According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, between 29 and 40 percent of Americans report being extremely stressed at work. Its important to find healthy stress-management techniques that promote self-care in the workplace.

The most common sources of stress include physical discomfort, interpersonal conflict, multitasking and disorganization. Below are some strategies to reduce the negative effects of these stressors and make the workday more pleasant.

Start the day off right mornings set the tone for the day. Be mindful of how you spend your time before you get to the office. Glance at your calendar, eat a nutritious breakfast, practice positive self-talk, and roll with the punches that others might throw at you. Allowing each day to be a clean slate instead of carrying negative emotions into the day will go a long way in being proactive rather than reactive at work.

Organize your environment. Can you see your desktop? Is your work truck full of trash? Are you noticing a strange, stale odor? If so, its time to spruce up. Taking a few minutes each morning to tidy your space reduces distractions and allows your work to flow more smoothly.

Be comfortable. Think about your working environment. Do you sit in the same chair all day every day? Would investing in a lumbar support pillow help you? If youre on your feet all day, do you make time to take breaks and sit down? What is the level of noise in your workspace? Can you play light music in the background or use a white noise machine to tune out a loud office? Consider your comfort and take small steps to honor what makes you feel good in your space.

Honor your lunch break. Too many of us bring our lunch to our desks or skip lunch entirely. Its important to take the breaks that you have. For many, the lunch break is the only option that allows some amount of movement. Make it a goal to take a walk each day and think about things that are not related to work. Alternatively, if your job requires you to be on your feet all day, turn lunch into a restful time by bringing a book, journaling your thoughts, or calling a friend or loved one.

Listen to music on your way home. Listening to music is a great way to let go of the days stressors. Its important to leave work at work and give yourself time to be with your own thoughts. Listening to music can help jolt you into your "you space" and prepare you to engage with the world outside of work.

Leave work at work. This is difficult, especially with end-of-the-month or end-of-the-year requirements. Many people today work from home at least one day a week, and work-life balance can become unclear. Your family and even pets want your time and attention, and that pesky report is calling you as well. Dedicate a place where you can work and avoid distractions. Set goals or time frames for when you will work and when you will be with your family.

Years from now, when you look back at what you missed in life because of work requirements you will ask yourself if working instead of being with those you love was worth it. Missing your childs school play or soccer game, going to a social event with your spouse. Was it worth it? There are times when work will come first, but as a rule time missed cannot be replaced. Learn to take care of yourself because if you dont, no one else will.

Jan Makela is a certified mentor with Score Central Maryland. He is a business coach and trainer. He is a recipient of the Quilly Award Academy of Best Selling Authors and Speakers for the Amazon best-selling book "Cracking the Code to Success." He can be reached at jlmakela@gmail.com, strengthbasedleadership.net, LinkedIn: @jlmakela or Twitter: @JLMakela.

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SCORE Topics: Taking care of yourself in the workplace - Frederick News Post