Reduce stress at work: Practical handles for a healthy working environment

Everyone suffers from stress at work from time to time. It can cause you to get irritated faster, withdraw, become emotionally wobbly or perform less well. Sometimes you can’t control it anymore and are told to learn to manage your emotions better. But what if the problem is not so much in those emotions, but in what lies underneath? A build-up of stress is often the real cause and it affects not only how we feel, but also how we react.

Emotions and stress in the workplace

Emotions are part of life. They help us understand what is important and what is not. For example, anger can mean that your boundaries are being crossed. Frustration can indicate that you want more control over something.

In the workplace, however, emotions are often seen as troublesome. Someone who bites off irritably or suddenly keeps quiet stands out. It can be uncomfortable, but what we don’t see is that those emotions often stem from stress. And stress makes
everything more intense. It’s like holding a magnifying glass over the normal ups and downs of your feelings.

Dealing with stress effectively: body and mind
Stress is not just a feeling, it is something that takes over your whole body. Your breathing quickens, your heart speeds up, and your muscles tighten. This is how our body prepares to deal with a threat. In the workplace, that threat could be a deadline, a conflict with a colleague or simply too much tasks on your plate.

Generally, people think you just need to learn to deal with your emotions. But if your stress level is high, that is almost impossible. Stress regulation means learning to recognise when stress is building up and what you can do to reduce it. It is not about ‘not worrying,’ but about calming your body and mind.
 
From stress to work happiness

In the workplace, you can also help each other reduce stress. If you stay calm in a stressful situation, it often has a calming effect on those around you. You don’t even have to say anything to do this – it works subconsciously. Continuing to breathe calmly, giving someone space or listening patiently for a moment can already make a big difference.

Practical tips for stress management

• Be alert to signals: Pay attention to how your body reacts. A tense jaw, shoulders sitting up or high breathing can all be signs of stress.
• Allow yourself breaks: A few minutes to take a break from a situation can already help reduce stress.
• Find connection: If you notice someone is stressed, be present. Sometimes a listening ear is enough to ease tension.\
• Stay calm: By controlling your own stress, you can have a positive effect on the atmosphere around you.

Stress and emotions are part of life, and especially in a busy workplace. The important thing is to learn to recognise and deal with them, rather than pushing them away or condemning them. When you understand that the observable unwanted behaviour is often a manifestation of stress, it becomes easier not to judge right away, but to see what someone really needs.

Building a healthy work environment

A healthy work environment is not free of stress, but it is a place where you can support each other to deal with it. That way, you work together to create a culture where there is a focus not only on what needs to be done, but also on how people feel. Because at the end of the day, we are all just human.

Marjon Kuipers MSc
Gedragsanalist