• Visualise dumping the junk. Think of yourself standing on a cliff in a warm breeze and the gusts are blowing away all the unwanted thoughts that are cluttering up your brain. 

• Sorting out your desk drawer may not be your idea of fun but a fairly mindless task such as this helps to destress while also clearing clutter.

• Do a five minute stretch routine somewhere quiet (the staff room or the stock room).

• Change the task you are working on for a short while. A change is as good as a rest.

• Instead of wasting valuable time when you are busy, open emails that you know are jokes only when you decide to have your five-minute wind down – a good laugh is always destressing.

• If someone is getting your blood pressure up you can easily transform your stress response instantly. Imagine that person doing or looking silly, say wearing a clown’s nose and hat or speaking as if they had taken a breath of helium (all high and squeaky). The funny image will instantly cool you down. You can even use this technique to calm you down ahead of time, if for instance you know you have to call a client who you dread speaking to.

• Take 5-10 deep breaths every hour. It is invigorating, calming and reduces lethargy.

• Talk to your bosses about introducing a red cap system – you get to don a red cap for 20 minutes and nobody interrupts you with anything – not even a phone call, coffee or chat. Then someone else gets to wear the red cap.

These tips are taken from suzannahs new book 500 Of The Most Important Stress Busting Tips You’ll Ever Need. Click here for more information.

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