Managing your stress however can be really tricky if you are inside the office. The work environment limits the ways that you can manage your stress. For instance, if watching TV or movies relieves your stress, you cannot very well do that inside the office. Neither can you play badminton or sing with a karaoke. The most that you can do is to play some quick computer game, hoping that somehow it can relax you. For some people, this is enough; but for others, it is not.

But there are ways to relieve the stress while sitting on your office chair. Often, the trick is to not wait for the stress levels to go up. As they say in medicine, an ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure. Don’t wait to get stressed, avoid it like the plague! Here’s how.

1. Eat healthy

People who are basically healthy will have more energy levels on which to work on. They are more able to withstand late nights and are more able to keep up with long brain activities as compared to people who are not. To do this, you’ve got to eat healthy foods especially those that are rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. Besides, having all the energy that you need will help you cope better with stress when it happens.

2. Sleep

Sleeping provides the body the rest that it needs. Brain activity and bodily functions slow down when people are sleeping. Muscles also relax. When the body lacks sleep, energy levels go down and the brain becomes disoriented. This results to poorer concentration, which in the long run can become detrimental to your job functions. Thus, one way to avoid stress altogether is get the requisite 8 hours or more sleep. It will do you good.

3. Exercise

Another way to combat stress and to prevent it from happening altogether is to have a daily run or an exercise routine. Experts say that a person must work out 30 minutes each day to successfully keep the body in shape and healthy. Exercise strengthens our resistance and surprisingly increases the energy levels. It helps keep the stressors at bay as it relaxes the muscles and keeps the air flowing freely through breathing techniques.

4. Manage time

Nothing can make you more stressful than not managing your time well. Just ask people who are used to cramming for exams or for work assignments. Planning your time right and doing what you are supposed to do on time will help keep the stressors away. Besides, by doing your assignments and work load piece by piece allows you to relax while doing it and gives you enough time to really work on it should the boss decides to have it real early.

5. Smiling

Being happy and optimistic is the number stress buster there is. Do you know that smiling can help keep the muscles in the face relaxed? It actually uses less muscles than when you are frowning. So laugh on the job and keep it cool.

Office work can be really stressful especially if you have one of those jobs that require you to submit on deadlines or have an infuriatingly tireless boss who does not seem to know the meaning of the word “rest.” To complain is to lose your job in an instant so the only option is to manage your stress as much as you can.

Below are some of the ways on how to manage your stress while at the office. The beauty of this is, you can do this even while sitting at your desk and doing your deskwork. Read on and let these techniques help you.

1. Head turning exercise

One of the best ways to relieve your stress is to relax the source: the muscles. You can do this by stretching your muscles and turning your head and arm from side to side. You can do this while you are standing or even by sitting down.

2. Comfortable chairs to sit on

One of the best ways to manage stress is to prevent it from coming or at least lessen it. You can do this by making sure that your work area is comfortable to work on. Start with your chair. Can you relax when you are sitting on it or do your muscles get stiff? Why is it not comfortable? Once you determine what makes the chair uncomfortable to use, it will be easier for you to solve the problem. Often, pillows and some cushions will answer your need. Other times, especially when the chair is already broken, you will need to completely replace the chair. Remember that working with a bad posture heightens the stress that we feel in the muscle areas.

3. manage your time

Managing your time properly and not cramming can spell a whole lot of difference in your stress levels. Start doing your work ahead of time. Don’t wait for the last seconds to do that report. Start the research. This will make you more prepare and more able to deal with potential stress incidents such as your boss asking for that report way ahead of schedule. At least, if you have started on it on time, you will be able to at least give him some notes.

Also, managing your time well will mean that you won’t have to go against the clock. You can work at a leisurely pace knowing that you have enough time to finish the job. Besides little stresses like this can build up and lead to a heightened stress level.

4. take a break

Taking time out from your work will help you a lot when in decreasing that stress level. As much as you can, take short minute break and just close your eyes. Resting the eyes and closing out your senses for a second helps a lot in centering your spirit and in bringing back the energy.

5. laugh

The best way to lose the stress is to loosen up. Don’t be too serious with that job. Laugh with friends at the office and join in on the fun. If you can’t do that, laugh all by yourself by reading some funny comics or books. The important thing is smile! Smiling relaxes the muscles. In fact, it uses far less muscles than frowning.