How to Manage Stress at Work

This How to Manage Stress at Work blog post has been adapted from Rules of Relaxation.




If the thought of going to work fills you with dread each morning because of the amount of stress you face each day, and if you don't have an alternative source of income, follow these 3 tips to help you manage the stress at your workplace.

1. Pray every Morning

Begin each day by thanking God for your job even though it is full of stress, and then ask Him to intervene in your financial situation and at your workplace.

2. Read your Bible

Begin by reading Ecclesiastes 9:1 which declares that the work of the righteous and the wise is in the hands of God. This means that even if the source of your job stress is a supervisor scheming to terminate your services unjustly, the final say is not in his or her hands. It is in God’s hands. Therefore, do not let the fear of being sacked stress you as long as you are doing the right thing and behaving wisely at your workplace.

Then read Psalm 75:6-7 which states that promotion does not come from the east or the west or the south. It comes from God. Therefore, if the source of your work stress is a boss who ignores your good work or takes credit for it himself, God can still cause you to be promoted miraculously. Let this Scripture encourage you to keep on working and doing the right thing in God’s eyes regardless of the negative feedback you get from your boss.

Then read Jeremiah 31:16 where God tells you to stop weeping and dry your eyes because your work shall be rewarded. He says He will reward your good work even if your employer causes you undue financial stress, physical stress, and emotional stress by forcing you to work overtime and not remunerating you sufficiently.

Finally, affirm yourself by reading Isaiah 49:4 which states that surely your just reward is with God. Believe that God will reward you you will be better able to manage the demoralization that comes from chronic job stress.

Copy these Scriptures on a small card and carry them with you so that you can meditate on them every morning as you commute to your workplace and during your work breaks. Fill your mind with them and you will be able to manage stress at your workplace as well as the stress that arises from the fear of layoffs.

3. Exercise Aerobically

Schedule at least two hours of aerobic exercise into your weekly program and you will be able to manage work stress more effectively. This is because aerobic exercises such as jogging or walking briskly result in the release of endorphins which are the body's feel good hormones. These make you feel better even if your job situation has not changed for the better. 

In addition, as you exercise aerobically, your body is able to mop up stress hormones and this reduces your chances of developing stress related illnesses.

To learn more read Rules of Relaxation.