There is no such thing as a stress-free job. It’s just that sometimes it’s a blockage that happens once a quarter, or even less, and sometimes it’s a daily occurrence. And therein the danger lies.

If you go to work every day like a war, there’s a chance you’ll end up with a nervous breakdown at some point. So you have to learn to deal with stress in any case. Here’s how not to fall prey to the workday.

Don’t Delay Waking up

Waking up early is not the most pleasant thing a working person has to deal with. So, the temptation to reset the alarm clock and sleep for “five more minutes” is great. But don’t give in to it: intermittent sleep has nothing to do with rest and tranquility. It is better to spend this time on getting up and doing something really pleasant for yourself. Drink coffee or tea, eat breakfast, read a book in peace, take a shower and take your time to get ready. But don’t choose some activities where you get too emotional. It’s better to leave playing online casino games or completing a high-intensity workout in the evening. The less fuss you make in the morning, the less stress you’ll experience before the day even begins.

Plan Things Ahead of Time

Often the source of stress are large-scale tasks to be accomplished. Or just a heavy workload, when things seem to fall from all sides and it is absolutely unclear what to grasp first. In this case, it is worth regaining a sense of control over the situation.

Try to write down every day in the evening what you have to do tomorrow. Point by point, breaking down large tasks into smaller ones. Time management experts advise to set aside about 20% of working time for contingencies. And also divide things into categories:

• Non-urgent – for which you can set aside a few days.
• Urgent – matters that must be solved today or tomorrow.
• Urgent – matters that must be dealt with immediately and closed by the evening.

Plan in a series of cases a window to have lunch or go for a walk for at least five minutes. And also some small bonuses, incentives for themselves. You can change the work routine: agree with management that on some day you will come early. Or go to lunch at a new cafe, where you have not gone before. You can meditate or listen to music, after all, if that allows you to relax.

Don’t Forget About Your Health

Get away from the computer at least once in a while if you’re an office worker. Your schedule doesn’t always allow you to exercise in the middle of the day, but don’t forget to walk more (forgo the car or public transportation in favor of walking, take the stairs on foot) and do short exercises for the eyes. You can also relax by stretching your shoulders and neck, twisting them, feeling them warm and flexible.

It’s even easier to forget about yourself while working at home. There are no coworkers around to remind you that lunch is coming and call you to come along. There’s no ready-made food from the cafeteria or canteen. Finally, there is no need to go out at all, because you don’t have to go to work.

You don’t seem to be overworked, but stress and irritation still come from somewhere. At such moments, it is important to stop and listen to yourself. Maybe you are hungry? Or haven’t breathed fresh air or moved around in a long time? Take care of yourself: if you don’t have time to prepare food during working hours, do it in advance or order delivery. Walking and physical activity should also be included in the plan for the day.

If work is connected with travel, constant movement, it’s worth including breaks and minutes of rest. Have a coffee, sit down, listen to how you are feeling. Are you warmly dressed? Are your shoes comfortable? Is your bag comfortable? Maybe something can be improved, then there will be fewer reasons for stress.

Draw a Line Between Work and Free Time

No, it’s not okay for management to call you during your legitimate off-hours. And it’s not okay for coworkers who try to pin all their business on you, either.

Lack of free time, the need to be constantly on guard, and overwork lead to prolonged stress. And it leads to a decrease in your productivity. So, the inviolability of your free time is important not only for you, but also for the organization where you work. Try to explain to your colleagues when you are available and when you should not be disturbed. Especially if you work remotely, and it is especially easy for you to “lose” the end of the day, because you do not need to break away from the cases and go home.

Believe in Yourself

Perhaps all of the previous tips will not help if the cause of your stress is that you are not satisfied with your position or team. If you are always tense and dissatisfied, it is worth asking yourself: what is wrong? Maybe you just sat in one place, or tired of the boring tasks. Or burned out emotionally. Or, conversely, you feel that you do not have enough knowledge to fit the position, and it’s time to go to training. Or maybe you are tired of your gossipy colleagues and your boss is a madman.

Don’t Be Shy About Asking for Help

It’s unlikely that you were applying for a superhero position. However, even they have helpers. If you’re always overworked at work, tell your boss about it. You can hire an assistant or redistribute tasks between employees.

Sometimes you can’t handle stress on your own. Here’s how to determine that the situation is out of control and it’s time to ask for help from a specialist:

• The first thing you should pay attention to is your overall emotional background. Have you become more irritable? Do you find it difficult to contain your emotions in work situations? Emotional breakdowns can be noticeable.
• The second point is concentration of attention. With nervous overexertion it is more difficult to concentrate on the task, to perform complex mental actions or, for example, to drive a car.
• Third: sleep disorders, insomnia, when a person lies in bed for a long time and can not sleep. Or he goes to bed late, and then wakes up at night or early in the morning.

And finally, a constant feeling of tiredness. Normally, we should go to bed and wake up in the morning more or less rested. If you feel tired in the morning, which does not go away from day to day, it also indicates stress. Sleep disturbances and constant fatigue are the most serious signs that something has gone wrong and you need professional help.

These tips can help you cope with stress at work and feel better. Or finally convince yourself that, despite all your efforts and attempts to love your colleagues and bosses, you need to take a break – and then go for job interviews.