Tiredness, stress and negativity can really take its toll on you, leading to burn out and time off sick if you don’t prioritise your wellbeing, so take some time to work through our 3 simple steps and put your health first.
Step 1: Stress – Reduce stress with momentum
Stress at work often stems from feeling overwhelmed by all of the things you have to get done, this is often a combination of workload and home commitments. Many of us find it hard to mentally separate home and work when there is so much to do and so much you feel you are not doing. This is especially true for shift workers, often you can feel that you are no sooner finishing a shift before you are back starting another one and if you have not used that time to stay on top of your home chores, before you know it another week has passed, and things start to mount up.
Your time off shift needs to be clearly defined and used to its fullest so you can make sure that by the time you arrive at work your home life is in order and you can focus your mind on your work when you are there. Travelling to and from work is often an overlooked pocket of time that can be used to book doctor appointments, work out your shopping budget, send an e-card to your Grandma, make a call to family or anything else that is on your list that can be done on your mobile phone.
Getting through small, easy-to-achieve tasks is a great way to regain some feeling of control and being productive can provide the motivation you need to push through when things get a little hectic.
2: Tiredness – Make the most of your break
Being on your feet all day is downright tiring and your breaks are provided as opportunities for you to recover and prepare yourself for the next few hours. A mid-shift break often feels like it whizzes past with barely enough time to eat, use the toilet, check in on the kids at home and find time to rest so it is important that you make the most of the time you have by prioritising self-care.
The best tip we can provide for a warehouse worker who is on their feet all day is to find a way to elevate your feet on every break. This will allow some of the pressure to be relieved, foot and ankle swelling to reduce and to encourage good blood flow. You also need to make sure you are eating healthy high energy snacks such as nuts and seeds to give you the energy you need for the next section of your shift.
Avoid sugary processed foods that can lead to a short-lived energy burst which will quickly dissipate and leave you feeling tired and sluggish.
Step 3: Happiness - Seek out the positive people
Social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing, boosting happiness and positivity so building friendships with your work colleagues is extremely important for workplace satisfaction. The things is, wherever you work there is always someone who never seems to be happy, who always has some drama or another going on and who can reel off a list of things that make them unhappy at work as long as their arm.
Being around negative people can take its toll on even the most happy-go-lucky person in the room and when it is your co-worker who insists on finding fault in everything, it can be difficult to avoid negativity creeping into your own thoughts too. Try to spend time talking to and building friendships with the colleagues who project happiness. Look for the ones who are always ready with a smile, who laugh easily and can hold a positive easy-going conversation.
When you find yourself listening to Negative Norman moan about the job yet again, politely excuse yourself and find someone happier to spend your break with.
