How to give your worklife an energy boost? – by guest author Silviu Costea

This blog post is by guest blog author Silviu Costea

One result from our survey from earlier this spring was that many people feel stressed, fatigued, or overcome by anxiety. Although insightful, this finding was not entirely surprising. A surge in mental health struggles as a result of the pandemic can be seen throughout the world. For example, in the US, the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms rose from 1 in 10 before the pandemic to 4 in 10 nowadays.

In this article we will share 3 things which you can do to decrease the stress you experience and give your worklife a well-deserved energy boost.

1) Mind your breath

When we are stressed our body enters the fight or flight mode. This means that our heart rate and breathing rhythm increase. This in turn makes our thoughts even harder to control, as now we not only have the thoughts to take care of, but also an out-of-control breathing pattern. One proven way to restore your balance is to use breathing exercises. Taking deep breaths slowly and letting your mind focus on one objects such as an image or a sound will signal your body that you are safe. This will reduce the intensity of the stress response and help you reclaim control. You can read more detailed instructions on the Michigan Medical University website.

2) Check your routines

Routines are a useful tool for reducing stress. At the same time they help us free some mental energy to use for something else other than daily recurrent activities. Having strong routines help both reduce stress levels and build the resilience to take on new challenges in the future. Some helpful tips in successfully creating routines are: starting small, planning ahead, and rewarding yourself for small victories. You can read the detailed steps on the Mental Health America.

3) Open up to others

When we share our challenges with others we might be surprised to find out that they too struggle with the same feelings or thoughts. Studies show that having strong social support networks can make a real difference. Taking the time to talk to a family member or trusted friend about our feelings can not only make us feel less lonely and offer us comfort, but also energize us. It is therefore important to take the time to reach out to others: to receive and offer support. If your close ones are out of reach, nowadays there are a lot of tools which allow you to create new connections and friends. Meetups and Facebook groups focused on a subject you are interested in are usually a good place to start.

We hope that these tips give you the boost you need to stay on top of things. Head to our social media and let us know which tips you used or share with us other things that you are doing that help you reduce stress and stay energized!

Silviu Costea

Silviu is a social psychologist in formation, completing his master’s degree from Utrecht University in The Netherlands. Using the insights he gained and the skills he developed through his education and extracurricular projects, he is dedicated to helping individuals, teams, and companies succeed.