This week is National Stress Down Day and we felt it was an appropriate time to speak about how to handle stress within the workplace. Issues within the workplace are widely reported as one of the most common contributors to stress. In fact, the number of stressed Australians has jumped by about a third to 4.9 million in the past decade, research by Medibank shows.

Progressive companies are adopting proactive ways to build resilience to avoid stress and exhaustion within the workplace.

Luckily here at Lotus People, we have extremely supportive directors and managers who support health and well-being in the workplace. Some of the fun things we have here at Lotus People are lunchtime personal training and yoga sessions, plenty of healthy snacks and a flexible working environment.

Here are some ways of which you can avoid stress in the workplace:

TAKE A BREAK:

It is really important to eat well and to take regular exercise. Not only does exercise release endorphins, which improves our mood it also helps relieve excess energy built up from stress.

With the majority of workers, working long hours it is really easy to forget to eat. It is really important to ensure you eat well and stay hydrated but cut out the caffeine and sugary foods. This will help you to sustain energy levels and productivity throughout your day.

FORM POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN WORK:

Let’s be honest we spend over a third of our week within work. It is really important to develop friendships with coworkers. This will provide a reliable support network. Working with those you trust and can rely on boosts job satisfaction and motivation levels.

Here at Lotus People, I am lucky to say we have built such a strong culture and I can happily say it is like a family away from home. We have recently set up “The Fun Club”, which involves the team doing fun activities after work such as rock climbing and bowling. This is a phenomenal initiative to bring to a workplace in order to give everyone the opportunity to hang out and get to know everyone within the team.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS:

Showing that you are able to handle competing pressures and priorities is an attractive attribute for employers. However, saying yes to every request and tackling more work than you can handle is detrimental to both your performance and well-being. Always remember to know your own capabilities of which will ensure you to perform at your best and will help to prevent exhaustion and stress in the long run.

PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME:

Every evening before I finish up from work, I always ensure I have a plan of attack for the next day and ensure I have everything organised so I am not coming into an unorganised morning the following day. Think about it – how you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it.

AND LASTLY, REMEMBER TO BREATHE:

It sounds a bit silly, but people generally do forget to – and I am one of them! I have personally found taking a step away from my desk or going for a short walk helps me de-stress and re-evaluate.

Lotus People are currently really focusing on handling stress within the workplace. We have organised a Wellness Event for our Executive Assistant Community. This will focus on the wellness in the workplace and we will be hosting a mindfulness workshop which will help you develop habits that will improve your health and well-being at work.

If you have any Executive Assistants in your business or you are an Executive Assistant yourself please do get in touch on info@lotuspeople.com.au, we would love to hear from you.

This blog was posted by Chloe Duignan.