In today’s world, work-associated stress is, without a doubt, one of the biggest health issues employees has to deal with. There are a lot of reasons for this – the fact that we are expected to be online 24/7 and be able to respond in minutes, the globalization of the market, which means that we can always be replaced, the capitalistic culture that views people as statistics instead of as human beings.

All of these and more contribute to a lot of stress buildup, which can, if left untreated, lead to a multitude of health problems: high blood pressure, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and many others.

To help you deal with this growing problem of epidemic proportions, here are a couple of useful ways you can deal with stress in the workplace.

Keep Track of Things That Trigger You The Most

Everyone reacts to stress in different ways. Some can thrive on multitasking, having their desk an untidy mess, or love to hear the latest office gossip. Others workers are introverted, unsure of themselves, they absolutely have to have their personal space organized, their activities planned out in advance.

An excellent first step to overcoming stress is to pinpoint things that bother you the most. When the boss is being unreasonable, or someone ate your last cupcake from the fridge without asking you for permission. Write all of these situations on a piece of paper (or in a spreadsheet) and try to think about which ones made you feel the worst.

Soon you will have a good idea of what stresses you out the most, and then you can start to look for solutions.

Stress – File photo

Manage Your Before and After Work Activities

Finding the time to recharge before going to work can be difficult, but is one of the best ways we can “detox” our minds and mindsets and prepare for eight hours – or more! – of doing our jobs. For some, this can take the form of drinking a nice, relaxing, piping hot cup of coffee and going over the latest news. And some like to take an energy-boosting jog or gym workout.

We all have these little rituals that fill us up with positive energy. Separating our work lives from our personal lives are becoming increasingly harder, but having a way to vent is of paramount importance if we want to avoid undue stress.

Avoid Getting Mixed-up in Drama

There are colleagues who simply adore spreading gossip – sometimes even outright lies – and getting anyone they can involve in these rumors. The best thing is to just mind your own business and stay away from speculating about workplace romances and how your coworker can afford to have an expensive car on their wage. Trust us, it’s not worth it.

Another pair of controversial topics where tempers can easily flare up is politics and religion. Everyone has an opinion on these, and more often than not – these opinions will not coincide with everyone else’s. Because our political and religious feelings are so deeply personal, it is wise never to bring them up – knowing who your colleagues vote for or what they believe in has no bearing whatsoever on their work output.