Tips to Overcome Monotony and Stress in the Workplace

I don't know who needs to hear this, but take breaks. Seriously. Taking breaks actually makes you MORE productive, not LESS. How productive will you be if you get burnt out? This article from Harvard Business Review does a great job outlining eight strategies for taking breaks during a busy workday. 1. Challenge the Belief of Busyness: Many people assume that they can’t afford to pause during their workday due to excessive tasks. However, taking breaks is crucial for maintaining productivity and well-being. 2. Recognize the Energy Factor: Optimizing work capacity isn’t just about available time; it’s also about available energy. Sometimes, even with time, we may feel too drained to focus on important tasks. 3. Prioritize Breaks: Treat breaks as essential appointments rather than optional activities. Schedule them intentionally to recharge and refocus. 4. Microbreaks: Incorporate short, frequent breaks throughout the day. These brief pauses can help maintain energy levels and prevent mental fatigue. 5. Physical Movement: Engage in physical activities during breaks. Stretch, walk, or do light exercises to boost circulation and refresh your mind. 6. Mindful Breathing: Practice deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and enhance focus. Even a few minutes of mindful breathing can make a difference. 7. Change of Scenery: Step away from your desk or usual workspace. A change in environment can stimulate creativity and provide mental relief. 8. Social Connection: Use breaks to connect with colleagues or friends. Social interactions can improve mood and contribute to overall well-being.

Even highly productive people have off days, including CEOs. The key is having strategies to overcome those mental roadblocks and get back on track. Here are a few things I do when I'm feeling less than productive: ▪ Prioritize ruthlessly: Sometimes the sheer number of tasks can be overwhelming. I take a fresh look at my list and identify the 2-3 things that absolutely MUST get done that day. ▪ Talk it out: I bounce ideas off a trusted colleague, friend, or mentor to help me gain fresh perspective and reignite my focus. ️ ▪ Step away and move around: A quick walk or some stretches does wonders for clearing my head and boosting energy. ▪ Remember my "why": I take a moment to reconnect with the bigger picture - why I do what I do - there is no more powerful motivator to push through a slump. What are your go-to strategies for overcoming productivity blocks? Share your tips in the comments below! ⬇️ #WorldProductivityDay #Leadership #RealTalk

Feeling stressed at work? Let’s introduce Workplace Mindfulness for a calmer, more focused workday. 🌿👩💼 As a psychologist, I understand the challenges of maintaining balance in a busy work environment. Here are some simple practices to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine: 1️⃣ Start with a Mindful Morning: Take a few minutes before work to meditate or practice deep breathing. This sets a positive tone for the day. 2️⃣ Mindful Emailing: Before responding to emails, take a deep breath. Be present with your responses, ensuring thoughtful communication. 3️⃣ Mindful Listening: During meetings, focus fully on the speaker without planning your response. This improves understanding and collaboration. 4️⃣ Mindful Eating: Take time to eat away from your desk, savoring each bite, which can improve digestion and reduce stress. 5️⃣ Mindful Movement: Incorporate short, regular breaks to stretch or walk, reducing physical and mental tension. These practices can help reduce stress, enhance focus, and improve overall well-being at work. Try incorporating them into your workday and notice the positive changes! For more tips on mindfulness and mental well-being, visit my website: www.drkarendoll.com 🌐 #workplacemindfulness #mentalwellbeing #mindfulworkday #stressreduction #mindfulmoments #productivitytips #healthyworkplace #mindfulnesspractice #psychologisttips #drkarendoll

Balancing Work and Managing Stress for Optimal Well-being 🌟 How do you navigate the fine line between work demands and maintaining your physical and mental health? Consider these strategies to effectively harmonize your professional life and stress management: 1. Prioritize and Establish Clear Objectives: Commence by identifying your pivotal tasks and setting crystal-clear objectives. Recognize what necessitates immediate attention and what can be deferred. 2. Masterful Time Management: Employ time management methodologies such as the Pomodoro Technique (working in focused intervals with brief breaks) or the Eisenhower Matrix (categorizing tasks into urgent/important, important/not urgent, etc.) to structure your workday. 3. Delegation and Seeking Assistance: Be open to delegating tasks to colleagues or seeking assistance when required. You don't have to shoulder everything on your own. 4. Learn the Art of Saying No: Steer clear of overcommitting. Politely decline additional responsibilities if your plate is already brimming. 5. Divide Tasks into Smaller Milestones: Dissect intricate tasks into smaller, manageable milestones. This approach can transform daunting undertakings into attainable objectives. 6. Organize Your Workspace: A tidy and orderly workspace can alleviate stress and bolster concentration. 7. Establish Firm Boundaries: Define your work hours with precision and adhere to them as closely as feasible. Refrain from checking emails or working during your designated downtime. 8. Self-Care Takes Priority: Place self-care activities like exercise, meditation, and nurturing hobbies at the forefront. They play a pivotal role in relaxation and rejuvenation. 9. Seek Support from Your Network: Engage in conversations with friends, family, or colleagues about your stress. Sometimes, simply sharing your feelings can serve as a valuable stress-relief tool. 10. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Foster a lifestyle grounded in mindfulness and relaxation practices. 11. Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle: Emphasize the importance of balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and moderation in caffeine or alcohol consumption, as these can exacerbate stress. Let's remember the significance of managing stress and maintaining our well-being. 🌼

