Checking E-mail After Work Raises Anxiety, Stress Levels; 3 Foolproof Ways to De-Stress After Work

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Those who constantly check their inbox for e-mails have an increased risk of anxiety and being more stressed, a new study shows.

United Kingdom Researchers from the Future Work Centre surveyed almost 2,000 people across many industries about how many e-mails they get in a day and how they manage it. The study presented at the Center at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology annual conference found that those who frequently check and organize their messages feel the most pressure including stress and anxiety.

"Our research shows that email is a double-edged sword. Whilst it can be a valuable communication tool, it's clear that it's a source of stress of frustration for many of us," said Dr. Richard MacKinnon, in a news release.

MacKinnon and colleagues took note of factors such as behavior, demographics, technology and personality if these had an effect in the worker's feeling of e-mail pressure and how they cope with it. They found that more than half of the people left their email on the whole day. Those who checked their inbox frequently may think that they are on top of things by organizing their emails but researchers found that they are the most pressured and stressed of all workers.

"The people who reported it being most useful to them also reported the highest levels of email pressure! But the habits we develop, the emotional reactions we have to messages and the unwritten organisational etiquette around email, combine into a toxic source of stress which could be negatively impacting our productivity and wellbeing," said MacKinnon.

According to Medical Daily, people who work in public relations, marketing, media, on the internet and in IT had the highest levels of email stress. This group of workers receives more than 50 emails daily and more than half of them receive their emails all day every day thereby having higher anxiety and stress levels.

According to the researchers, a one-size fits all type of approach will not reduce the negative effects of email pressure. MacKinnon recommends unplugging or not minding the emails when off duty.

Here are three more ways to de-stress after work:

1.) Read

There's nothing more relaxing than reading to de-stress from work. Aside from the fact that it relaxes your brain and take you away from all things digital (unless you're using kindle), All Womens Talk says that it kind takes you into another world after 10 minutes of engrossed reading.

2.) Breathe deeply

Stress is a natural part of work and it happens to the best of us. Breathing exercises or even deep breaths can instantly relax and calm down, according to Huffington Post. Yoga or going to the gym can give you something to be busy about rather than just focusing on your inbox, plus it's healthy too.

3.) Make a "me" time at night a habit

Portion a bit of your day after work to take care of yourself. One excellent way to pamper yourself is to take a luxurious bath, Pop Sugar reports.