6 Ways to de-stress amidst hectic project deadlines

Indeed, stress is inevitable. Just thinking of what to wear to the office is one of the most stressful thoughts of the day. Then comes the loose post-it notes consisting of your to-do list staring right at you the minute you take a seat at your desk. With the first quarter of 2021 slowly coming to an end, it’s unavoidably putting distress on yourself whilst trying to keep sane on a day-to-day basis.

Fret not, because we’re all highly likely to be on the same boat regardless of your occupation. Thus, we have come up with six different ways to de-stress; this includes during office hours.

1. Get moving

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Again, till the coronavirus depletes completely, the work-from-home routine will perhaps remain for the following months; that then equates to you being cooped up in a room frantically trying to get work done. Like everyone else, the arrangement of working remotely perhaps doesn’t sit well with you so much that it makes your mind cluttered.

Eventually, that increases your stress levels, making the whole day practically unproductive. When you sense the stress signs, it’s undoubtedly time for you to get moving to help pump more blood and oxygen to the brain.

Depending on your preference and circumstance, try to get some workout or stretching done. If your day’s too jam-packed, squeezing in a mere 10 minutes of exercise would suffice also.

Tip: If you’re a morning person, try to release some endorphins and go for a quick morning run before clocking in for work. Otherwise, sneaking in a 30 minutes gym session after office hours could be an alternative. In between working hours, try to get out of your seat and occasionally stretch your legs and body.

2. Take 5

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Suddenly, it feels like we’re on a filming set where the director says “take 5”. But, in all seriousness, that should apply to our daily lives too. Essentially, 24 hours a day equates to 1440 minutes, which is certainly sufficient to balance between work, daily chores and, of course, savouring a few precious moments of the day.

Surely, it’s no excuse to say that you are that busy to not even be able to spare five minutes somewhere between sunrise and sunset to chill. That still leaves you with 1435 minutes to get business matters done — and we’re pretty sure even your clients and bosses take more than just five minutes to savour a glass of wine too.

What to do in that five minutes: Get yourself a cuppa, have a quick cuddle with your pets or simply look out the window.

3. Get some shut-eye

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It still puzzles us how stress eventually leads to one sacrificing sleep. It’s as though our cluttered minds tell us to work into the wee hours of the night, thinking that delaying it for seven hours would cost the whole project a failure. Ultimately, that seems like the case and here’s us telling you that sleep is never for the weak.

No matter how busy you are, try to regulate your sleeping hours to minimally six hours a day. By not doing so, you are simply putting your heart at risk of cardiovascular diseases, which in the long run causes stress on your medical oncologists (doctors who provide thorough diagnosis). Along with good nutrition and exercise, you’d then be more prepared to conquer a brand new day.

Adding on, this makes you more productive and mentally alert than your colleagues who sacrifice sleep, thinking they’d gain a promotion post-submission. Trust us; work can wait, health’s the priority.

4. Grab time for yourself 

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Ever felt like you’ve neglected yourself or as though you’ve worked tremendously hard, but all the salary earned went to paying your bills solely? Whilst it’s definitely not ideal to spend on a branded item every month, it’s always good to reward yourself once in a while — this includes from booking a massage session right down to simple things such as having a meal at your favourite restaurant.

More often than not, you worry about neglecting your loved ones, but you should ultimately always put yourself first before others. Try to spend fewer waking hours being an overly responsible worker and get into the habit of grabbing more me-time. It’s not that you don’t have time for yourself but, it’s that you’re not taking time for yourself.

Above it all, overworking makes you become irresponsible when it comes to keeping yourself physically and mentally healthy. So, don’t let stress and work takeover your body but instead, try to stay in control by managing your time and making use of your annual leaves for a quick breather.

5. Create a work-free zone

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Having a special place to relax free of work-stress and negativity makes you more likely to hit the pause button. We suggest assigning a spot in the house where you’re not allowed to think about work issues. Make this work-free zone a place of solitude where you have complete serenity — where there’s no electronic device, no work tools, no hassles and no scheduling boards.

Also, consider having a room for meditation, prayer or contemplation; that’s simply to say, a place for your mind to be calm. If you don’t have a room, find a spot with minimum traffic flow. Set aside a corner containing special mementoes and memorable photographs that raise pleasant memories and peaceful feelings. Alternatively, a corner of your bedroom where you could put on your headphones and listen to relaxing music works as a getaway too.

Tip: If you enjoy taking a warm bath to declutter your mind, add a scented candle, put on soft music and you’re good as well.

6. Give yourself a pep-talk

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We’re drawing down to the cause of stress — and that is doubting yourself in challenging situations. Recall how you have that sinking feeling before a big presentation despite knowing the deck at the back of your hand? That feeling comes from an inner voice that predicts you’ll mess up or that your ideas won’t be well-received by your clients.

Instead of pushing away the unpleasant feeling, the key is to acknowledge it with a self-talk moment before facing reality. Take a deep breath and tell yourself that everything will be alright and that those negative thoughts are just there to make you stronger. Tighten your ties, brush off your hair, straighten your blazers and get in the room ready to ace the presentation like it means the world to you.

Tip: While pep-talking to yourself that all would be alright, assure yourself that it’d also be fine if things take a turn.

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