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3 quick ways to combat stress from remote work

FALLBROOK – While the shift to remote or flexible work has generally been viewed as a positive, it also presents fresh obstacles. According to Inc.'s write-up on HR challenges, (www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/study-4-top-challenges-business-hr-leaders-need-to-overcome.html), 80% of HR professionals reported an increase in employee burnout in the past year, with 37% citing a major increase.

Factors behind this include struggles with remote work, lack of work-life boundaries, and plain old exhaustion. Although 62% of companies have introduced (or plan to introduce) benefits to help reduce stress, more than a third of respondents’ companies have yet to take any steps in addressing burnout.

Many individuals do know that they can decrease stress by eating right and exercising. But pursuing a healthy lifestyle can also contribute to an employee being exhausted by the end of the day.

In our article “Diabetes: A Stressful Disease That's Hard to Cope With,” (www.villagenews.com/story/2021/11/11/lifestyles/diabetes-a-stressful-disease-thats-hard-to-cope-with/68181.html), Dr. Mullur discussed how trying hard to be healthy and pushing our limits can inadvertently promote a stress response in our bodies.

The bottom line is that running on empty – whether from work, lifestyle, or a combination of the two – can lead to more burnout. So here are three quick, easy ways to keep stress at bay:

Light a candle

If you're seeking a particularly simple solution, burning a scented candle or diffusing essential oils can help reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety. Research published in the Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7052056/) specifies that exposure to lavender aroma in particular can ease stress (based on a study involving responses to stressful videos.) Other soothing scents, meanwhile, include bergamot, roman chamomile, sandalwood, ylang ylang, and orange blossom.

The next time you find yourself in the middle of a hectic day, try to light a scented candle – something you wouldn't have had the chance to do in an office, in all likelihood. Each time you want to burn your candle, be sure to trim the wick for a cleaner, brighter burn. Trimming the wick to 1/4- inch also helps prevent the candle from smoking too much.

Rest your eyes

Working remotely means spending hours staring at your screen, which can lead to symptoms of eye strain like tired or dry eyes, blurry vision, frequent headaches, and soreness in your neck, back, and shoulders. While there’s no way to completely avoid screens – it’s the digital age, after all – it’s good to take breaks every now and then.

According to SymptomFind’s write-up on eye strain relief, (www.symptomfind.com/health/tips-computer-eye-strain-relief), simple mini-breaks like standing up, stretching, and going for a lap around your home office can be effective. These little interruptions of screen time give your eyes time to relax, and also boost blood circulation to prevent stiff muscles.

Allowing natural sunlight to come into the room, rather than using strong interior lighting, can also help you and your eyes relax.

Treat yourself

A study from the Université de Genève, (www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200617100418.html), reveals that whenever we receive fair rewards, our brains develop better memory. Memory is primarily managed by the hippocampus, but another region called the ventral tegmental area gets activated when rewards are involved. When these two parts of the brain engage in dialogue, we can better maintain our motivation, improve learning, and consolidate our memories over time.

So what does this have to do with stress? Well, you can use science to your advantage by giving yourself small rewards along the way to a bigger goal. Not only will you feel better, but you also improve your cognitive functions. These small rewards don’t have to break the bank, either. A few simple things you can try include treating yourself to a favorite breakfast, watching a movie (guilt-free), or taking a bubble bath after a long day.

Hopefully these methods will help you to establish a more stress-free remote working situation! Whatever works for you, be sure to prioritize your own health and happiness in a new situation we're all still getting used to.

 

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