9 easy ways to eliminate stress at work

It turns out that people who get upset when they're criticized in the workplace use their muscles in ways that might lead to injury over time. Here is a wide spectrum of health-boosting tips to help you to cope with stress at work.

Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than any other cause of stress – even more than financial or family problems. In fact, U.S. researchers have found the first-ever link between stress and back pain.

1. Munch on a handful of pumpkin seeds. A useful source of iron and micronutrients, these taste delicious and are a healthy way of providing a distraction from stressful moments in the working day.
2. Eat peppermint chocolates. Treat yourself now and again to some peppermint chocolate – particularly good if it's dark chocolate. The chocolate itself is stress relieving, the peppermint provides a burst of minty energy and the tiny sugar rush might be just enough to get you over the hump. At the very least, it's better than slamming your office door or reacting in otherwise self-defeating ways to a madness-filled workplace.
3. Pour a cup of boiling water over a handful of camomile leaves or a camomile tea bag. The herbal mix, long known for its gentle, soothing properties, will help to de-stress and centre you.
4. Hold one nostril closed with a finger and blow strongly out through the other (blow your nose first!). This is a yoga movement believed to reduce stress.
5. Walk and talk slower. This tricks your body into thinking that things are calmer than they actually are.
6. Examine your real feelings. If you love what you do, the stress related to your job will be far less damaging than if you don't. But if you hate your job, it's time to explore other options. Spending a few minutes each evening rewriting your CV and researching other job options can help you handle the stress at your current job.
7. Offer feedback. As they say, it's better to give than to receive. Provide praise and recognition to others at work whenever it is appropriate. You will feel good by making others feel good, and the good feeling will tend to spread.
8. Have a "perspective reminder" handy. Work may seem overwhelmingly stressful at times, but your troubles are likely to be smaller than they seem. Keep a picture in your office – the earth taken from space, a starry night or the ocean – and look at it whenever you feel overwhelmed. Amid countless stars and the timeless crashing of waves against the shore, how important is that deadline, really?
9. Socialize your work. Suggest a once-a-week lunch with colleagues where you can talk about a particular work issue. Use the collective brain to figure out how to do something better, improve your work facilities, perhaps, enhance productivity or improve relationships.