Madden Industrial Craftsmen Incorporated

Work. Often can’t live with it, always can’t live without it (bills gotta be paid, after all).

But stress at work can be a literal killer. Your body produces a large amount of the hormone called cortisol as part of the fight-or-fight reaction to stress. The body can handle only small and infrequent spurts of cortisol at once; stress-filled jobs mean cortisol is coursing through your body, potentially causing all manner of deadly diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, etc.

Stress on the job truly can be hazardous to your health. But a person has to work, right? So here are some tips to help you relax — and cut back on the cortisol — at work and at home.

Take a minute and think of five things for which you are grateful. Gratitude is a very effective way to appreciate your life and turn a bad emotional state into a more positive one. The things for which you are grateful needn’t be “big” or awe inspiring. Simply taking the time to appreciate the fact that it’s a lovely day outside, the work day is over is in just one hour, how much you love peanut butter, how your cat makes you laugh as she chases a crumpled wad of paper — all can go a long way to cleaning your body of anxiety.

Get rid of the clutter around you. Studies have indeed shown that “stuff” can cause stress. A cluttered desk or home makes for a cluttered and jumbled mind. Just the act of putting papers into neat piles on your workspace can go a long way to a calming mindset. Go a step further and take the time to really organize and tidy up your desk. Get rid of paper, folders, items you don’t need. The same goes for your home. Go through closets, the garage, the basement, the spare room — any room! — and get rid of the stuff. You’ll be amazed and pleased how a clean and organized workspace and home fosters a clean and relaxed mind.

Take 30 deep belly breathes. Sit in a chair with your legs apart and place your hands on your stomach. Using your stomach, breathe in slowly through your nose (you’ll know you’re doing it correctly because you’ll feel your stomach expand). Breathe out slowly through your nose, but use some force so that you’ll feel your stomach pull in slightly toward your back. Do this 30 times and, when done, you’ll be pleased at how calm and centered you feel.

Contact Madden Industrial Craftsmen Incorporated when you’re stressing about finding a great job. We have many terrific assignments at some of the Pacific Northwest’s greatest employers. Contact us today.