Ep7: 10 tips to manage stress in a high-pressured workplace

Statistics have shown that people who work in the following industries are more stressed than others; public administration/defence, human health/social work, education.

In this episode, I shared why people respond differently to stress regardless of their industry, in addition to 10 tips to help you cope in a high-pressured workplace

Transcript

 What's up everyone, and welcome to another episode of Destress with Dr. E.  It's been a day, you know when you are,  trying to do something and  you know you are tired,  but you just have to keep pushing.  tHere are people that inspire me a lot. There are people that I look up to when you see people like the likes of Paul. In the Bible, those guys kept pushing regardless,  eyes on the goal. So this is me right now. This is about 1:00 AM  and I'm shooting the video 'cause  I need to stretch it out. 

Thankfully, I'm not going to work tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep in really nicely when I'm done with this recording. I'm just going to get adequate sleep because it's part of what  I'm going to be sharing today, and.  The topic for today's episode. So the topic is how to cope with high pressure workplaces.

Are you ready to listen  ? Trust me, you're going to love this one. Interesting. When I went to make my hair, I had this conversation with my girl. Hi, shout out to Jess. I had this conversation with her about what it's like working in the environment. We work in accident and emergency environment and trust me guys, it's a high pressure workplace.

like,  oh my God. There are some days that it gets so overwhelming, like you just can't wait to finish your shift so that I can go home and stretch out and rest,  and of course, get energized to come back the next day.  I go straight into how you're going to cope,  there is this study that said  there are , three industries that risk of work-related stress compared to other industries. High risk of work-related stress,  anxiety, and depression.  What are these industries you're talking about the public administration  and um, defense  industry, the human health and social work industry, and then those in the education industry, but.  It does not mean that other industries don't get stressed.

In fact, if you ask me, I'll tell you that stress responses or how people  communicate how they're stressed is based on  personal experiences it's highly  individualized.  It's highly individualized. That means you and I can be working in the same place. Okay? But then I'm.  Enjoying the work. I'm all smiley, I'm all bubbly.

People are seeing me and they're like, oh, you're so well put together. And then the other person is like, oh, I'm struggling to cope each day. I'm just tired. I can't keep up. You know? And then you are wondering, come on, it is the same work that you guys are doing. It's the same work demand. So what's the problem here? 

That is why guys, it's very important for you to be empathetic to,  someone when they tell you, Hey, I'm stressed. First, try to listen. Try to understand why they said that. Don't be quick to push them away or to chase them away with things like.  Is even small. It's not the same work. I know this work is stressful.

I even made the feel I'm,   everybody, they feel the same stress. Now, no, not be anything different or not be anything unusual. See, once you address the situation like this. Person would just lock up. They'll not even want to tell you anything, even if it's you.

You wanna tell somebody   something else. But if you try to listen and try to understand where they're coming from, that's when you start hearing things that will keep your mouth open like this. You start hearing things like, Hmm, I'm undergoing therapy for depression. Oh, I almost died by suicide last week.

You are like, yeah.  Or you hear something like, Hmm, I just started , chemotherapy for cancer treatments. And you're like, yeah.  Or they tell you something like, I'm undergoing stress because I was sued by a client and it's stressful. you're like, oh my God.

 When you hear things like that.  Once it, once, it make you rethink your own life and make you think like, okay.  Maybe I shouldn't complain. Okay. Maybe I should hear this person out and know how to help  now you see why it's very important to be empathetic so that you don't start  regretting what you said earlier or how you reacted earlier.

Start saying like, hi, if I knew I would've been calmer, or I would've listened more, or I would've just let them express themselves if I knew start now. Now, you know,  start now and be   and be empathetic to people. Eh?  And then another thing aside the health issues or family issues, you are also looking at individuals.

You know, not everyone has the same genetic makeup. Not everyone has the same background or personal experience. Like for instance, those of us live working in um,  . That are working outside Nigeria. You hear things like, Hey, Nigerians are resilient people, which is what one of my friends told me.

She said, you guys are so resilient. You're always looking so happy.  Guy. Or babe, if you know where we come from, uh,  you know that.  We are able to conquer  anything, you know, anything at all. So with such experience, with such background and personal experiences, wherever you realize that you are able to cope more in certain environments compared to someone that didn't have similar experience with you,  okay?

So all these things explain why somebody else can experience stress  in an environment, and another person is so relaxed in the same environment. So regardless of the studies, just know that if you are stressed in your environment, it can also be a high pressure workplace for you. 

Okay?  Which gets me to  things you can do  to cope with a high pressure workplace,  number one.  Is  set your priorities straight  from the beginning.  See,  before you get into that job, I know that you have thoughts of, Hmm, let me just do this job. I need the money and I need this one. I need that one.  But then before you get into that job,  also know what's priority for you. 

