What Should You Do When You Feel Overwhelming Stress at Work? | Safe and Sound

Pressure from workload, tight deadlines, stressful work environments and expectations from superiors can leave you in a state of burnout. If not controlled in time, prolonged stress can seriously affect your physical health, mental health and work performance. In this article, a psychologist will help you identify the signs of excessive stress at work, find out the causes and provide effective solutions to improve this situation.

Phi Thuy Linh | Bachelor of Public Health – Mental Health Care Application Safe and Sound

Institute of Medical Technology Applications

1. Recognize signs of excessive stress at work

Too much stress can cause headaches and insomnia.

When stress reaches an overwhelming level, the body and mind send out warning signals. These signs can manifest in many forms, from physical, psychological to behavioral.

Physical signs: Headache, insomnia, prolonged fatigue, digestive disorders, rapid heartbeat.
Psychological signs: Irritability, loss of concentration, anxiety, feeling hopeless or demotivated.
Behavioral signs: Poor work performance, procrastination, withdrawal from coworkers, caffeine or alcohol abuse.

If you notice the above signs persist and affect your quality of life, it is time to take timely intervention.

2. How to deal with excessive stress at work

2.1 Adjust your work habits

One of the most effective ways to reduce stress is to adjust the way you work. Start by organizing your work more reasonably. Manage your work by using todolist, trello, .... set clear priorities and do it step by step to help you control your work better. In addition, you can apply the Pomodoro technique to work more effectively while still having reasonable rest time.

How to do the Pomodoro technique:

Select a task you need to complete.
Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on working as hard as you can.
When 25 minutes are up, stop immediately and rest for 5 minutes.
Repeat the above process. After 4 Pomodoros (100 minutes of work in total), take a longer break of 15-30 minutes to recharge.

2.2 Focus on time management skills

Good time management will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. Psychologists recommend using the Eisenhower Method to classify tasks by importance and urgency. Creating a specific schedule, avoiding procrastination, and setting time limits for each task will also help you work more effectively without feeling overly stressed.

How to apply the Eisenhower Matrix: Work is divided into 4 groups according to the above two criteria:

	Urgent	Not urgent
Important	Do Now These are important and time-sensitive tasks that need to be done right away. For example: Troubleshoot an urgent problem, complete a report that is due soon.	Plan Important tasks that don't need to be done right away, plan to do them later. For example: Learning a new skill, making a long-term plan.
Not important	Delegation Tasks that can be assigned to others to save time. For example: Some unnecessary meetings, administrative work.	Eliminate Unimportant and non-urgent things, limit or eliminate them. For example: Surfing social media, watching too much TV.

2.3 Maintain physical and mental health

Stress can have a negative impact on your health, so it is important to take good care of yourself. Make sure you eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Activities such as yoga, meditation or walking outdoors can also help reduce stress. Psychologists also recommend taking up hobbies that help you relax and relieve stress.

2.3.1. Nutritional regimen to help reduce stress

Nutrition plays an important role in helping to reduce stress.

Nutrition plays an important role in regulating stress hormones (cortisol) and increasing the body's energy. Here are some nutritional recommendations for people with excessive stress from psychologists:

- Foods to supplement:

Foods rich in tryptophan ( creates the happy hormone serotonin ): Bananas, yogurt, walnuts, salmon.
Foods rich in omega-3 ( helps reduce inflammation, protects the brain ): Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), chia seeds, walnuts.
Green vegetables and fruits ( rich in vitamins B and C to help fight stress ): Oranges, lemons, spinach, kale.
Whole grains ( provide stable energy ): Oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread.
Foods containing magnesium ( helps relax muscles and nerves ): Almonds, cashews, green vegetables.

- Foods to limit:

Caffeine ( causes anxiety, insomnia ): Reduce coffee, black tea, and energy drinks.
Sugar and processed foods ( cause increased cortisol, causing mood instability ): Sweets, fast food, milk tea, soft drinks.
Alcoholic beverages ( cause sleep imbalance and mental decline ): Limit beer and wine.

2.3.2. Sleep mode helps recovery

Psychologists say stress can disrupt sleep, leaving you more tired the next day. To sleep better you need to:

Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
Avoid using phones and laptops at least 1 hour before going to bed.
Create an ideal sleeping space: Keep the room dark, cool, and quiet.
Relax before bed : Take a warm bath, read a light book, meditate, or listen to soft music.

And limitations:

Drink coffee or tea after 3 pm.
Work in bed, check email right before sleep.
Eating dinner too late or eating spicy, greasy food before bed

2.3.3. Exercise to reduce stress

Exercise helps the body produce endorphins – a hormone that helps improve mood and effectively reduce stress, psychologists share.

Exercises to help reduce stress:

Walk briskly for 30 minutes every day ( helps improve blood circulation and relieve stress ).
Yoga or meditation 15 - 30 minutes a day ( increases calmness, reduces mental stress ).
Stretching or deep breathing exercises ( help relax the body, reduce muscle tension due to stress ).
High intensity exercise (HIIT, running, cycling) ( releases energy, reduces anxiety ).

Notes when practicing:

Choose exercises that are suitable for your health.
Maintain at least 3 - 5 sessions/week for best results.
Do not exercise too late in the evening to avoid affecting sleep.

2.4 Learn to communicate and seek support

If you feel too stressed, don’t hesitate to seek help from colleagues, friends or a mental health professional. Sharing your feelings will not only help you relieve pressure but also get useful advice. In addition, if work stress is persistent and affects your mental health, you should consider consulting a mental health professional to find a suitable solution.

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2.5 Rest and recharge

Sometimes the best way to deal with stress is to take a break and give yourself a break. Take a vacation, spend time doing activities you enjoy, or go on a vacation to refresh your mind. Psychologists emphasize that finding a balance between work and rest is important to maintaining motivation and long-term performance.

Stress at work is inevitable, but you can control and minimize its negative effects. By recognizing the signs, adjusting your work habits and taking care of your health, you will be able to overcome stress and maintain balance in your life. If you feel the pressure is too much, do not hesitate to seek psychological support for professional and effective support.

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