How to manage stress caused by a new job

If you have recently started a new job, you may find yourself feeling more stressed than usual. Putting yourself in a new work environment with different demands than your previous job can increase your stress levels, causing negative side effects such as anxiety and depression. Below we outline 4 tips to help you manage stress effectively in a new job.

1. Create a comfortable environment

Studies show that unfamiliar environments increase psychological stress. This is because we perceive unfamiliar environments as unpredictable and they can make us feel uncomfortable, so the body and mind are never able to truly relax. To combat this, try to spend as much time as possible in your new workplace in your first few weeks there. You should also add personal touches to your work area, such as photographs and plants, to help you feel more at home and comfortable.

2. Speak out

When you start a new job, you may feel anxious about making friends with your colleagues and avoid social interactions with them. Avoiding your colleagues will only lead to more stress as you are denying yourself a support network at work. Professionals advise that making connections with your work associates can help you manage stress more effectively and they may even be able to help you with some stressful work problems.

3. Get active

While it is tempting to come home from work and vegetate in front of the television, exercise has been proven to help you manage stress more effectively. Exercise increases the level of endorphins in your body, helping to improve your mood and reduce the negative side effects of stress.

4. Talk to a professional

If even after making positive lifestyle changes you still find yourself overly stressed at your new job, it may be time to contact me. Don’t let feelings of stress affect your chances of success in your new job. As a health psychologist, I can help you locate the source of your stress and provide you with actionable insights into how to manage stress at work. Also, I can help you improve your lifestyle and make behavioural changes to achieve a better quality of life.

If you want to make a health behaviour change, sign up for this four-day free challenge for practical tips and action steps to take along the way.