Stress affects everyone. The trick is learning to deal with our stress so it doesn’t hinder your daily life.

If you are facing stress at work then you are not alone. The average business professional has 30 to 100 projects on their plate. Within those projects, we are interrupted seven times per hour and distracted 2.1 hours per day. Fortunately, there are methods to manage your stress to work more productive work days.

Learn how to decrease your stress level with the following tips before stress becomes a serious problem:

Schedule Your Day for Productivity

Working 10 hours per day is not always the most productive method of working. We get tired, frustrated, and distracted. Your day will remain more focused if you take breaks throughout the day. Plan your work activities in 60-90 minute blocks, then take a break. This may sound contradictory but without breaks, your productivity goes down and stress level increases. You can maintain a much lower stress level if you schedule breaks.

• Take walks
• Do a breathing exercise
• Stretch at your desk

Sleep Well

If you are not sleeping well then you will not receive the rejuvenation that relieves stress. The American Psychological Institute reports that the average American receives 6.7 hours of sleep which is less than the recommended 7-9 hours. Also, 42% of adults report their sleep quality is poor to fair and 43% report stress keeping them awake at night.

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, practice a breathing exercise. Inhale as you count to five and exhale as you count back down from five. This exercise can decrease your heart rate to help you relax.

Eat Right

During times of stress, we often seek out “comfort foods”. Ironically, these high-fat foods can make us feel lethargic and less able to handle stress. The best solution is to eat high-fiber, low fat foods that boost our immune systems. These foods can help keep us energized throughout our work day.

Foods to Include:

• High-fiber, carbohydrate-rich foods
• Fruits and Vegetables

Foods to Avoid:

• High-fat foods
• Caffeine
• Sugar

Eliminate Interruptions

When your phone is ringing, mailbox is full, and voicemail light is blinking, it can be easy to get stressed. To eliminate your interruptions, you need to anticipate their occurrence. If you learn how to handle interruptions then you will probably notice an increase in productivity.

Tips to Eliminate Interruptions

• Use an official ticketing/request system
• Retreat to a quieter workspace
• Overestimate the time that you will need
• Tell visitors that you only have a few minutes if they interrupt you with a question
• Write down your daily tasks

Laugh!

Sounds silly? Well sometimes silliness is the best medicine. Laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormone levels, and triggers the release of endorphins. You can create a more relaxed feeling that shakes away tension.

To build up a chuckle, keep a funny photo, meme, or even favorite YouTube comedy clip on demand. Laughter is a good reminder to not take life so seriously.

Meditation

“Meditation put you on the fast track to being happy” says Ronnie Newman, director of research and health promotion for the Art of Living Foundation. When our bodies are stressed, we experience increased breathing rate, blood pressure, and pulse. Meditation trains our bodies to relax in high stress environments. Achieve this state of relaxation leads to an enhanced mood, lowered blood pressure, improved digestion, and reduction of everyday stress.

Meditation Practice

Sit quietly with good posture and eyes closed for 10-20 minutes, while visualization a relaxing image. You can also incorporate the breathing exercise described in the Sleeping Well section to help you relax. Do this meditation practice before work to prepare yourself for the day.

Stress does not have to control your life! Your work can be much more fun and interesting if you relieve the distress that is making your work suffer.