

Ask HN: Resources to Cope with Stress - agilo

Can you recommend books, tips or any resources that could help one deal with stress due to work (as a software engineer)?
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mattm
Do less.

That's pretty much it but this is what has worked for me.

Remove any commitments you can outside of work. Go home at a reasonable hour.
Leave plenty of time for rest and relaxation. Don't check email outside of
work. It's ok and important to do nothing and waste time. If you're like me,
you have this feeling that you always need to be doing something. That is very
detrimental.

Most importantly, your body will tell you when you are stressed. Listen to the
signals and take a break. Small breaks during the day are just as important as
longer breaks at night and weekends.

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Gustomaximus
Could you be more specific on what is driving the stress? Is it workload,
expected results, lack of resource, colleagues etc. This might help peeps give
more targeted advice.

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agilo
Mainly workload and expected results, as well as high standards set for
myself.

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jh3
\- Drink lots of water and exercise daily.

\- Friends and colleagues have passed this piece of advice on to me: learn to
manage expectations. I am becoming better at doing this. It is not easy.

\- Read Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. It helped me look at
everyday situations a bit differently. The book becomes a little repetitive,
but it is still worth a read.

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epc
Pick up a sport. Take midday naps (20-30 minutes max). Cut back on caffeine
and alcohol. Have someone to talk to whom you don't work with. Get a dog. Take
him or her for a walk when you're feeling stressed. Establish inviolate
downtime.

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cpt1138
Exercise. I ride my bicycle 20 miles each way to work and back home. Nothing
can stay with me over the 2500 foot climb home.

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freestyle25
Eat and sleep. Take deep breaths. When you're stressed, you might not realize
that your breathing is more shallow.

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era86
Hike (a mountain or a city) and take pictures of things that make you happy.

