How can we reduce stress at work? We have determined that we have symptoms of stress at work. And we have figured out the causes of stress at work.
But what are we doing about the stress? It can begin to affect your health if you don’t take action to reduce that stress.
Here are some ways that will get that stress in check. And you can have less stress and a healthier you.
5 Ways to Reduce Stress at Work
1. Knowing God is with you will Reduce your Stress at Work
There are so many comforting scriptures that tell us how God is with us. These can be such a comfort when you are stressed or going through hard times.
God is all-powerful and without limit. We don’t need to fear others who are limited in everything.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6 ESV
Jesus’ Instructions Prior to Leaving Earth
In John, Jesus spoke to His disciples to prepare them for Him leaving earth. His first statement reminds us to have faith. When the hard times come, we need to lean on Him for strength and endurance to get through.
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
John 14:1 ESV
It is also important to lean on Him when times are good too. Our focus should always be on God. When we take our eyes off of Him and look to the world around us, then we take on more than we can handle and it robs us of our peace.
Jesus knew this first hand. He lived on this earth and experienced the anger, the lies, and the deceit that others would speak out against him. To give us comfort and help us, He left us His peace. This peace is not something we can find here on earth. You could say it is something out of this world!
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27 ESV
The Peace that comes from God is perfect peace. When we totally focus our minds on God, we experience this awesome peace. One of my favorite verses that describes this peace is found in Isaiah.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3 ESV
2. Prayer will Reduce your Stress at Work
We can pray for the stress we are feeling at work. And God cares about things we are going through.
We need to put our troubles on the Lord. He gives us the strength to go on. He doesn’t allow us to fall when we trust in Him. We are kept firm with Him. This is the opposite of what He will do for the unrighteous.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22 ESV
3. Spend time in God’s Word
In addition to having continual conversations with God, spend time in His Word. It has been said that the Bible is an acronym for “Believer’s instructions before leaving earth.”
God’s handbook helps us navigate life for both the good times and the stressful times. There are words of instruction and words of comfort, as we read above. And we need to keep on reading them so much that they are a delight to our soul. Think of it as the time that you can’t wait to get to, like that nice warm bubble bath or sitting by the warm fire sipping your cup of tea, coffee, or cocoa.
Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.
Psalm 119:143 ESV
Since we cannot physically see God, reading His Word daily is how we can know Him better. The more time we spend with Him, the less we stress or worry about what we are going through, whether at work or in any part of our lives.
4. Get some Rest – for your body and your soul!
Our bodies weren’t meant to go, go, go. And then go some more. When God created the earth, He rested on the seventh day. Jesus tells us in Matthew to come to Him. Give Him the troubles or burdens you are carrying. And in return, you will find rest.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 ESV
This rest can come in many forms.
- Take the weekend off from work. Make sure that you rest up when you aren’t working.
- Do something fun with a friend.
- Get outside for a walk or go on a bike ride. If the weather is cold, you can still go on a walk or cross country skiing. Or build a snowman or snow fort.
- A good book can help your mind rest from work as well.
- Ensure that you are getting a good night’s sleep each night. Your body needs rest.
- Go on a much-needed vacation to get away from the stress and rest.
Make a list of your times of rest that you can look forward to in order to relieve your stress.
5. Commit your Work to God & Press Forward
While you are going to work each day, take a deep breath, and commit that day and your work to God. He will establish your plans.
Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 ESV
And when things don’t go so well. We have to remind ourselves to let things go. If we dwell on them, it brings us down and robs us of peace again. Once you have dealt with the issues, let them go. Put them behind you and look to the future. And do not stop and look back. Keep moving forward!
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
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