➤ Are You Drowning in Leadership Stress? ➤ Don't Just Lead – Excel! Conquer Stress with These Tips. ➤ From Stressed to Success: The New Leader's Journey! In my experience as a leader, one of the most significant challenges was managing stress, especially when new to leadership. Here are strategies that helped me and can assist other new leaders: - Set Realistic Goals: Define achievable objectives to avoid setting yourself up for unnecessary stress. - Develop Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing your emotions can significantly reduce stress levels. - Seek Feedback Regularly: Constructive feedback can help you improve and feel more confident in your decisions. - Embrace Flexibility: Be open to change and adaptable to new situations, which is key in reducing stress. - Prioritize Tasks: Learn to identify which tasks are urgent and important to manage your workload effectively. - Take Breaks: Regular short breaks throughout the day can help clear your mind and reduce stress. - Learn to Say No: Understand your limits and don’t be afraid to turn down requests that are beyond your capacity. - Create a Positive Work Environment: A positive and supportive work environment can significantly reduce stress. - Use Stress-Reduction Tools: Explore tools like stress balls, apps for relaxation or even aromatherapy to help manage stress levels. - Prioritize Self-Care: Taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial. Regular exercise, a balanced diet and adequate sleep form the foundation of stress management. - Effective Time Management: Organize your tasks and delegate when possible. Effective time management reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed. - Build a Support Network: Lean on mentors, peers or a professional coach. Having someone to share challenges with can provide new perspectives and solutions. - Maintain Work-Life Balance: Set boundaries to ensure personal time. This balance is essential for long-term success and well-being. - Practice Mindfulness and Reflection: Techniques like meditation or journaling can help maintain clarity and focus. - Continuous Learning: Embrace every challenge as a learning opportunity. This mindset reduces the pressure of perfection and fosters growth. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell once said, "Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them." The essence of leadership in stress management lies in bridging gaps and inspiring collective action towards a common goal. Also remember, effective leadership isn't about having all the answers… it's about navigating through uncertainty and learning along the way. Embrace leadership with confidence and resilience. #leadership #stressmanagement #leadershipdevelopment #teambuilding Are you a new leader feeling the weight of responsibility? Let’s share strategies, in the comments below, to manage stress effectively, ensuring a healthy and successful leadership journey.

Having a stressful (work) week ahead and think "it is what it is, got to just power through?" Think again! Or read my 4️⃣ tips how to set yourself up for better mental and physical health when things get busy! 1️⃣ Meal prep for lazy people (like me 😁) On those days you have some time to cook, prepare larger portions than you actually need and keep in the fridge for busy weeknights. Keeps the fast food at bay and gives you the nutrients your body needs to concur the stress. Don't want to eat the same thing again? Prepare the components (i.e. ground beef / turkey / chicken / fish etc.) separately so you can mix and match differently during the week without starting from scratch. If you are into baking, make healthy muffins or other treats you can have readily available so stress doesn't make you default to the processed stuff. No judgment if that's your thing, but why not mix things up? 2️⃣ Plan & schedule breaks Sure, you can power through without them. But your results will lack as much as your health and wellbeing. Plan breaks and schedule them in your calendar. Try to make them non-negotiable. No one will respect your boundaries if you aren't setting them for yourself. 3️⃣ Start and end rituals Make sure you are having a ritual to start off your work day and most importantly one, that ends the work day. Especially when working from home where things tend to bleed into each other. Get your desk ready, get your coffee, look at your calendar/plan etc. to get started and at the end of the day, look at the day ahead, write down 3 things that went well during the day, shut off your computer (no standby mode!). If you have to commute, that time is a great way to start and end your work day. 4️⃣ Move your body Make sure you are moving your body frequently. Start your day with a walk, get up from your desk once in a while and walk around. Exercise if that floats your boat. Do not skip moving your body. It has a lot of benefits for our physical and mental health. Added bonus: Moving our body helps shift our perspective in those moments where we are stuck on a work problem, annoyed, frustrated etc. Do these always work and help prevent being overworked, stressed etc.? No, not at all. In fact, right now it's not completely doing the trick for me. I keep doing this anyways. Why? Because I know for a fact, that things would be worse if I didn't! What would you add? #BeACaringLeader #OneSizeDoesNotFitAll Image description: Sam the Yellow Labrador Retriever in a close up staring into the camera and waiting for his treatos. In the background blue sky and palm trees.

