The 7 Worst Ways to Handle Stress at Work

by Jimmy Winskowski

Stress. It's just one of those things that there never seems to be a shortage of. After all, the world of business can be fast-paced, demanding, and full of pressure. And it doesn't help that many of us – designers and developers more than anyone – are spending our workdays crammed in tight spaces, staring into computer screens, sitting in uncomfortable chairs.

There are plenty of great ways to cope with stress, and I'll dive into those throughout this article. But I thought it was important to give a warning against some of the dangerous, ineffective, and just plain worst ways to handle stress. If you're guilty of one (or more) of these, it's not too late to change.

Here they are, the seven worst ways to handle stress:

1. Procrastinating

Comedian Jim Gaffigan has a great bit about procrastination; He asks, "You ever have so much to do you just decide to take a nap?"

While the majority of us probably wouldn't go so far as to settle in for a long nap at work, putting off pressure-filled tasks is one of the most common ways of dealing with – or, more accurately, not dealing with – stress. As Jennifer Nelson, owner of ThinkBeyondPens.com points out, "Avoidance will eventually creep up on you and begin to affect your personal life." In addition, it's only delaying the inevitable. In the end, you will have to deal with that stressful task. You'll just have an ulcer by the time you do it.

Trust me, there's a much better way. When faced with an irksome assignment, it's best to be honest first and foremost about the amount of time it will take to complete. From there, sit down and schedule out everything that needs to be done. You might be surprised to find that there isn't nearly as much work to do as you imagined. The next step is to get the ball rolling. There's only one way to eat an elephant: One bite at a time. So start chewing.

2. Blaming Others

First, you get stressed. Then you start to fall behind. And pretty soon you're starting to get worried about how safe your job is. It happens all the time. And a common reaction is to start throwing blame around, subconsciously hoping it will make you look better by comparison. The truth is, it's an ugly habit that tends to reflect more negatively on you than anyone else.

Gert Hattingh, CTO at design house oneclickhere, saw this habit firsthand. "One project manager I worked with during the early stages of my career," he explained, "had a knack for throwing someone under the bus as soon as the VP stepped in to help." The result? "This motion only caused more stress and he ended up being moved to a different department because of his outbursts."

Instead of blowing up at co-workers or throwing a team member under the bus, Gert suggests leaving the stress at the office. Take time after clocking out to focus on family, friends, and relaxing. This will keep stress from building up over days and weeks, and will keep your relationships with your co-workers intact.

3. Taking Your Stress Home

Another negative side effect of taking your work-related stress home with you is that it can often have a negative impact on your family relationships. Blair Koch, CEO of The Alternative Board Denver West, has learned this lesson firsthand. "Being a business owner means working with people," she says. "When you're stressed, the worst thing you can do is take it out on the people you need the most (i.e. co–workers, family, friends.)"

Instead of letting your stress affect your most prized relationships, use those connections to release the pressure valve. Family members and friends are usually willing to provide a listening ear, and can often help you vent your frustrations and work through possible solutions. This will help you resolve stressful issues and keep your most important relationships healthy and intact.

4. Unhealthy Eating

If you were to look for a list of the top perks being offered by tech companies, you'd likely find catered meals, fridges full of soda, and full snack bars near the top of the list. While these may seem like great on-the-job benefits for employees, the truth is that unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks can have major health consequences and form harmful addictions.

The bad news is that if you're using junk food and caffeinated beverages as a crutch to get you through your workday, the habit can be tough to break. This article has some great tips on breaking the soda addiction. Another suggestion is to trade in sugary snacks and soft drinks for all-natural fruits (apples, bananas, and mangos have plenty of natural sugars) and juices (along with plenty of water,) and salty fried snacks for healthier alternatives like nuts and seeds. The transition to a more healthy diet may seem daunting at first but the health benefits (including lower stress levels) are worth it.

Barry Levy, owner of digital agency Levy Online, is among those making an effort to introduce healthier options at the office. "In the past few months we've made a concerted effort to offer more healthy snacks," he says. "For example we've traded in M&M's for raisins and beef jerky. We've done away with Ding Dongs and Ho-Ho's, and we're keeping our fridges stocked with bottled water in lieu of soda." If you're interested in a similar situation, let your employer know you'd like more healthy options. It's the sort of small change that can have a huge impact.

5. Working Late

This tip comes from author Carrie Aulenbacher. She says, "I believe the worst way I've seen co-workers trying to handle stress is by STAYING at work. Yes, deadlines need to be met, but if you're already stressed out, staying evenings and coming in all weekend will only add to the stress." I couldn't agree more. Having spent many a night at the office or working away on my laptop at home, I can tell you that your best work is unlikely to come when you're already overworked and burning out.

What's the solution? We've already talked about the importance of leaving stress at the office. Financial writer David Bakke of MoneyCrashers.com points out the importance of getting exercise and personal time, though he warns that "If you're not into yoga or meditating, move on to something else that actually works for you." Go for a walk. Play a sport. Read a book. Take a shower. A clear mind and a rested body can go a long way.

6. Never Leaving Your Desk

Like staying at the office all night, spending an entire workday at your desk is simply not an effective way to deal with work-related anxiety. Bill Fish, Founder and President of ReputationManagement.com explains this point beautifully. "The worst way you can handle stress and workload," he says, "is to never leave your cube. I’ve seen it first hand where people will show up at the office and never get up to leave, eat lunch, let alone drink some water or even go to the bathroom. It's as if they want to stay in their cocoon and avoid the outside world." Some of the best developers I know are guilty of this very thing.

"Don’t get me wrong," he continues, "work can be stressful and it's important as it puts a roof over your head. But you need some balance even while at work. Read for leisure five minutes an hour. Whether it is about your favorite sports team, tv show, it doesn’t matter, your brain needs to clear. Drink plenty of water, and take a walk to eat your lunch each day. You will be much more productive if you give your brain some time to recharge."

7. Developing Addictions

What's the absolute worst way to handle stress at work? The most popular – and frightening – answer to this question is developing unhealthy addictions. Elene Cafasso of Enerpace Executive Coaching warns, "The worst – and most common – way people cope with stress is to practice their addictions to external substances - food, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gaming, gambling, social media, tv, etc." She believes that in many ways we've become a culture of addicts. CEO Blair Koch calls it "The #1 way to lose focus" in your career.

The bottom line is that engaging in addictive behaviors – while they may seem to help "take the edge off" – will generally lead to additional addictive behaviors. Psychotherapist and personal counselor Kathryn Gates of Gates Therapy suggests developing so-called "stress-beating skills," skills that may include developing awareness of the problem, engaging in cognitive analysis of the problem, and even spending time with a pet.

At the end of the day, finding ways to deal with stress properly can create major opportunities in your career. This will make you more productive and more attractive to current or potential employers. Be aware of these seven negative ways to handle stress and you'll be helping yourself have a much happier, healthier career.