Author: Victoria Krstev on behalf of Inflo HR Ltd.
Your zoom meeting keeps freezing, you dropped your cereal all over your desk and your dog has not stopped barking at the imaginary squirrels outside. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there.
Scrolling through Expedia looking for a one way ticket to Mexico and dreaming of sipping margaritas on the beach forever.
Unfortunately, that’s not the way life works. We wanted to create a blog with some ideas to destress and relax (as best as you can) while working!
Although we’re huge coffee drinkers here at Inflo HR Ltd., when we’re looking to just have a warm cup of comfort, we reach for favourite teas.
A few of our favourites include:
All of these types of teas can be found in any local grocery store! We personally recommend David’s Tea. They are a Canadian company with tons of perks including redeeming points for free tea!
Did you know that dark chocolate has actually been shown to reduce stress hormones? Now you don’t need to feel guilty about having a sweet treat, you’re just decreasing your stress levels!
Although this one seems to be pretty obvious, have you ever caught yourself holding your breath or clenching your teeth at your desk? If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed while working on a project or while in a meeting, take slow, deep breaths to help decrease your heart rate and simply breath better.
Some days people are just going to frustrate you no matter what. Whether it be your coworker or the guy merging into your lane without signaling, keeping a stress ball near is a way to get out some tension.
If you spend most of your day typing on your computer, it’s likely that your hands carry a lot of tension. Keeping a favourite lotion close by where you can just pause and give your hands a little massage when needed can make you feel a bit better. The same goes for keeping a candle by your work station!
If you have any patio furniture set up, take your laptop outside for the day! Sunshine generally makes people happier, even if you’re doing work! If this isn’t an option, go for a little stroll around your neighbourhood during your lunch break.
Whether you’re into crosswords or word searches, a great way to distract yourself is to make your mind concentrate on something else. When you’re concentrating on trying to think of an 8 letter word for an animal that lives in Africa, it gives your brain some time to turn off for a few minutes and not think about work. (Hint: It has a long trunk!)
If there is a task that you can work on that you can zone out for a bit but still get your work done? Throw on some music to help lighten up your mood and make you feel a little less like you’re working. Something upbeat can help you just move around a bit in your chair to the beat therefore making you feel less stiff in the same chair you’ve been sitting on for hours.
Researchers have found that keeping a plant on your desk at work can actually reduce levels of anxiety and stress and in turn actually help improve your mental health. Not only is the colour green associated with emotions such as peace and security, but it is the colour of nature and growth. Just think of that proud plant parent moment when a new leaf starts to grow!
If you’re a bit of a black thumb rather than a green thumb, we recommend getting a snake plant or a ZZ plant! They can thrive in almost any light situation, so if your office is practically windowless, they’ll still be fine! They don’t need frequent watering either, once a month works!
It’s important not to take life too seriously. Enjoy a funny meme or video and just laugh. This can help improve your general mood and make you feel happier.
It’s all about finding what works for you! We’re always here to make more suggestions or even just chat!