As a business owner, it's easy to get caught up in the never-ending demands of your business. And that leads right down the road to burnout, stress, and low concentration. When I notice myself beginning to feel stressed or low on focus, I'll give myself a well-deserved "time out" which means I get up and walk away from my desk. Sometimes it's for 10 minutes to stretch and grab a cup of tea; other times, it will be for a longer time where I visit the beach or practice yoga to recharge. Recognizing what I need, when I need it, and acting upon it is something I started only a couple years ago but one I cherish because I know when I get back to work it is with a clear mind and a positive attitude -- two ingredients I need to be productive and fully present. Running a business doesn't have to be overwhelming or stressful if you remember to implement these 3 tips: Tip 1: Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Define set working hours and stick to them. Avoid checking work emails or taking work calls outside of those hours. Tip 2: Schedule downtime: Make time for activities that bring you joy and help you relax. Whether it's spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or simply taking a walk in nature, prioritizing downtime will recharge your batteries and reduce stress levels. Tip 3: Practice self-care: Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, exercise regularly, and practice stress-reducing activities like meditation or yoga. When you're at your best, your business will thrive too. 👉 What can you add to this list? #businessconsulting #businesstips #focusmatters #entrepreneurs

Feeling stressed today? You’re not alone. It's a common experience to face moments filled with overwhelm and frustration, especially at work. These feelings can be overpowering, often making it a challenge to find effective and lasting relief. When we address this stress, our solutions often seem temporary, and before long, we find ourselves facing the same problems, caught in a relentless cycle. The root of the issue lies in how our brains are programmed. They're designed to protect us, but sometimes they can't distinguish between the stress we're facing now and the challenges we've faced in the past. Unfortunately, not every method we use to soothe ourselves is beneficial in the long-term. Resorting to maladaptive coping strategies like excessive drinking, gambling, or overspending might provide a quick fix, but only conceal the symptoms without addressing the deeper underlying issues. To help break the stress cycle at work, try these steps : Step 1: Thank Your Brain Acknowledge and thank your brain for its continuous efforts to keep you safe. Consider this an act of gratitude for the protection it has provided throughout the years. Step 2: Swap Out Unhealthy Habits Many of us never learned how to self-regulate our nervous systems when we were little during times of worry, stress and fear. Many of us use (or used) maladaptive self-soothing habits to comfort ourselves or take the edge off our feelings of inadequacy. For me, it was Chardonnay. Identify one unhealthy habit you go to when feeling upset and replace it with a positive alternative for one week. This might involve writing in a gratitude journal, engaging in mindfulness exercises, enjoying a leisurely walk in nature, or prioritizing more time for self-care activities. We can retrain our brains to adopt healthy methods of self-soothing the painful feelings we experience at work. Step 3: Recognize Emotional Triggers Pay attention to what negatively sets you off. Identifying stressors is the first step to reclaiming your power and breaking free from the stress cycle. Regularly practicing healthy self-soothing habits teaches your brain that relief is achievable, helping you manage emotional triggers more effectively. Remember, it's the conscious choices in response to stress that lead to true growth and healing. How do you handle stress at work? Comment below. #StressCycle #StressRelief #WorkplaceWellbeing #HealingatWork — Find this content valuable? Sign up for my newsletter, and join a community of over 25,000 subscribers getting exclusive access to regular updates, valuable insights, and a wealth of resources to support your Healing at Work® journey. Link in comments below.

Don’t blow your cool… When you are working with customers you must be ready for the unexpected and for the occasional unhappy customers. So, it’s important to have a mindful way to remain calm when others may be out of control. 1. Get comfortable with pausing. Don’t imagine the worst when you encounter a little drama. When someone is acting irrationally, don’t join them by rushing to make a negative judgment call. Instead, pause and take a deep breath. A moment of calmness in a moment of tension can save you from a hundred moments of regret. 2. Think bigger. When we think bigger, we can see that small things matter very little in the grand scheme of things. It’s not worth our energy. 3. Respect people’s differences. Being kind to someone you dislike or disagree with doesn’t mean you’re fake. It means you’re mature enough to control your emotions and do the right thing. Just because someone does it differently doesn’t make it wrong. Period. 4. Put yourself in their shoes and give them grace. When you can put yourself in the other person’s shoes, you give them the space to regroup without putting any extra pressure on them. Hey, we all get upset and lose our temper sometimes. So, remind yourself that we are all more alike than we are different. When you catch yourself passing judgment, add “just like me sometimes” to the end of a sentence. 5. Don’t take things personally. If you take everything personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life. Even when it seems personal, rarely do people do things because of you, they do things because of them. The way people treat you is their problem, how you react is yours. 6. Create positive morning routines to start your day right. Don’t rush into your day by checking your phone or email. Create time and space for morning routines that get you moving in the right direction. 7. Cope using healthy choices and alternatives. When we face stressful situations, we often turn to unhealthy choices — drinking alcohol, eating sugary snacks, smoking, etc. It’s easy to respond to stress with unhealthy distractions. So, pay more attention to how you cope with stress, and replace bad coping habits with healthy coping habits. 8. Remind yourself of what’s right. At the end of the day, reflect on your small daily wins and all the little things that are going well. Count three things that happened during the day that you’re grateful for. And then pay it forward — do something for someone else that makes them grateful at the end of their day. 9. Establish and enforce healthy and reasonable boundaries. Practice becoming more aware of your feelings and needs. Note when you’re resentful of fulfilling someone else’s needs and gradually build healthy boundaries by saying no to requests that cause resentfulness in you. What else can you do to keep your cool when it seems everything is out of control? #personaldevelopment #motivation #customerrelations #leadership