Stress has become a worrying problem for the labour sector. Just look at the statistics in which only 32% of working people feel they are prospering against a 43% who indicate they are subjected to high levels of daily stress; there is even a total of 61% who eonsider to be in extreme psychological exhaustion. Because of this, employees are demanding support for mental health.
While employers have offered a wide variety of benefits to deal with this problem, such as virtual therapies, PTO (Paid Time Out) or flexible hours, the root problem is not treated; therefore, most of the investmet is gone to waste. The recovery process is about restoring cortisol levels (stress hormone) relieving the symptoms that excite stress entails (exhaustion or anxiety). There are 2 parts to an effective stress recovery: knowing what works for you and putting it into practice.
Here are 5 ways to design an effective stress recovery plan:
Psychollogical disconnection.
To ease the process of stress recorey we must cognitively disconnect from work. Detachment leads to better recovery and even improvements in work-related outcomes, such as performance and engagement. Dedicate a fixed time in which to focus all of your attention on a non-work-related activity.
Micro-breaks.
Studies have shown that micro-breaks between workdays are surprisingly effective in recovering from work stress. It is important to understand that even though it is easier to take a break later on or even wait months for your vacation, implementing micro-breaks maximizes productivity and motivation in the workday.
Choose your recovery activity based on your preferences.
Studies found that when workers were forced to participate in activities to promote a speedy recovery that was not in their interest, it only caused their energy to be significantly depleted by the end of the day. Not having your own choice of activity for your recovery process can only delay the goal of regulating the levels that you had before suffering from stress.
High-effort activities.
While it seems that relaxing or engaging in passive activities may be more effective, researchers show that “high effort” activities are more effective in building new skills and replenishing resources. Recovered energies from exhaustion can be reapplied into better work results leveraging productiveness.
Supportive environments.
Implementing natural elements directly or indirectly in the workplace favors the optimal recovery of workers. Studies point that a walk in the park during lunch can improve your recovery from stress in as little as 10 minutes. In addition, in the short term continuous exposure to nature in your work contributes positively to your well-being and reduces the probability of falling into exhaustion.
How many (if any) of these tips do you follow to keep your productiveness level to its peak?
By Amanda Alvarado