Lowering Your Stress Levels at Work

Most Americans work hard for what they have. And that can be a very stressful thing, no matter how much you love your career and your current role. Most American employees — 65 percent to be exact — say that their workplace is a significant source of stress. That’s not good because stress is extremely bad for our health. It’s not as if stress is a necessary evil in a productive workplace either, though. Studies tell us that the opposite is true: Stressed-out employees are less productive employees.

In other words, there is every reason for you to focus on lowering your stress levels at work. But how can you do it? Managing your workplace stress and maintaining a better work-life balance can be done. You just need to know the steps to take:

Take a vacation

Americans are very stressed out at work. Americans also don’t take enough days off. The two are closely related. Vacations are good for your body and mind. They lower stress levels and allow you to return to work feeling refreshed and more productive. Taking full days off and enjoying time away from your work (and home, for that matter) is essential to your work-life balance.

So, by all means, take all of your vacation days this year. Take a trip and relax. Head to Florida, lounge on the beach, and take in the beauty and calm of a sunset cruise in West Palm Beach. Get some exercise on the water, eat well, drink responsibly, and get work out of your mind for a while. But, whether you go to Florida or somewhere else, get out of town and lower your blood pressure.

Cut back on that coffee

For many workers, coffee is a daily habit. Coffee is what jump-starts a productive morning at work and can make your commute to the office tolerable. You need to be careful, though, because caffeine is virtually a drug.

This doesn’t mean that coffee is dangerous, per se. Most studies conclude that it is perfectly healthy in reasonable amounts. If you drink a lot of coffee, however, you’re going to feel amped up. Many of the symptoms of caffeine are also symptoms of stress. The two can play off each other, causing you to feel more on edge and stressed out than you otherwise would be. Cutting out coffee or simply swapping out one or two of your daily cups for decaf can help you stop freaking out as much over workplace problems.

Add stress-reducing supplements

There are a lot of things that people put in their bodies when they’re stressed. From prescribed medications for anxiety to less healthy choices like that after-work beer, it’s no secret that what we ingest can affect our mood and our stress levels.

One great choice for lowering anxiety is CBD. CBD is derived from marijuana, but it’s non-psychoactive. Luckily, for all the hard workers out there, taking CBD is nothing like starting the morning with a joint or a beer. On the contrary, CBD will allow you to remain entirely sober while lowering your stress and anxiety levels. CBD is easy to find and legal virtually everywhere. You can find plenty more information about it online, including everything from dosage suggestions to reviews of trusted brands like Plus CBD Oil.

Talk to the pros

CBD is a great way to change up your habits and lower your stress levels. But just because there are non-prescription options does not mean that you should avoid seeing a psychiatrist. Mental health professionals like psychiatrists and psychologists can be a huge help when you’re facing mental health issues like stress. Make no mistake, though, stress is a very real mental health issue. You should treat it with the seriousness that it deserves. Consider therapy, medication, and other options at the suggestion of your mental health professional. Being proactive about your stress will help you reclaim your work-life balance and enjoy a happier life and a more productive, successful career.