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How do you tend to cope with stressful situations? We all have our default way of dealing with things. I tend to ruminate which, I know, is not healthy. Maybe you tend to address problems directly and try to change the situation. Others just accept the way things are and avoid any kind of confrontation. These various ways of dealing with stressful situations are called coping strategies. The goal of this post is to help you develop coping strategies to reduce stress so that you are less emotionally drained and more energized.
Negative Coping Strategies
Ultimately, everyone must find out for themselves which coping strategies to reduce stress work best. However, there are negative coping strategies that you should avoid. These are destructive behaviors that may provide temporary relief, but in the long run are not helpful for dealing with the problem. Such strategies include:
- Overconsumption of alcohol
- Substance abuse
- Ruminating
- Worrying
- Pretending everything is fine
- Overeating
- Compulsive spending
- Criticizing / being overly harsh on yourself
- Loosing you temper / being aggressive towards others
- Suppressing your emotions
Problem vs. Emotion Focused Coping Strategies
Traditionally, coping strategies have been divided into problem focused and emotion focused strategies.
Problem focused: this strategy directly addresses the stressor or how you think about the problem
For example, you set a boundary for an overbearing client by telling them you are only available to answer their emails/calls on certain days.
If your boss comes off as impolite in their communication, you decide not to take it personally and consider they are probably having a tough day.
Emotion focused: this strategy addresses the negative emotions that arise from the stressful situation, not the situation itself.
For example, to manage your anger after a heated discussion with a colleague, you do breathing exercises or take a walk.
Critics of this framework argue that these two categories are too broad, and some coping strategies can be considered as both problem and emotion focused.
Approach vs. Avoidance Coping Strategies
Another popular framework categorizes coping strategies into approach or avoidance strategies.
Approach strategies are behavioral or cognitive actions aimed towards the problem or situation.
Let’s say your colleague calls in sick for the next two weeks. You now have to pick up some of their work. An approach strategy would be to adjust your time management and have designated blocks to work on their tasks.
Furthermore, you adjust your mindset by telling yourself this is a temporary situation. The increased workload is not permanent.
In contrast avoidance strategies are directed away from the problem or situation.
In the scenario mentioned above you would also call in sick, or simply neglect your colleague’s tasks.
Emotional suppression is also a form of avoidance. For example, your colleague says something offensive, but you decide to suppress your feeling and pretend everything is ok. Such strategies are associated with more stress.
The use of approach strategies has generally been seen as the healthiest way to reduce stress.
However, the use of avoidance strategies can be beneficial in the beginning stages when reacting to a stressful situation. For example, you become extremely angry at your colleague and choose to walk away from the situation (avoidance coping) instead of engaging in further discourse. This can help you not to lose your temper. Once your level of stress has subsided you are then able to address the problem in a more balanced, less emotionally charged way (approach coping).
Exercising and using relaxation techniques are also beneficial avoidance (passive) coping strategies.
Voluntary (Primary Control & Secondary Control) vs. Involuntary Coping Strategies
Voluntary coping refers to actions that involve a conscious effort to address the stressor such as problem solving or asking for help.
Such responses can be divided into primary control coping and secondary control coping.
Primary control coping includes efforts to alter the source of stress or act directly on one’s emotional response. This includes strategies such as problem solving or emotional regulation.
Secondary control coping refers to strategies to adapt to the source of stress such as acceptance or cognitive reappraisal. These strategies are generally applied when the source of stress can’t be easily be changed.
For example, you are working on a project and there is not enough support, because your colleage called in sick. In this case you come to terms with the current situation and realize it is temporary. You choose to maintain a positive outlook and see this situation as an opportunity for growth: you can further develop the skills necessary for staying productive even when your workload is higher than normal.
Involuntary coping refers to our conditioned, automatic responses to various situations. These are knee-jerk, spontaneous reactions and may include strategies such as rumination or emotional numbing.
Coping is an ongoing dynamic process. The categories we covered are multifaceted and not mutually exclusive. Therefore, it makes the most sense to use strategies from different dimensions based on the needs of the situation. There is no need to limit yourself to one framework or the other. At the end of the day, you must find out what works best for you.
Coping Strategies to Reduce Stress at Work 1 – 4
1.) Reach Out to Others (Social Support): it’s important to be well connected and on good terms with your colleagues. There is always that one person you can’t stand, but, if possible, try to work out your differences. When things get tough having others you can rely on and reach out to is valuable. However, if you have not cultivated positive relationships, it may be harder to get help when you need it most.
2.) Develop a Good Sleep Routine: if you feel it’s hard to concentrate and are constantly tired during the day, one reason may be that you are sleep deprived. It is important to prioritize sleep and develop a good sleep hygiene:
- Have a relaxing, consistent sleep routine
- Set apart at least 30 minutes to wind down
- Set aside your electronics at least 30 to 60 minutes prior to sleeping
- Don’t consume caffeine too late
- Don’t eat too late
- Restrict your in bed activities so that you associate being in bed with sleep
3.) Take Time Off: if you feel that you are on the verge of burning out, try to take some time off. Or adjust your schedule. Drop some things, like now. If you keep pushing yourself, your body will eventually throw in the towel and force you to rest. You might get sick or suffer burn out. We are not machines, and our body needs enough rest to rejuvenate.