Okay. Yeah. The common thing is the money actually, which is the truth though. And I'll go like, the common thing is the money, it's priority. That means you're able to take anything. You're able to take any rubbish  so that you can get the money. But how much rubbish can you take?  How much can you deal with? 

How much can you tolerate?  If you've already prepared yourself, and then you have this mindset that my family is important, and then you come into a workplace that doesn't give you time for your family, that means it's time to start thinking about  strategies is you not.

Let me give you an instance. When I came into a and e accident and emergency department, it was really, really overwhelming okay. I'm actually talking about the work pattern, the rotor.

So the rotor was so much that I barely had time for other things that were all so really, really important to me because  I'm not my job.  I also have another life outside the job. So if I'm not giving attention to other things and all, including  my creative side, hey  , the day the job would deal with me, frustration would just be my name.

So because I was having having time for other things, I had to kind of step down and that meant going part-time. I've shared this before. Yeah, I have to share it again because it's important in this contest. So down.  They reduced my salary, but I was much happier. I was much able to handle the workload, right?

So set your priorities. What is really important to you? Is it your health? Is your health a priority? That means if your workplace is, is beginning to affect your health, there's something you should do about the matter.  Or you're among those that no matter what happens, so long as you're getting the money, you did your good idea,  it's up to you.

That's your priority. Now the second thing is mindset.  There's this mindset you should carry when you're going into that high pressure workplace and that mindset is you already know,  the job description, have already told you that this is what to expect.

Or you've, when you were applying for the job, you've made your research, probably you've spoken to people or you've read reviews about the workplace and you already know that this is a high pressure workplace or,  and then.  You don't prepare yourself ahead of time. What do you expect is going to happen?

You'll just be overwhelmed from the beginning. So if you prepare your mind, oh, this is a high pressure workplace. Okay, can I do this?  Okay, I just have to endure for a while. I have to.  Hmm, let's see how it goes. You know? So you've prepared yourself  mind, body ahead.  Of what's going to come so that even if it becomes so exhausting, you won't key yourself in the process because you know what you got yourself into.

Okay? Instead, you start looking for ways to adjust, to adapt or to change or anything. But get your mindset right and remember the job does not, the work does not end with you.  They, that company was running before you came in. That means that company will continue to run even after you've come in. So just prepare your mind, okay, for anything.

Now, the third one. The third one is, take your breaks. Hmm. So long as you're listening to  this podcast distress with Dr. E. One thing you keep hearing on until he sings is Take your breaks.  Schedule your rest. Okay, let's talk about Take your breaks. See you. Listen, come closer.  I know that you want to impress your boss. 

I know you want to get that best employee award. I know you want to get that promotion next year and now it's making you work back to back, eh, see guy  a.  Take that break.   Remember what I said earlier? The job did not begin with you and is not going to end with you. That means no matter how they've told you, oh, you're so awesome.

If not for you, we wouldn't have hit that target. If not for you, that profit wouldn't have come  no matter what they're telling.  If you know the dear today, that job will have to continue because  clients' demands has to be met now. We, they stop because of you. We, they stop production because of you. We stop services because of you,  and the profits have to be made.

Now. Other people need to earn salary. So let it sink in your head though. You are replaceable.  You are replace, even robot safe are coming to replace every one of us . So take it easy.  Your break hours or break time is not when you are going to catch on or catch up on things that you haven't finished or jobs that you haven't sorted.

Your break time is what it is. Break time when you.  Step away from the work. Step away from everything that is going on so that you can eat, get energy, refresh, and then come back for the remaining hours of the work. The next one is establishing boundaries.

Please, from the beginning, let people know how much you can handle.  Let them know on time   you don't see it doesn't help you or help your team if you try to be people pleaser.  Like people pleaser you. The, you are that person that want to do everybody's work.

Hey, so that people will like you. Hey, they tell you, Hey Patricia, are you happy to do this? You're like, yes, I'm happy. Do it. Bring it, I'll do it. You still have your own workload though. You haven't finished it too, and then you're taking on more and by the time you know it, other people are finished their work.

At five o'clock, everybody have gone home. You're still there six o'clock, you're still working. The next day you continue the same thing. Before you know it, you're getting tired, you're getting frustrated. Okay. All the stress, um, responses are beginning to  show up in your life, whether it's the physical, cognitive or mental health, um, signs or behavioral signs of stress.

They're beginning to show and before you know, it's your on that performing, which is not helpful to your team.  And once they start questioning your competence, you become anxious.  Anxiety sets in  so.  It's best you establish boundaries early enough. Okay. I'm sorry I can't take more than this. I'm sorry.  I would've loved to help you, but can you please give it to somebody else? 

