If you live in the city, then you don’t need anyone to tell you the advantages of working there. Employment opportunities are bigger and better than anywhere else, you get to experience the cutting edge in workplace culture, and there tend to be more big industry events. However, there’s no denying that it can also be more stressful for a variety of reasons. If you’re finding that the pressures of working in the urban environment are starting to get to you a little, here are a few ways that you can cool them down.
Make a community with your co-workers
There’s no denying that a sense of community can be hard to find in a city, where we’re less likely to talk to our neighbours or be involved in some larger efforts. However, your work can actually help you escape the isolation that is often found in cities. Make efforts to get chatting with those that you work with during your breaks and see if you can make friends in the workplace. Not only is it a natural stress reliever to have those that you can chill and chat with in the workplace, but you can also get more organized with your labour and better advocate as a team against employers.
Optimise your commute
One of the most stressful aspects of almost any career in the city is just how much of a hassle the commute can be. For some people, public transport is going to work just fine, but many more are going to be driving their cars to and from work. The city traffic problem is best avoided by getting organised and on the road early to avoid the morning rush but even then you have the problem of finding somewhere to park your car. If your company doesn’t offer parking spaces, then apps that offer parking space for rent can be just the ticket. Cut half the stress of driving into work by knowing exactly where you’re going to be parking.
Consider going remote
A lot more people are working from home than ever before. The trend of remote working was already on the way up, but the recent pandemic and lockdowns have been a huge catalyst in making it “the norm” for a lot of workplaces. If the trouble of getting in and out of work in the city every day is a drain on your time, motivation, and might genuinely lower your productivity, then you could talk to your employer about the possibility of taking a remote working post, even if it’s only for a couple of days during the week. More and more employers and managers are becoming more open to this flexibility, to the point that it might become a permanent fixture in a lot of workplaces. Of course, it is then on you to prove you can remain as committed and productive when working from home.
Get moving around
One of the absolute best stress relief methods is exercise. It takes your mind away from what’s stressing it at the moment and gets your focus shifted to your body. What’s more, it floods your body with positive neurotransmitters like endorphins and dopamine, which can improve your mood for the rest of the day. Even a ten-minute break away from the desk can help you stay in better spirits and take care of your health. However, if you work in a commercial part of the city, then you’re going to be able to find a nearby gym without too much difficulty, too, so you can make better use of your lunch break.
Start organized as best as possible
Working for big companies in the city, it’s not unheard of to start getting buried in work when you already have plenty to do. It’s important to know your limits and stress to your managers and bosses when you already have plenty to do. But you can make sure that you’re able to show just how much you can do but getting more productive. For instance, using a priority matrix to create a to-do list, you can make sure that you’re always focusing on the most urgent and important tasks first and able to get more done in the day by removing the indecision that often comes with a full workload.
There is no denying that both living and working in the city can be pretty stressful and demanding. However, hopefully, the tips above help you find your most effective means of managing that stress so you can better enjoy the work-life that it has to offer.
