When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Eat Chocolate

Ok, chocolate may not be the healthiest solution to handling stress. But hey, it’s annual enrollment time and thanks to our great clients, we are super busy. Changes keep coming in, new versions are being added and deadlines refuse to budge. What’s a girl to do?

I’m sure many of you are super busy as well, so I wanted to share some of the tactics we take here at Write on Target (WOT) to handle stress:

  • Laugh it off: The best antidote to stress is a good belly laugh. It increases oxygen in the blood, decreases blood sugar and even burns up calories. Seriously. Look it up. At WOT, we have a Laugh Board in the middle of our busiest hub where everyone jots down something that made them laugh that day. It helps to spread the joy.
  • Get on the ball: We each have large exercise balls that we use in exchange for our regular desk chairs once in a while. It’s a great way to stretch out the back. It also enables a certain artist to bounce around a bit when her nervous energy builds up. Warning: excessive bouncing by one employee may make your pregnant employee sick to her stomach.
  • Stretch yourself: Did you know if you sit all day at work you literally lose years off your life? Take time to stretch at least every couple of hours. These six stretches will give you a good start. You can also download apps to remind you to move, including one created by our pal, Fran Melmed called Hotseat.
  • Take a hike: If you can find a minute or two, get out of the office for a short walk. If you’re really nice, you might even bring back a treat for your coworkers. (hint, hint)
  • Get silly: One of our favorite stress relievers is Silly Putty. Each of us has several containers stashed at our desk to stretch, knead and throw at each other.

How do you handle stress? I’d love to hear your creative ideas. Drop me a note at jweatherly@writetarget.com and I’ll share with others. In the meantime, I think I’ll have a piece of chocolate.

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