How often are you preparing for work, ready to have the BEST day ever, and without fail, the other shoe drops. Your computer is in the middle of an update, so you can’t make that important meeting, and then the rest of your day dominos down the toilet, with one aggravating thing hitting you after another. When you work in IT, this sort of thing is par for the course.
Being able to take a step back and find some quiet space has always helped. Mindfulness is not anything new, and really can apply to any industry. And it can really increase your productivity and turn that painfully crappy day into one of exuberance and joy. Here are a few of my personal tips for dealing with workday stress that I have found work for me:
- Take a step away from your desk – when you are stuck in the mud and are beating your head against the wall and nothing is really working, that’s the best time to take a break. Get a change of scenery. Go talk to a colleague. Go outside and get a breath of fresh air. Brew yourself a nice quiet cup of tea. It doesn’t have to be a long break, but you’ll find you can quickly regain your footing and often the problem that was there before you took the break has resolved itself, or at least you have a fresh perspective.
- Switch to a single-task mindset – Everyone loves to scream at you to multi-task. These 5 people each want something, and they want it right now! A lot of people will try to accommodate and what I have found is that trying to do all 5 things will likely not get any of them accomplished. Focus on the one task in front of you. Do that one thing that you can and circle back for the other things later.
- Don’t be afraid to tell people you need some time – I am sure we all have that one colleague who demands you drop everything right now to help them with their dire emergency. One of my other colleagues has the best way of handling those types of people. He calmly and casually tells them that he is in the middle of something important, but if they can give him 10 minutes, he’ll be able to give him his undivided attention. Taking your time to handle the stressful situation you are already dealing with will ensure you don’t boil over.
- Create a Zen work environment – what things bring you joy in your private time? Does listening to a certain kind of music help soothe your stress? Is there a special beverage you enjoy? Try to bring elements of peace into your workspace anyway you can. Maybe listening to your favorite album, or having that awesome cup of tea, or being able to see the cutest pictures of your kids, will help you find that quiet perfect moment in the storm of your day.
- Practice gratitude – there are all kinds of studies on the concept of gratitude improving your overall attitude towards life. The next time you are feeling stressed and upset, take a moment to write down a few things that you are grateful for in your life. Just focusing on these positive things will undoubtedly improve your sense of well-being. And thank your coworkers: how often do we focus on the negative things they sometimes do, and how rarely do we see the nice things they do?
Tech Tip Provided By:
Kevin Peters
Senior Network Engineer, 23+ Years
Centaris
