Tips against office stress

Having breaks during work is essential and anyone who uses their free time to check work emails should not be surprised if they feel stressed. Even so, work-related pressure is increasingly becoming part of the daily lives of most folk these days.

Some tips from a counsellor on how to slow down the rat race sound tongue in cheek, but there's a nugget of truth in them all.

During work

Stop the treadmill: Don't dive into work on Monday like you usually do. "The basic rule should be, don't let stress even arise," says occupational psychologist Frank Brenscheidt from Germany's Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

"A cup of coffee or tea is always a good start." And during the day it helps to ask: "Is it okay if I put this task off for 10 minutes?"

End procrastination: Cleaning the desk, sorting business cards and invoicing travel expenses when a difficult problem looms doesn't help fix it. "Setting wrong priorities means delaying important tasks," the expert says. In the end, the stress becomes even bigger.

Making a to-do list is not a new idea, but it can help.

Chatting with colleagues: "Support from colleagues is the best stress prevention," Brenscheidt says. So, have a chat often with colleagues you like at the water cooler. The world may look completely different afterwards - they may even offer help.

Decorate your desk: Photos of your loved ones, souvenirs from your last vacation or tickets for the movie theatre - "Everything that lets your soul relax" is a true stress killer, the psychologist says.

His advice is pimp up your desk individually from time to time so you notice that "it's not all about work".

WOOF! WOOF!: Bring your dog to the office once in a while. "We know from studies that an office dog has a positive effect," the occupational psychologist says. But you need to discuss with your boss first if a dog is okay - if not, there might be even more stress in the end.

And after work?

Exercise: "An important antidote to stress is sport," Brenscheidt explains. "Having a good feeling about your body makes a lot of things easier." And while jogging in a green area, you're in less danger of checking your email.