4.) Use the Box Breathing Method: this is a simple, but effective relaxation technique.
- Inhale slowly while counting to four
- Hold your breath for four seconds
- Slowly exhale for four seconds
- Repeat as often as needed
Coping Strategies to Reduce Stress at Work 5 – 8
5.) Listen to Music: when I don’t have to work on a task that requires intense concentration, I like to listen to music. This helps me to relax and rejuvenate, especially if I just worked on something stressful.
6.) Leave the Situation: this is technically an avoidance strategy but is sometimes very beneficial. If you feel like you are about to lose your temper with a customer or a colleague, one way to deal with the situation is to excuse yourself and leave. If you are in a situation that is offensive or inappropriate it is ok to leave. Once you have calmed down and feel better equipped, you can use an approach strategy to address the issue.
7.) Get Organized: when you feel overwhelmed with to-dos, one way to cope is to get organized. Take time to clean up your workspace, prioritize tasks and make a schedule.
8.) Manage Your Time: consider how much time you can afford to allocate to each task and try to stay within that limit. Don’t stress over minor points rather focus on the most important aspects. This is often a better strategy than aiming for perfection and being half finished by the deadline. You can manage your environment so that you do not waste time. For example, set times when others cannot interrupt you and put away your phone and other distractions.
Coping Strategies to Reduce Stress at Work 9 – 11
9.) Learn to Say No: it is great to help other colleagues, or take on further responsibility, but there are times when you have to say no. This ensures that you have enough time for your own tasks and priorities. Let the person know when or if you can help later. Ask specific questions, so you know exactly what your commitment will be. But realize that you don’t have to do everyone a favor. More than likely, the other person will find the help that they need. Your time is valuable, so don’t give it away so easily.
10.) Establish Boundaries: communicate clearly what your boundaries and needs are. If you are expected to meet a tight deadline communicate to your manager how much time the task realistically takes and whether or not you need support.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking about certain topics in the work context, let your colleagues know. When you make it clear you would prefer not to talk about something, you establish a boundary. This helps you to eliminate a stressor that otherwise would drain your energy or cause you anxiety.
Regarding your availability make it clear when you are able to take care of certain tasks or commit to particular responsibilites. Whether with colleagues or clients, it is important to manage others’ expectations so that you are not constantly overwhelmed and unable to meet your goals.
11.) Adjust Your Expectations: learn to set realistic expectations regarding how much you can get done in a particular time frame. Furthermore, you may have expectations about how work should be or how your team members should act. For example, if you think everyone should be friendly and open, you may be disappointed when this is not the case. If you adjust your expectation and realize that some need more time to warm up, you will be less frustrated.
Coping Strategies to Reduce Stress at Work 12 – 14
12.) Engage in Cognitive Reappraisal: when appropriate reframe how you think about various situations to reduce your experience of negative emotions. For example, you feel angry because a client spoke to you rather assertively and it rubbed you the wrong way. However, you realize they have a direct style of communication. You find it annoying, but know they are not trying to be offensive and therefore decide not to take their statements personally.
13.) Use Relaxation Techniques:
- Going for a walk
- Exercise
- Stretch
- Make your favorite warm drink
- Squeeze a stress ball
14.) Cost-Benefit Analysis: what are the advantages and disadvantages of feeling this way or having this expectation?
If you had an argument with a colleague and get angry every time you think about it, ask yourself what is the benefit of ruminating? You realize this is draining your energy and decide not to dwell on this negative situation anymore. Instead, you consider a more constructive way to communicate with this colleague in the future and implement it.
There are numerous coping strategies, and you must find what works best for you given the situation. It may also be that what worked before does not work in the current situation. It is best to be flexible and to try out different approaches.
Exercise
What are your default ways of coping with stress?
Do these strategies energize you or do they lead to more stress in the future? If they are not so beneficial, what are better ways that you could respond to stressful situations?
Consider three challenging work situations that are likely to come up in the future.
| Stressful Situations at Work |
|---|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
What are three coping mechanisms for each situation that could help you effectively encounter these challenges in the future? As a result, you should have less emotional strain and be more energized!
| Stressful Situations at Work | Effective Coping Mechanisms |
|---|---|
| 1. | 1a. |
| 1b. | |
| 1c. | |
| 2. | 2a. |
| 2b. | |
| 2c. | |
| 3. | 3a. |
| 3b. | |
| 3c. |
Summary
In this post I introduced you to coping strategies that you can easily implement in the work place. The goal is to reduce stress, emotional strain and become more energized. There are several ways to categoize coping strategies, but no framework is perfect. The main thing is that you figure out what works best for you. By being consious of how you respond to stressful situations, you can learn to adopt more beneficial ways of handling stress.
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