I would've loved to help you, but um, I'm trying to sort this out and it may take a little bit time. If you're happy to wait, that's all right. But if you're not happy to wait, that means you can, you have to find somebody else to help you out. Is it not? So establish boundaries on time. Okay. So that you practice, stay in, and do this work. Now the next one is exercising.  Exercising. Why is it important in high pressure workplaces? Exercising is important because, hmm, let me tell you,  it helps you distress,  it improves your mood, makes you feel lighter. 

In addition to all the health benefits, improving memory and stuff in improving your heart health, kidney health and all, and your skin and all of that. Okay, so exercise. What can you do different? You don't even need to register at the gym because I know that people struggle with the consistency of going to gym after work or before work.

But you can try something simple like walking when you go out there to take a walk in the evening or anytime that's convenient for you.  Be in the moment, you know when the breeze is blowing. Just  embrace it.  And, and enjoy the breeze that is hitting your face. Enjoy how your clothes is swaying.

If you're wearing a dress, of course, for the ladies, enjoy.  The view of probably the buildings, the trees, or anything around you, just be in the moment. Don't worry about work. By the time you get back home, see, you will testify with me. You'll be feeling happier,  distressed  even if your mind, same cloud that earlier.

You realize that you're feeling much, much happier,  and you are ready for the next day, okay? Because you are working in a place that need you sane and whole, physically, mentally, emotionally,  behaviorally. They need you to be sane all the time so that you can deliver your best incorporate exercise into your routine.

Or you can do like me.  That's dance. As a form of exercise, just come home, hit up the music, and I begin to dance.  , not even like I'm an expert, but just that movement and playing my best songs gives me this euphoric state like, oh. Even if the world like it should burn, I'm just happy and I'm enjoying the moment right now.

These are the kind of things that helps you  distress and reenergizes you for the next day, okay? Because the next day is already going to be stressful. Why should I add stress from the previous day to this one? Why should I do that? So the next one is addressing issues as quickly as they happen. 

See, one thing you don't want to do is to create enemies for yourself.  By this, I mean,  you have an issue with your work colleague.  You did not address it,  and then you just carried the grudge in your heart,  or you did not even ignore it, like you've forgiven and forgotten. You just carried the grudge in your heart.

The next minute  another thing happens. You carry the grudge, and then next minute another thing happens, and then you explode and start shouting, making enemies with everyone.  Because of unaddressed issues or poorly addressed issues.  So  why don't you  make people understand?  What they've done to you. If you are the type that can't let go, I mean, when I mean letting go, I mean forgiving and forgetting.

If you're the kind of person that can't just let go, why don't you politely co communicate  what they did and how it's made you feel?  If you, if you struggle with the communication,  why not speak to someone that can help you out? Which brings me to the next one, which is familiarizing yourself with your workplace policy.

 What's the policy on resolving conflicts in your workplace? What's the policy on addressing bullies? In the workplace. So familiarize yourself with this. Do you have a manager to speak to? Is it the hr? Who do you speak to? What, what is the channel? What's the process of addressing these issues?

Because you don't want to be coming to work to a place where somebody, one, one or two persons are making you feel undervalued, feel less of yourself. That is making you question your competence, even though you know that, even though you know your deal,  even though.  You know what you are doing, but then somebody else is making you feel this kind of way, and then you're coming to work the next day  feeling anxious, getting palpitations,  jittery, hands.

Ah, because you don't know if you're going to meet these guys again, this one or two persons that's making life living hell for you. That is the toxic workplace we're talking about now. So you are getting paid. I'm getting paid.  Why not speak up for yourself rather than let them intimidate you?  Or bully you too. 

Is it obligation? Ah, English hard sometimes, or bully you to the point that  you are now suffering a mental health issue or the other.  So speak out for change, okay? You don't need to die in silence. Now, one important one I'm going to share with you is breathing when it gets so overwhelmed in that department.

See, just take a break and do something really simple. Our psychologist in my workplace taught us this. Take a quick deep breath,  take another breath on top of it,  and then exhale through your mouth. 

Let me do it again. I love it. Take a deep breath,  another one on it,  and then exhale. 

It is so relaxing. It's so relaxing, and it doesn't even take time. So this simple thing I did now just helps you as in instantly  distress, like de stress, okay? Instantly distress so that you can carry on with the work, you know? Or you can take a quick bathroom break and.  And attempt, uh, longer deep breathing, you know, where you place one hand on top of the other.

And then whether it is your eyes short, your eyes open,  and then start taking deep breaths.  And as you do that, you're feeling your tummy rise and fall  with your hand movement as well. Okay. 

As long as you want. Of course you have your work to go back to, so you can do it for two minutes, three minutes, five minutes.  Don't take so long to the point that they'll think that you've not escaped from your work post  , so you can do this simple exercise. , your brain feels  clear, you can think more clearly.

