I recently had dinner with a friend in a quaint, waterfront community. Being portion-conscious, I had part of my dinner boxed up to go. After eating, my friend and I took a long walk up and down the lake’s shore.

It was a beautiful, balmy night. The sun was mostly gone and the lights of the evening reflected brilliantly off the water. Couples snuggled on benches, mothers walked their babies in strollers and joggers pounded by, their skin glistening with sweat. The walk should have been perfect, but was marred by one thing: my box of leftovers.

The Burden of Carrying Stress

As I walked along in conversation with my friend, that box became more and more annoying. I shifted it from hand to hand, lifted it up and down. Nothing I did with it was comfortable.

Our lakefront loop lasted about two miles. We decided to sit for a while and visit some more. Next to our stone perch was a garbage can. Without thinking about what I was doing, I threw my box of leftovers into that can.

Suddenly, I was uplifted, liberated. My hands were free from the burden of that box and so was my mind. I no longer had to think about new ways to hold or position the box to be comfortable.

In reflection, that box of leftovers symbolized the leftover burden I carry every day. The burden of work and family and of feeling less than perfect. The burden of carrying extra weight and constantly trying to find a way to be comfortable in my skin.

Releasing the Stress that Weighs You Down

The simple act of throwing that box away freed me from that particular burden and made me realize that I have the power to release anything that weighs me down.

Now, when my work day is done, I visualize throwing out the excess “trash” before turning my attention to my family. And when I worry excessively about my  weight or some other issue, I stop myself and take those unproductive thoughts off my shoulders and dump them where they belong – with those leftovers.

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Stress at work presents a significant challenge because you have very little control over the environment and the anxiety it causes. Stressors can come at you from a variety of sources, including the people you work with, your physical office setup, and the type of work you do. Short of changing jobs (and probably finding yourself in a similar situation even if you are making more money), avoiding everyday stress at the office just isn’t possible.

So, how do you cope when you feel like you’re at the end of your stress-at-work rope? It’s easy. Just incorporate these three simple strategies into your work week.

1. Take a Walk

One of the most basic strategies for stress relief is physical exercise. But you don’t need to go out all for exercise to be effective against work stress. A brisk 20-30 minute walk up the street or around the parking lot will work wonders for relieving a stressed out state of mind. When walking, avoid planning your next task. Instead, allow your mind to relax and your thoughts to float by like the clouds in the wind. When your walk is finished, take a few deep belly breaths and perform a few stretches. You should feel relaxed and re-energized. Oh, and before heading back to your desk, grab a tall glass of clean, fresh water to hydrate your body’s cells.

2. Catch a Catnap

Power napping is another strategy that provides almost instant stress relief at work. But the key is to not sleep too long or you’ll end up feeling worse instead of better. On your lunch or afternoon break, slip into a quiet conference room or out to your car. (Make sure you won’t be disturbed.) Set the timer on your cell phone for 15-20 minutes.

Sit back, close your eyes and allow your mind to go blank. If you have trouble stopping your thoughts, try focusing on a single word or simple phrase, such as Relax, or I am relaxed. The point is to doze off just long enough to give your mind and body a much-needed mini-nap. But if you aren’t able to fall asleep, the short meditative break will be almost as refreshing. Give yourself a few minutes to snap back to reality before heading back to your desk.

3. Stay Away from Stimulants

When you experience stress at work, it’s common to reach for an extra cup of coffee, a diet soda or a candy bar as a pick-me-up. But those quick fixes are doing your body – and stress level – more harm than good. The stimulant effects of caffeine, chocolate and sugar increase your heart rate and cause your muscles to contract. They actually add a heaping helping of tension onto your body before they wear off with a crash. Avoid artificial energy bursts by preparing healthy snacks to take to work and choosing bottled water, caffeine free herbal tea or vegetable juice as your drinks of choice. By avoiding caffeine throughout the day you may even sleep better, which allows your body to recuperate from the day’s many stresses and prepare for the next round of stress at work.

For many women, stress management is a life long endeavor. You can get some really great tools for managing stress, including the full length e-book, Less-Stressed NOW!, for just $5 over at 5 Minute Self-Help.