Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. It may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, and your work and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think.

Here are 8 ways to overcome stress at work:

• Breathing exercises are great stress buster. It is thus not surprising that breath control is used in yoga, tai chi and meditation. Focusing on the breath is a simple and highly effective way to lower stress levels at the work place. It is really simple to do and does not take you long.
• It's unfortunate that when we are most worked up, we often forget to eat. Eating small, healthy snacks at regular intervals keeps you energized and maintains your blood sugar level, which is a key to avoid irritability and anxiety. Avoid quick fix pick-me-ups, and replace them with more healthy choices like fruits or a small portion of nuts.
• Keep a golf ball or bottle under your desk so you can roll your feet on it when you feel stressed out. This not only soothes tense muscles, but can also relieve mental and physical stress, fatigue and headaches.
• Before you accept a meeting or take on a project, check your schedule and evaluate the scope of what you're being asked to do. Only take on what you're sure you can manage -- and manage well. If you're the type of person who insists on taking on every little task, even when there is no room left in your schedule, you're headed for trouble. Don't be afraid to delegate or call in favors.
• Replace your coffee with green tea or chamomile. While large doses of caffeine causes a short-term spike in blood pressure and may help you momentarily, green tea contains healthy antioxidants, as well an amino acid called L-theanine, that have calming and soothing effect on your nervous system.
• Five minutes of walking around the office or outside can help you reset when you're feeling overwhelmed with mounting emails or deadlines. Distract your mind to something wonderful that you may look forward to. Make dinner reservations, order a great pair of shoes or a cool gadget, or plan a fabulous vacation (actual or fantasy), anything that will lift your mood.
• One of the biggest causes for stress for many people is lack of time management. While your work load expands, you know that you only have limited hours in a day. Manage your time to manage your work by organising, prioritizing and scheduling.
• Sometimes just laughing it off helps immensely. Laughing releases endorphins and decreases the levels of stress causing hormones.