Feeling burnt out? Long-term exposure to work-related stressors can decrease your productivity and affect your mental and physical well-being. And while certain stressors may be obvious, there are also smaller ones that stack up — and that you may not even realize are contributing to your overall stress at work. Read on to find out what these are and the simple steps you can take to overcome them.
You aren’t taking enough breaks throughout the day.
There’s no denying that work can be stressful regardless of what your job or office environment looks like. Many of us are expected to be constantly available — and while getting into a great working rhythm can certainly make you feel accomplished, short, frequent breaks can help you reduce stress, concentrate better, and get more done.
Executive coach Keren Eldad recommends dividing up your day into specific time blocks — both for meetings and breaks — in order to minimize your fatigue while also enabling you to refocus and create a structure for your day. “Taking a break every 90 minutes to two hours to do an activity that recharges you will allow you to relax and ultimately be more productive,” says Eldad.
You get too much screen time.
Many of us have jobs that require spending a lot of time staring at computers each day, especially now that more meetings are being held online. “Digital content consumption has increased significantly recently, which can lead to exhaustion, a lack of focus, and increased stress and irritability,” says Aaron Telford, cofounder of Baxter Blue, whose glasses are designed to alleviate digital eye strain.
Blue light, glare, and UVA and UVB light are all emitted from digital devices and, according to Telford, their effects can be felt within just two hours. Telford also recommends disconnecting from anything digital for at least 30 minutes before bedtime to help you relax.
You aren’t managing your time as effectively as you could be.
A seemingly endless to-do list can quickly make you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. According to Eldad, it’s the number one reason people seek support from a coach — and the easiest problem for her to help them resolve.
Start by carving out time to prepare your to-do list for the day, ideally a night in advance. “Not only will [planning ahead] save you an enormous amount of time, but it will also make you feel more relaxed and happy,” says Eldad. She also mentions that the individuals she works with — whom she categorizes as overachievers — each devote an hour a week to planning and preparation. “This is a huge distinction between the high-performers that I’ve coached and people who don’t achieve results that are above and beyond,” says Eldad.
You sit in the same space all day.
Fatigue can set in throughout the day if you’re working in the same spot for hours on end, says Stephen Tortorella, the design manager at Industrious. Switching up your workspace — based on your needs in the moment — can help you refocus and reduce your stress levels. “Even if you’re doing heads-down work for the whole day, a midday shift in work location can help you reenergize and recenter yourself,” he says. That’s why he finds it important to design spaces that can accommodate different styles or types of work, including conference rooms, lounges, and cafés.
Seating can play a significant role, too. Within lounges and cafés specifically, Tortorella emphasizes the value of having both soft and task seating. “Soft seating is more loungey and comfortable,” he says. “Task seating refers to a surface where someone can touch down and comfortably work from a laptop or notebook, and it’s important to have a combination.”
You have trouble focusing.
Noise and other distractions can significantly affect your ability to complete work in a timely and effective manner. “The moment you start giving your attention to something else — let’s say a text message that comes in while you’re in a meeting — you are no longer engaged in whatever is happening before you. It’s as simple as that,” says Eldad.
She recommends carving out pockets of time with no distractions — that means putting away your cell phone — and coming to work with your to-do list ready, which will make it easier to stay on-task. “If you’re very focused and you’ve come to work prepared, you’re likely going to suffer from [noise distractions] a lot less,” says Eldad.