The impact of stress in the workplace
Although our body is meant to deal with stressful situations, prolonged and unrelenting stress features a severe impact on physical and psychological state. It can lead to a loss of productivity, and diminished motivation, all of which further compound the stress you’re already under. The key is learning to break the cycle, spotting when the body’s stress response has become an everyday occurrence, rather than a useful reaction. It’s not always easy to combat stress, but that doesn’t mean you should accept the way chronic stress makes you feel. Keeping your body in optimal condition through diet and exercise is an effective way to improve your ability to cope with stress. You needn’t spend hours at the gym, though. The key is to take a balanced approach, especially when your workload has suddenly spiked thanks to deadlines, and your mood has plummeted thanks to inclement weather.
The ECS and stress
Fortunately, we humans have a built-in biological system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) designed to maintain balance. Intriguingly, the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia proposed that the endocannabinoid system “can oppose the effects of prolonged stress”. Their conclusion is gathered from scientific evidence that CBD, a cannabinoid found in hemp, mediates the ECS, exerting “beneficial effects in various pathological conditions”. As such, more and more studies are being performed to elucidate how stimulating the ECS with CBD might be beneficial for chronic stress-related pathologies.
Useful tips for dealing with work-related stress
While regular exercise and a healthy diet can help manage the physical impact of stress, it’s hard to know where to start when tackling the psychological symptoms. Below you’ll find simple actions and activities which will help. 1. Plan and prioritise Even if you're a well-organised person, the chaos of work-life can create turmoil. Identifying what is and what isn’t, essential is crucial to staying on top of your workload. Once you’ve highlighted secondary projects that can wait, not only will your workload feel much more manageable, but you’ll prevent any sudden surprises or unrealistic expectations. 2. Speak up Speaking up and letting colleagues or friends know when you’re feeling stressed, is vitally important. Unless you're the only member of any office, you'll bet the remainder of your team is going to be feeling an equivalent way. And, unless your boss is a tyrant they’ll recognise the importance of a cheerful and motivated workforce. Let them know the concerns you've got about workload and timescales. More often than not, there's room for compromise, which won’t damage your standing within the workplace. 3. Make time for you While it probably isn't realistic to book a two-week holiday out of the blue to the Maldives, a mere ten minutes of mindful meditation can work wonders. Alternatively, try going for a walk on your lunch break or giving yourself enough time within the evening to catch abreast of your favorite movie to help unwind. 4. Give yourself something to look forward to Treating yourself doesn’t need to be a grand gesture. Something as simple as booking a meal with your partner can make every week at work that tiny bit more manageable. Rather than that deadline approaching, there's an activity or event to look forward to instead. 5. Focus on the positive It’s only too easy to get caught up in everything that does or could fail. The reality is, successes at work aren’t exclusive to large projects; it’s all about learning the way to spot them. During a busy period of labor, try, at the top of each day, to consider one thing you’re happy you’ve achieved. They may sound simple, but the steps above can go a long way to keeping you motivated and on target. It may require one, two, or all of the ideas mentioned, but don’t be afraid to undertake a mixture and see what works for you.