Easing workplace stress can benefit employee and employer

According to the American Institute of Stress, the workplace is the top source of stress for working Americans.

Wichita psychotherapist Suzie DeVaughn, who runs the stress management firm Self-Care Specialists out of her home, talked with Eagle business reporter Bryan Horwath about stress on the job.

Q: How big of a problem is workplace stress?

A: “Stress in the workplace is real. Today, more and more is being demanded of people, often with less resources, and that puts a burden on the employee.”

Q: What are some things people can do to reduce or better manage stress in the workplace?

A: “For each person, this can be different, but it really starts with having a healthy diet. What you eat affects your energy level and, if you’re skipping meals, your blood sugar could be low and that can affect stress. There’s also an anxiety component that comes from not getting the nourishment you need when you need it.

“In addition, exercise can be a great way to relieve stress, but I also think that something that is missing when people talk about stress is that peace is an inside job. Cultivating peace really comes from doing inner work, so having methods that bring us inward rather than outward can help. For instance, meditation is a good example – it gives us an opportunity to be quiet and connect within.”

Q: In today’s digital-first society, nearly everybody has a smartphone. Do our phone habits make us more stressed out because we’re seemingly always plugged in, even when we’re not on the job?

A: “I do think that adds to it. People often aren’t setting enough boundaries around their time and how available they are to the external world.

“Sometimes we might need to unplug for a weekend and tell people that they won’t be able to reach them for a while. I suggest that people who feel like they might be stressed take a “staycation” every now and again.

“You can slow your world down intentionally, but only you can do it.”

Q: One of the tools you talk a lot about has to do with breath work and different breathing techniques. Exercises like that would seem to be perfect for when workplace stress bubbles to the surface, yet it doesn’t seem like those techniques are talked about as much as diet or exercise. Why?

A: “Intentional breathing is powerful, simple and it can be done anywhere while doing just about anything. What happens is breath work represents the quickest way to induce the parasympathetic relaxation response. Breathing is incorporated into meditation, yoga, tai chi, Pilates and other exercises.

“It’s really all about slowing things down, nourishing one’s self and then going back out to the busy world while in a better place.”

Q: What can employers do to help?

A: “Employers can do things like encourage their employees to take breaks and full lunch breaks. A lot of people will work through lunch because they think they’ll be more productive and get more done, but taking a break can really help them come back rejuvenated, refreshed and with a sense of clarity. When a person can’t keep up, it can breed anxiety and that doesn’t help anyone.

“Encouraging employees to take vacations and figuring out ways that workloads can be taken care of while they’re gone, those things are important.”

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 4:50 PM with the headline "Easing workplace stress can benefit employee and employer."