Kiss Work Stress Goodbye With These 4 Easy Self-Care Practices

Although it's understandably easier to muster up workplace morale when you love your job as opposed to when you don't, it's a given that we all experience mood dips associated with work. And whether they're triggered by heavy workloads or strained working relationships, they can have adverse effects on your mental health and sense of well-being. While there might not be a quick fix for your particular workplace grievances, making the following self-care practices a part of your work day are bound to give your morale a daily boost.

Meditation can be an effective holistic treatment for depression and anxiety, so if you start feeling anxious about what awaits you before you even sit down at your desk, your commute may be the best time to practice easy meditative exercises you can do anywhere that'll help relax, calm, and focus you.

A good night's sleep shouldn't be reserved for the weekend, and we all know it's a lot easier to approach weekdays with a great attitude when you feel well rested, so if you habitually hit the snooze button during the week it might be time to try out a more structured routine that allows you to get enough rest. Aside from making you irritable, lack of sleep is one of many factors that can adversely affect your mental health.

It's easy to get into the habit of working through your lunch break, but reclaiming that hour away from your desk can have an amazing effect on your mood. It might not seem like a long time, but there are a number of endorphin-boosting activities you can squeeze into an hour, including a quick lunch time sweat session, a walk in the sunshine, and a host of other feel-good activities that don't have to cost you a thing.

Eating your way to health isn't just for physical benefit; it can also be used to lessen the effect of mood disorders. Prep nutritious meals and snacks that contain nutrients that combat stress and aid in your body's production of happy hormones like serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine.