Eighteen Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace

From the easy to the atypical, here are 20 ways to calm down, ease up, and make work a more enjoyable place. News reports recently stated that a record number of senior management folks are participating in yoga during the work day to help relieve their tension, so there should be something here that works for you too.

1. Try aromatherapy. Using essential oils for therapeutic effects has been in practice since early civilization, so there's no reason you can't chill out with a little scent as well?as long as you don't invade your colleagues' spaces (and noses). Try chamomile oil, lavender oil, orange oil, sandalwood oil, or rose oil?all are thought to help combat stress and tension.

2. Adjust your attitude. Well, it can't hurt, right? Rather than dreading work and the papers piling up on your desk, try to approach each day as a new opportunity to make inroads, accomplish things, and do what you're good at.

3. Be social. There's got to be somebody there you like, so take a few minutes to join a coffee pot conversation, grab lunch with a colleague, or share a joke or something that happened on Friends last night. Make a few quality friends, and the people at work will start to feel like a second family.

4. Burn candles. Although candles are outlawed in many workplace environments, if you can get away with it, go for it. The scented ones are even better, and something about that little flickering flame whispers "C-A-L-M."

5. Eat right. That means ruling out the vending machine for breakfast and lunch, and instead focusing on a healthy meal of grains, proteins, veggies, and fruit. Your renewed energy (and your waistline) will thank you.

6. Exercise. Surprised that your bottom is expanding from you sitting on it eight hours a day? Do something about it at lunch by taking a walk, going for a bike ride, or heading to the health club. Studies show that exercise releases natural endorphins in your body that help to make you feel happy and more at peace.

7. Add a fountain. All the rage right now, desktop fountains can add some relaxing and calming sight and sound to your little cubicle in the world. From around $25, you can choose from cascading falls or a subtle trickle over river rocks.

8. Laugh. Numerous medical studies have shown that laughing is good for you, so take the time to be social (see item 3 in this list), visit a joke Web site, or catch the comics in the paper.

9. Adjust your lighting. If you're lucky enough to be in an office of your own, discover the vampire in you by turning down those harsh overhead lights and working from a desk lamp. If you're stuck in cubicle land, hang a strand of party lights across your Velcro wall to invoke a festive atmosphere.

10. Get a massage. Employers sometimes offer onsite massage as a company benefit—if yours does, take advantage of it. If not, head to a local salon at lunchtime, where you can get everything from a 5-minute hand massage to a 15-minute head-and-neck massage.

11. Listen to music. Without disrupting your colleagues, let the music play, whether it's Sinatra or Metallica. Plug in a radio, listen to CDs on a headset, or log on to your favorite radio station on the Web.

12. Take a nap. We've all heard the story of so-and-so's brother-in-law who works for that innovative computer company that has a "nap room" complete with private tents. Not an option at your company? No problem. You can still steal away to the company lounge for a quick 15-minute catnap, or lay your head down on your desk for a few minutes of shuteye. Hey, you did it in school, didn't you?

13. Personalise your area. Make your work environment your home away from home by bringing in stuff that says something about who you are away from the office. Frame photos of your loved ones, display quotes you love, and hang up postcards from past vacations, all to remind you that there is life outside of work.

14. Spend time with a pet. Studies have repeatedly shown that being around pets lowers stress levels in humans. Either bring your dog or cat to work (very acceptable at some companies), or get yourself a fishbowl and watch the little guys swim around aimlessly while you're on that conference call.

15. Get a plant. If your company bans the fishbowl, adding a little green to your space is calming, helps you personalise your area, gives you something to look after that doesn't talk back, and helps to cleanse the air around you.

16. Say "no." This sounds easy enough, but it's sometimes difficult to say "no" when you're asked to take on yet another task, meeting, or responsibility at work. Instead of saying yes, either delegate, offer to quickly train someone else to take on the task, or just say that your schedule is already full.

17. Vary your screensavers. As another way to personalise your work environment, you can download a favorite photo onto your desktop, or buy the "Fish Aquarium" screensaver software to add a calming effect to your desktop.

18. Play with toys. The person who has the most toys might win, but you don't have to spend a lot of money to have a lot of stress-reliever toys. In fact, lots of companies give away stuff to help you chill out. Look for a slinky, a bendable object that you can twist and pull to your heart's desire, a miniature basketball and hoop, and similar items.