A perfect workday routine to manage stress

Work stress affects us all from time to time, but having a realistic routine in place can do wonders during times of increased stress. While we don’t have all the answers on how to deal with stress at work, we’re firm believers that research-backed routines and healthy habits are fantastic ways to support yourself mentally and physically when life gets too hectic. Here’s our perfect workday routine to manage stress – we hope it uplifts your workday and hopefully leads to a more balanced lifestyle!

Set yourself up for a positive day

Our first tip for managing a stressful workday? Create a morning routine for success! Research has found that those who start their day in a good mood, generally are more likely to maintain that good mood for the rest of the day. And vice versa: if you start your day in a bad mood, you’re more likely to feel that way for the rest of your workday. Using whatever time you have available in the mornings, try to schedule a few activities that help you to start the day feeling good. If you’re not sure where to start, check out these morning routine ideas.

Give yourself some health & energy support

Work requires energy – whether that be mental or physical – and stress can definitely impact your energy levels. So, ensuring your workday routine includes steps to care for your health and energy is crucial if you want to get through it feeling good and effectively managing stress. How? Your body’s health and energy begin within your cells. They produce the energy that your heart uses to beat, your legs use to move and your brain uses to think. Some simple ways that you can incorporate cellular health habits into your routine include consuming a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and helping your cells to combat stress by taking MitoQ.

Set your priorities

Your day is much more likely to run smoothly if you’ve given yourself some idea of what to expect. And, we think, one of the best ways to do this is by starting your workday with a to-do list. Research has shown that unfinished goals cause intrusive thoughts and poor performance, while making a plan to reach your goals (and sticking to it) has been found to remove these intrusive thoughts and potentially frees up brain space for other projects. In short, make a plan, stick to it and you just might free up some space in your brain for more positive pursuits and thoughts.

Schedule breaks

As the saying goes: work smarter, not harder. Taking mental breaks has been shown to support productivity, not hinder it. A study published in the journal “Cognition” has found that performance declines in those who don’t take breaks, while those who do take breaks can maintain consistent performance levels. So, if you’re wanting to get the most out of your workday – take breaks: it’ll be a win for both you and your employer.

Set the scene

Your physical work environment can have a dramatic impact on your performance and productivity, according to research published by Science Direct. The research, which explores how interior design impacts employee performance, found that furniture affects the productivity of most employees, and that employees value the following workplace interior design aspects:

• Plants and flowers

• Room temperature
• Spatial arrangements
• Privacy

So, whether you work from home or in an office, think about ways that you could spruce up your space. Could you add some plants to your desk, or perhaps purchase a desk fan? Is your employer open to some new interior design suggestions? If not, show them the study above – they might just make some changes for the sake of productivity!

Take a few breaths

When all else fails, have a few breathing techniques up your sleeve to help you cope on those days when workplace stress is threatening to get the better of you. A lot of research has been carried out on the connection between breathwork and stress, and experts have found that slow breathing techniques support comfort, relaxation and vigor, and also help to reduce anxiety, depression and anger. If you’re looking for some slow breathing techniques to incorporate into your routine, there are hundreds of guided programs that can be found online or with a breathing therapist near you.

Read: What research tells us about managing stress (mitoq.com)