Most stresses we experience are small, like getting caught in traffic on the way to a party or losing an earring on the train to work. Exercise, mindfulness, spending time with a pet, minimizing screen time, and getting outside more often are all effective methods. Plus, research shows that pet owners — especially those with dogs — tend to have greater life satisfaction, better self-esteem, reduced levels of loneliness and anxiety, and more positive moods. Deep breathing exercises may help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response. During this reaction, stress hormones trigger physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, quicker breathing, and constricted blood vessels.
The benefits of relaxation techniques
Whether it’s painting, reading, gardening, or playing an instrument, or even listening to your favorite tunes, hobbies can provide a satisfying and productive escape. Work is a significant part of most of our lives, providing us with the means to support ourselves and our families, and sometimes also with a sense of purpose. Because of this, meeting deadlines, managing relationships with colleagues, and striving to meet performance expectations can feel directly tied to our overall sense of self and wellbeing.
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Cooking can be a creative and fulfilling way to unwind after work. List your top priorities for the next day to help avoid work-related stress by providing a sense of control and readiness. 💙 Use mindfulness to leave the worries of the workplace behind in this Letting Go of the Day meditation. Having a pet may also help relieve stress by giving you purpose, keeping you active, and providing companionship. When you cuddle or touch your pet, your body releases oxytocin — a hormone linked to a positive mood.
Tie Up Loose Ends Before You Leave
Some people try to reduce stress by drinking alcohol or eating too much. These actions may seem to help in the moment, but actually may add to stress in the long run. One of the first and best ways you can leave job stress on the job is to prepare yourself before you leave. To cut down on after-hours troubleshooting, prepare a to-do list for yourself when you get back the next day. This can allow you to come in and feel focused, and it can allow you to leave and feel that things are taken care of as much as they can be until tomorrow. Long-term exposure to unmanaged stress can take a toll on your body and mental health, and recent research suggests a potential link between work-related burnout and depression and anxiety.
It’s used to gain control over certain bodily functions that cause tension and physical pain. Think about those little treats in life that put a smile on your face, and get more of them into your day. These little happiness-boosters, known as “pleasures” by psychologists, can lift your mood in a measurable way and reduce stress in the process. The ride home from work can be stressful if you keep replaying the stresses of the day, or letting traffic stress you out even more. With some planning, you can make your commute home into an experience you look forward to rather than another obstacle to overcome before you can relax. One way to maximize your commute time is to listen to audiobooks, either fiction (for fun) or nonfiction in an area where you’d like to grow.
Try these tips to ward off ongoing stress and its many health risks, such as chronic inflammation and chronic disease.
- If you start becoming aware of how you feel, you may find yourself emotionally exhausted and pessimistic by the end of some days.
- Spend time with family or friends, sharing experiences and enjoying laughter together to enhance your mood and create a supportive environment to unwind after work.
- In turn, these effects help lower blood pressure and heart rate.
- Practicing good self-care can make recharging easier while you try other strategies to reset.
Minimizing the chronic stress of daily life as much as possible can support your overall health. Chronic stress can increase your risk of health conditions, including heart disease, anxiety disorders, and depression. Massage therapy is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and can even increase your serotonin levels over time, according to scientists.
Workplace conflict can take a significant toll on your emotional well-being. 💙 Ease into the late afternoon and early evening by pressing play on Calm’s curated playlist for relaxation, Mellow Afternoon Ambient.
Honing your time management skills
- To disengage from work stress and recharge at home, you need to be deliberate about where you focus your attention.
- If you know one of your colleagues is especially prone to gossip, find a way to spend less time with them or steer the conversation to safer topics.
- The next 10 steps can help you get started on the road to recovery.
Even better, it can be a way to create a mental habit of relaxing your mind and letting go of job stress after a long day of work. Enlisting support can also entail having someone to gently remind you to refocus your thoughts and energy if how to destress after work you start getting bogged down by stressful thoughts of work. Relaxing can help keep you healthy, in both your body and mind, helping you recover from the everyday stresses that life throws at you. Luckily, no matter how busy you are, it’s simple to learn how to create time for chilling and also how to best relax. And when you’re stressed at work, it can manifest itself in several ways at home including isolating you from others — often the very people best equipped to support you. To disengage from work stress and recharge at home, you need to be deliberate about where you focus your attention.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
There are many benefits to keeping your brain and body relaxed. Relaxation balances out the negative mental and physical effects of stress that we all experience every day. One way to help reduce stress and protect your mental health may be to say “no” more often. This is especially true if you take on more than you can handle because juggling many responsibilities may leave you feeling overwhelmed.