The many and varied roles that women play in the modern world can very easily induce high levels of stress and anxiety. In the workplace women may deal with complicated tasks which require high levels of concentration. In other careers they may have to deal with repetitive tasks which can be mind-numbingly boring.
This can equally apply to men, but in the case of women with husbands or partners, children to care for, homes to run and husbands to support the pressure becomes greatly increased. The working day doesn’t end with leaving the office or factory, but is the start of another, though different working period. While at work the problems of home still cause additional stress and anxiety for the working woman. Life can seem full of unending tasks and deadlines to be met.
As women we need to look at how to manage the stress in our lives. We need to understand the problems, and see the way these stresses affect our lives, and can bring on extreme anxiety and panic attacks. We need to learn how to cope with this.
Causes of stress can be personal, such as the deterioration of relationships, like divorce or separation. It can be caused by overwork and domestic problems brought about by the inability to balance our time between home and work in a satisfactory way. In a business setting, factors such as difficult office politics, sexual harassment and fear of redundancy can be huge sources of stress. High flyers and business owners too can have anxiety levels so intense that they lead to panic attacks. When we are depressed and fatigued and can see no way out of difficult situations it’s not surprising that feelings of panic can become overwhelming.
There are some practical strategies that you can put into place to try to reduce stress in the workplace. You won’t be completely stress-free, but will hopefully find it easier to cope and end your panic attacks.
* Make your surroundings serene and relaxing. Put up a poster or two of quiet, tranquil scenes in soft, soothing, muted colours. Anything that makes you feel good and induces pleasure each time you look at it. Take a few minutes out of your busy day to keep your workspace as tidy and fresh as possible. You will find that clearing out the clutter makes work a great deal easier and more pleasant.
* Prioritise. Work out the order in which tasks need attention. If you find it helpful, use colour coding on files and use a list of things to do on which you can strike off tasks as they are completed. It will help to be able to have a clear picture of what you have accomplished. Try to do one job completely before starting the next.
* Take a break every so often. Take a short walk, even if it is only to the next office floor and back. Get your circulation going and try to breathe properly. At a coffee break, try to switch off from work topics completely.
* If at all possible try to have an indoor plant in your workspace. Something that is fresh and green and you can follow its growth from week to week. Apart from being restful to the eyes, you are in a tiny way improving the oxygen content of the office!
* If your company has any kind of exercise or recreation area for staff, try to make use of it, in the lunch break or after work. You may feel you are too tired but exercise will be good to relieve tension and the endorphins released in your body through exercise will improve your mood considerably.
* If you find you have a problem with co-workers who monopolise your time with chatting, let them know politely and firmly that you will be happy to chat at another more convenient time but are currently too busy. This will save you from feeling frustration at not being able to get on with your own work as you wish.
* Even if it means getting up ten minutes earlier, don’t miss out on a good breakfast. You will be much better able to face the working day and will not suffer a mid-morning dip in energy levels. Having a good diet and keeping your body in shape is a big step towards coping with everything that life throws at you.
Work-related stress can be very real, but it doesn’t have to reach levels that cause you to disintegrate into panic attacks. Learn how to relax – you may find relaxation exercises and yoga very helpful, also that music helps you relax.
If home and work responsibilities are bearing down on you and you’re unable to cope, don’t delay in looking for help. Maybe talking through things with a good friend will help get your problems into better perspective and show you how you can cope.
You may find that professional help from a counsellor is more for you. If you want to get your life back on an even keel and be free from excessive stress and fear of panic attacks, there are programmes which can help you learn to cope with stress and these are well worth investigating.
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