Things You can Do to Prevent Stress at Work | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan
Things you can do to prevent stress at work

Things You can Do to Prevent Stress at Work  

By Guidable Writers Jul 14, 2017

This post is also available in: French

 

Things you can do to prevent stress at work

 

If you have been employed before then you know for a fact that stressful arguments and situations are sometimes inevitable in the office. When you start working for a Japanese company, the nature of the job is probably just the same, and you will also most likely work with a team, but in an environment totally different from what you have been used to back in your home country.

 

You should know by now that Japan has its own working culture – dedicated, focused, and diligent. Many Japanese salarymen voluntarily condone to working beyond office hours and embrace the overtime culture, which can be draining and stressful as a matter of fact.

 

What can you do to prevent stress from building up and consuming you? Here are some tips that might help.      

 

Know your stressors

What causes your stress? Is it your schedule, your low salary, your arrogant boss, or the volume of your overwhelming tasks? Identifying the factors and situation that cause you stress is necessary to come up better ways at responding to it. You have to know what you are up against with and you can even list them down.

 

Device better, healthier responses

Now that you know what makes your wrinkles come out, as much as possible and as much as you can – learn to avoid them. If you feel uncomfortable with an officemate who is only good to you when he has something he needs from you, avoid frequent interaction with that person. If you feel like you want to scream at someone, just inhale-exhale instead and say “c’est la vie”. You can also do some exercises that will surely help boost your happy hormones.  

 

 

Things you can do to prevent stress at work

Take your days off or vacation

Loosen up and break free from the stressors. When you get the high chance, take your days off and head out to a relaxing vacation somewhere – beach, mountain, park, or foreign country. Work-life balance is necessary to keep you sane and healthy, too. A holiday off is seldom in Japan, unlike in other countries where long weekends are frequent, so you better make the most of your time off work.

 

Talk to your supervisor

Your boss is there to guide, help, and listen to you, too. If there are matters you wish to discuss, especially sensitive ones, do not hesitate to talk to your boss. Remember that the purpose of the chat is not to blame people but to discuss the problems and come up with better solutions. Communication is key.

 

Things you can do to prevent stress at work

Minimize Social Media

Trust me this will truly make a difference. Getting rid of all the negative news and super-hyped stimulations that social media offers will give your heart and brain a break.

It is also healthy for your wellness to focus on what is important rather than turning to virtual fillers that are only temporary and fleeting. Focus on your real life.

 

Ask yourself why

You need to be honest with yourself if the job you’re doing is just covering your bills or does it really add value to your life and wellbeing on a constant basis. If there are more cons than pros when you examine your intentions, then it’s time to start looking for a greener pasture. You do not have to leave with bitter feelings or grudges, just let your boss know your reasons respectively and move on. You will be happier doing the things you love than staying in an environment where you are no longer productive socially and emotionally.

 

Things you can do to prevent stress at work  

Ask for help

Remember that you aren’t alone and that you can always ask help from other people – close colleagues, tomodachis, family members who can help you better manage stress. There are stress management programs available, too, and many big companies are also offering it among employees.

 

The threes

Also, remember that three of the best ways to prevent stress are eating right, exercising and sleeping enough. You can add more to this list, as well. Can you name a few tips which you are currently doing in order to battle stress? Share your comments below!

 

They say that the typical japanese business culture is toxic due to long working hours and strict disciplinary processes, but at the end of the day, it is still always up to the individual if he feels fulfilled or not. We can never avoid stress, not with the kind of world we have today. But we can try to cope and manage it.


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