How to deal with stress in the workplace

Feel burned out? Chances are you’ve experienced some level of stress in the workplace during your career. This week is National Stress Awareness week so, with that in mind we are showcasing how we design in a way to reduce stress in the workplace. We’ve also spoken to some of our team on how they deal with stress on a personal level and how the impact of design can create more of a stress-free environment in the workplace.

How do we go about eliminating stress through design? Creating mindful areas in the office like relaxation zones, private booths and breakout spaces are just a few greats ways for promoting mindfulness and reducing feelings of anxiousness and stress.   

The use of colour plays a big role in helping people feel more zen in the office. Soft tones like green, blue and yellow are favourites for this. Biophilia and natural materials help to emulate the feeling of being outside and with nature, which is great for making people feel at ease and relaxed.   

Lindsay Dowden, Workplace Futures Group Sales and Marketing Director 

“To keep my stress levels in check I go to the gym regularly, drink in moderation and meditate. Lately I’ve been using Headspace. It’s an app that is great for helping you visualise your stress in a way that you can detach from the challenges momentarily to regroup and then go at each of them one by one. Remember to pause, be mindful, acknowledge your feelings and body and take appropriate action.”   

Danielle Rubie, Senior Designer  

“Throughout my career I’ve dealt with stress in different ways but the one thing I stand by is remember to breathe, always. I find breathing exercises are great for helping me take control of my stress levels. If I start to feel overwhelmed, I'll take myself away to a quiet, private space at work to gather my thoughts. Regular exercise makes a huge difference as well as chatting through thoughts with my colleagues and getting outside to take a break!”     

Rebecca Lloyd, Office Manager 

“Exercise for me is the biggest stress relief, I go four to five times a week. When I need to let out frustration from the day, I'll do a heavy weight pump class and if I need to clear my mind, I will do a body balance class which is a mixture of Pilates, Tai Chi and Yoga which is great to restart the mind."