To listen to the blog post “3 Tips For Managing Stress At Work The Godly Way” over reading it click the play button below.
Let’s talk about managing stress at work the Christian way. We all know as a Christian we cannot just go crazy and act all wordly in the workplace. But as a person I understand that you still get stressed and people may get all your freakin nerves. You are human afterall even if you are a Christian your workload could be stressing you out, your coworkers could be stressing you out, or your boss can be stressing you out. Or it could be a combinations of all those things. Trust me I have so been there. You can check out a skit that I did on some of my workplace drama, below. So yeah I get it, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here.
But no matter what type of situation we are in, the managing of stress at work the respectful way is important. I am a firm believer that God puts you in positions that are stressful to strengthen your character. So before you go crazy at the workplace and quit your job (see my blog here on things to consider before you quit a job you hate), you need to first learn how to manage the stress at your job.
Because getting a new job is NOT always the answer sometimes managing with stress is the better answer. There will always be a new boss you don’t like, more work, or other people you do not get along with. And if you have not mastered the art of managing the stress then the same situation will just follow you around. So it is best to master these situations in life and do not let them master you. Just like the GOOD BOOK AKA the Bible says:
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5: 3-4
And I can say with all the good, bad, and stressfull jobs that I have had. Managing my stress at work has always prepared me for the future.
1. Managing Stress At Work ~ Managing Of Stress When It is Your Workload
Managing with stress can be hard when you have a workload. I have worked several jobs that have required me to work long hours and that had an extensive and I do mean extensive workload. I resented it while I was in it but what it showed me was how to manage my time better AND how to take on a large amounts of work without being stressed out. So when you are stress due to your work load here are things you need to consider for managing with stress
Managing Of Stress At Work
- Are you so stressed that your work is sloppy of half way finished?
- Are you so stressed that you do not complete deadlines on time?
- Do you have piles of work on your desk that never gets done?
If the answer is yes then you need to fix it. Even though your job is stressful if you are getting paid for a job you need to work tooth and nail to ensure that the job you get paid for is done well and is done on time.
I know that this is not something that you want to hear when managing with stress. You want me to tell you to take a time out, breathe, and to let your work go undone. But as a Christian God holds us to a higher standard. I remember facing that higher standard myself when I was working 60 hours a week, being a single mom, and attending graduate school, AND dealing with a crazy boss. So yes, I get something about managing stress at work BUT holding yourself to that higher standard and getting everything done is what will set you apart. So I want you to remember this:
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. Colossians 3:23-24
Whenever you think of the work on your job remember that you are not just working for your boss, working for your company, and you are not working for yourself but for God. The best thing that you can do when your workload is too much is to just do it, work hard, and do your job well. WITHOUT COMPLAINING. Because when you do God will reward you, it is like a guaranteed way to earn the Lord’s favor.
And just so you know that I am not just saying stuff just to say it. There were times that I had to get up at 4am with only 3 hours of sleep to finish my work. Not only did it refine my character but it made me a hard worker AND it taught me how to manage my time. And all of these skills are what I took with me when I decided to start my own business. It was like God was pruning me for my future that I didn’t even know I was headed toward.
Sometimes the best way for you to start managing with stress at work when it comes to work is not to avoid it, but to just find a way to push through it. Succeed in it and do excel in it, knowing that God requires you to do so and that perhaps God may actually suprise you with the reward He may have for you if you do. Even if your job is not rewarding you. God never gives us more than we can bare. So if He put you in this position then know that He felt you are well equipt to handle it.
2. Managing Stress at Work ~ The Managing Of Stress When you Don’t like Your Boss
I have written a previous blog on what to do when you work for a bad boss you can click here to read it. In the end, when dealing with a boss you don’t like it is your obligation to always remain Christ like to them.
Now being Christ like does not mean you have to be boo boo the fool. Do not allow people to walk all over you and disrespect you. Christ like does not mean naive. But what you do have to do it be polite and always treat them with respect.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3:9-10
And if you are at a lost on how to do this I have a video on how to “clap back” the Christian way, in the office. This helps set bounderies in a respectful way but it always puts people on notice that they are not just going to walk all over and STOMP on you.
In other words just because someone is mean to you do not be mean to them. Do not go and slander their name around the office, do not insult them, or go off on them because they do not know who they are talking to. That is a quick way to get yourself fired. I have written a blog on assertive communication versus aggressive communication (click here to read). There is a way to express yourself without coming off like an angry woman.
In the end, your name should be good. People should not say you know such and such she works for that crazy boss. Did you see that she went off on her boss and threw her papers on the ground? Isn’t she a Christian?
The crazy type of behavior when you are a Christian confuses people. It says I will claim the blood of Jesus when it is good for me, but when I am angry I turn into Satan himself. People often think that it is strong to go off on people who go off on you. But it isn’t. It takes more strength to hold your tongue and respond like a person that has class than it is to respond in the nasty way that they treat you. You can choose to be the bigger person.
3. Managing Stress At Work Tip ~ Managing Of Stress When you Don’t like your co-workers
I have written a blog on what to do when you do not like your co-workers that you can see here. In short, save yourself the trips to HR to try to tell on them or to try to get them fired. No one has time for all of that. If you are a Christian than trust that God will get His get back without you even lifting a finger. I have seen it for myself and experienced it. When managing with stress on the job choose your battles.
The only thing you need to do is to be Christ like. In fact you can go above and beyond and kill them with kindness. Show them that they do not bother you because in all actuality it shouldn’t. The fact of the matter is, when you do not get along with other people or co-workers and you let it stress you out, you are giving those people way more power than they deserve.
They do not deserve to be a second thought in your brain. Do your job well, be polite, and always be professional toward them. That means no bumping them in the hallway and when you see them at least try to say hi, in a nice way. Not hi in the sense that I have to say hi, but I really don’t want to. But hi, I am going to speak to you because I am a grown behind woman that knows how to act professional and I am not going to let your attitude bother me or knock me out of my character. You will be shocked on how you will take your power back when you act this way toward people.
In the end, all the blame should be put on that person as to why you two do not get along. NOT because you go around telling people but because people should see it for themselves. When people think of you, they should think wow that person is really polite and professional to everyone, even when other people are mean to you. That speaks to your character and that is how a Christian should act.
In the end as a Christian, never let someone take you out of your character no matter how stressed and/or frustrated you are. You should have control over yourself and you should have control over your emotions. And when you learn how to control your emotions when it is other peoples intentions to stress you out, you will be amazed at how non- stress you will became. Their whole point is to knock you off your throne and to stress you out and if you don’t give them that then they have nothing.
Understand that managing stress at work, dealing with difficult situations, workload, and/or difficult people are all for the betterment of us so that WE can learn how to remain Christ like in what every situations we may face. AND that once we pass the test that God has put before us, HE WILL reward us for it.
We cannot hide ourselves from the world and never deal with anything. And just because we are Christians we need to be stronger and not some delicate flower that cannot handle what life throws our way. It should be opposite. That because we are Christian we should be able to handle everything and everybody that comes our way with the goodness of God and remained unbothered by it. And that is a true testemant of our faith. TRUST ME.
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