There are plenty of reasons why you may feel stressed at work such as long hours, tight deadlines, changes within the organisation, fears around job security, and many more. The way you deal with this stress can lead to unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking and drinking in excess, and so it is critical to deal with work-related stress before it becomes an issue that affects life outside the workplace.
Track your moods Look for the positive and negative triggers around your workplace. It's important to see if there are any patterns and work with those patterns to keep yourself as positive as you can be. Keep a notebook on hand (or your phone's notes app) and write down a situation that caused a raised emotional response, and see if you can work towards interacting with more positive triggers, such as a friendly conversation with a colleague, or being proud of the work you’ve produced.
Find your healthy outlet From exercise to a new hobby, anything can help you destress outside the workplace. You could even rekindle an old skill or interest, from pottery to basketball, there are healthy outlets for everyone. You may also enjoy this task with a colleague, if they’ve invited you to a gym session, for example, outside of your workplace, take them up on it! There’s no harm in seeing what you enjoy, and if it doesn't work out you can always try the next best thing. The important thing is not to be constantly thinking about work outside of your working hours.
Establish boundaries After your work hours have finished you have every right to not be on call for further work (unless that is part of your contract!). Checking your emails, or responding to calls outside your contracted hours are not your duty! Establishing boundaries with yourself, or even your colleagues can help provide some downtime that you may really appreciate.
Talk to your manager Talk to your supervisor to see if there are any quick resolutions to the causes of the stress; if not there are plenty of workplaces that offer workplace counselling. There is no harm in checking what you as an employee have access to, and raising any concerns with your mental health should be a conversation that every employee should have access to. A great employer should listen to your concerns and see if they can help find a solution to make the work more manageable for you. What can feel like permanent stress to you may be eased with a simple solution, which your manager might be able to provide!
Don’t be afraid to get help Help can be anything from a professional mental health provider! From therapy to medication, or maybe a mix of the two, there is no harm in speaking to a professional. Putting your mental health first is always a priority, so do not let your work-related stress take over! There is almost always a solution.