STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR IT PROFESSIONALS

Some level of stress, whether at home or at work, can actually be beneficial by keeping us on our toes and conscious of our commitments. It buoys us with energy to keep us focused and able to face the challenges ahead.

But in the modern day office scenario, especially in the IT sector, where timings are quite erratic, what with the offshore projects and differences in time zones, stress becomes something entirely different. Life becomes a roller-coaster with the long office hours, tight schedules and deadlines, tough competition from competitors, coupled up with emotional demands from friends and the family.

There comes a breaking point where you are unable to cope up and the stress starts harming you both physically and mentally, aside from robbing you of job satisfaction and a peaceful home. So what do you do in such a scenario? It’s impossible to get rid of stress completely from your work life, whatever the field may be; but there are still many things you can do to reduce the stress-inducing elements at the workplace while maintaining harmony within your mind and body and helping you regain a sense of control over your work situation.

Unfortunately, some people turn to alcohol, drugs or food to beat the stress, but this only compounds the problem, making it worse. Instead of that there are a few simple things that you can do yourself to bring some sense of balance back into your life. Try some of the following for better control of stress:

Practice deep breathing exercises, preferably with eyes closed for five minutes to calm your mind and help you focus better at the problem at hand. This can be done at your desk too.

Regain control of your work by making a list of the days tasks according to their priority, that way you will know exactly how much further you have to go and can allot time accordingly.

Get moving – don’t sit at your desk for longer than an hour at a time. The brain needs a break and you come back refreshed with brighter ideas after some time away from your work station.

Communication with your colleagues is crucial to maintaining a positive atmosphere at the work place; people may misunderstand you and suspect you of withholding information if you don’t communicate openly. Crack a joke or two once in a while to keep your self-esteem up and provide a positive mindset.

Recharge your mind during lunch breaks by taking a small stroll somewhere removed from your cabin; take the time to make small chitchat with colleagues and refresh your mind. Have some ‘me’ time that takes you away from the monotony of your work and helps your recharge.

Get sufficient sleep. Lack of sleep leads to stress and stress leads to lack of sufficient sleep. So you first need to relax and unwind with whatever you like best for a good sleep and less stress.