10 Ways to Stop Stressing and Start Being Productive

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Is stress taking over your life?

Does it keep you from thinking clearly and prevent you from getting your work done?

You are not alone. A recent survey shows that 83% of U.S. workers feel stressed in their jobs.

Today, I have 10 tips to stop stress and help you get more done.

Stress Prevents Productivity

When you are stressed it is difficult to be productive.

It’s hard to get your work done when all you can think about is how far behind you are.

Yet, much of your stress is self-created, self-imposed, and self-imagined.

In other words, you create your own stress.

“Stress only has as much power over you as you allow it.” (Tweet this Quote)

Are you spending more energy stressing than you are getting things done?

Stopping the Stress

The key to getting more done is to not let your stress overwhelm you.

Otherwise, you can find yourself paralyzed by feelings of fear, distress, and worry.

With a little perspective and effort, you can better control your stress and how you handle it.

Here are 10 Tips to Stop Stress from Affecting Your Productivity:

Get Caught Up – It’s hard to concentrate on today if you are stressed about yesterday. Late tasks can dominate your mind and prevent you from getting today’s work done. When you find yourself behind, make a plan to get caught up. You might need to spend some extra time or even delete some things off your plate.
Write Down Your Stress – A great way to confront your stress is to get it out of your head. Write it down and define it. What is it? What is the worst that can happen? Writing things down can help you confront your fears. As well, you can look back later and see if things were really as bad as you thought. Usually, they were not.
Keep a Positive Attitude – Your attitude defines your reality. It is the window pane through which you view the world. Keeping a positive attitude is the single best skill that you can develop against stress. Your attitude when reacting to stress can make all the difference.
Get Some Perspective – Many of the things that you stress about are probably not that important in the big picture. You give them more significance than they truly hold in life and the universe. If it doesn’t involve bodily harm, it probably is not worth destroying yourself mentally about.
Allow More Time Than You Need – A great technique to reduce stress is to allow more time than needed for tasks. This gives you a chance to catch your breath. I know, you say you are already too busy. Yet, you do have the time. It’s a choice you have to make.
Breathe and Take a Break – Don’t underestimate the power of taking a break. Take 5 to rest. Take 5 to walk around. Take 5 to go outside and get some fresh air.
Enjoy the Moment – Too many people stress about today. They think that they have to stress today in order to get to tomorrow. Yet, what if today is all you have? Do you want to spend it stressing or enjoying the moment?
Laugh – Even the worst scenarios can have a humorous side. Laughing in the face of real danger may not be the best strategy, but most things in life are worth a laugh. Stop taking yourself and everything that happens so seriously. Even the most stressful situations are lightened by a little levity.
Let It Go – You don’t have to win every time. And pushing yourself too far to try to win every trivial battle in life can be too much. Learn to let go where appropriate.
Get Some Assistance – When you need it, ask for help. For most busy bodies, their pride keeps them from asking for assistance. Yet, everyone needs help at some point. Reach out to your friends, colleagues, and loved ones when you need an extra hand.