You're not being more forgetful, as in you are feeling happier.  Even if somebody tell you can't get out, you're like, eh, no. Ala 

So  . So that is the breathing for you. It's instantly distresses you in high pressure workplaces. Now another thing you can do is, is, um.  Doing a distracting activity. It can be through during your break time. Okay. Or even if it's not during the break time and you're feeling out overwhelmed, you can take a quick break, even if it's two minutes, five minutes coffee break, where you take a walk  or you just go out to get some air or, um, what else can you do? 

You can chat up a loved one, you know, just to distract yourself for some minutes, do something that is outside, work for some minutes, and then so that you can come back. Okay? You don't want to walk in that situation where your brain just feels so clouded that you can barely think. All you want to do is just scream, ah,  but you are in the workspace. 

Unless you are fortunate to have a place where there is a screaming room, you can go there and now scream. Ah, and let it all out so I can come back and continue your work,  . Okay? And then one more important thing is prioritize your sleep guide. Oh my God, you are already working in a stressful place where you won't kill yourself.

I beg. If you get home, tidy up, sort out all the things you need to sort out and rest, sleep well, because when you sleep, there's different things going on. That is the time your brain is smoking up all the, um, toxins that were accumulated during the day. That's the time your brain will try to stop, store up information  in the right places  as memory.

Okay? That's the time  your brain is. I said that's the time your hope. What is also relaxing?  Relaxing stress level is coming down to the resting states,  you know, because when it rem, when stress hormone is elevated for a long time, that's when it starts causing problems in your health. Blood pressure issues, worsening risk of stroke, worsening risk of heart attacks, and things like that.

Okay, so.  Sleep. Sleep. Well, I know they say sleep is for the week, but I'm begging you, I beg, try to sleep. You need it to be energized for the next day because you can't go into such workplaces feeling like a defeated lion. It you'll be battered by the time you're done. So it's best. You have this mindset  of going into such workplaces  energized and ready to conquer the day.

So no matter what happens, they're still coming out a gallon soldier, not like one we showed us hanging down and just  trying to  get through. Okay, now the final one, should I call this the final one? Okay. Maybe the final one. We have laughing. See,  Nedu don't be that, uh,  that of a serious colleague.  Everybody else is laughing at a joke and you tight to your chest, you tight to your face.

Like say you won't fight somebody who you won't fight, who you won't beat be coming down. Don't tight the wall to your chest like you're the one carrying all the problem in the world, eh? 

I know that's, are laughing. Allow your chin to relax. Let your, let your facial muscles relax, laugh. Let the uh,  happiness hormones come up. Rise up. Let the stress hormones reduce, you know,  laugh.  I don't mean you should start, start laughing hysterically like a mad person. Just laugh. Normal laugh like every other person is laughing.

Okay? Don't tie the words to your chest. The workplace is already hard. Talk more of a stressful workplace. It is already hard. . So when you get the opportunity to laugh, laugh. When you get the opportunity to watch or listen to a comedy, do it and make yourself happy.

Hey, I think there was something else I wanted to  add. This is a special shout out to those that before I conclude, this is a special shout out to those that, that,  that feel that,  they do better when they are stressed.  See,  when people tell you that they're just doing something simple and that is they're optimizing stress. 

Okay. When you are stressed at the initial phases,  you get so high, you get so energized.  Your brain is a lot  and focused. Your concentration is sharp. All these things as your body's way of communicating that you need to get something done. Blood is flowing to the right places to get you do the work.

Okay? So with such adrenaline surge, that's the hormone that is involved in all of these. You're able to do so many things, get things done, but then if you allow yourself to  remain  highly stressed  or repeatedly stressed  instead of the benefits you are getting.  You start getting the opposite of those,  and that is your energy begins to drop.

Your focus begins to drop.  Concentration drops, memory  drops, forgetfulness sets in, um, behavior. You become irritable. Your sleep starts affecting your sleep. You start,  uh, you become at risk of serious health issues, and  who knows? Anxiety, depression, burnout.  So don't subject yourself to that. That is why self-awareness is very important.

Know how much you can tolerate,  know when something unusual is certain in, and then call your body back. Call yourself back  to help you relax, to help you rest so that you don't til into these negative, uh, signs. Okay? I'm rooting for you. 

If you found this particular episode helpful, please share this podcast. Share the episodes with your friends, with your workplace, because what's the point that you are able to manage your stress and you have your wellness tips at your fingertips, and your work colleague don't know all these things and then they now transfer their own stress to you? 

Was the point. So it's best everybody learn together so that you work together as a healthy team and you start looking forward to going to work the next day. Isn't that awesome? Of course. That's going to be awesome. So share my episode. I'll really appreciate that. Leave me a review and I'll also appreciate your feedback, your comments.

Thank you for joining me.