It’s 3 a.m. and you’re up again tossing and turning, a stampede of wild thoughts running through your head about your latest work issue. Maybe it’s a project gone south, a recurring problem rearing its head again, or a difficult relationship with a coworker.
Either way, it’s up to you to calm your mind, talk yourself through your worries, and get a good night’s sleep.
This is where positive affirmations can help you. Beloved by psychologists and therapists worldwide, positive affirmations work to remind you of certain truths in the midst of challenging situations. According to research, self-affirmations activate the reward centers in the brain, which help people reduce pain and maintain balance in times of stress.
When you’re stressed, it can be hard to know where to start, so we’ve crowdsourced a list of affirmations from knowledge workers who’ve been in your shoes. Bookmark this page, print it out and hang it on your bathroom mirror, or keep it by your bedside table for those sleepless nights.
Affirmations to deal with work stress
1. Delegation isn’t failure. It’s okay to ask for help.
-Shelby Rogers, Content Marketing Manager
2. My worth is not defined by my to-do list.
-Olivia Adams, Communications Strategist
3. This job is what I do and I do it well. But it does not define who I am.
-Hinda Mitchell, President of Inspire PR Group
4. I can do anything, but I can’t do everything.
-Elizabeth McFaul, Product Manager
5. My well-being is my top priority.
-Kelly Nash, Success Manager at Salesforce and Founder of Lipstick and Ink®
6. Taking an hour to unplug and recharge my batteries will help me go 12 more.
-Mandy Menaker, Senior PR Manager at ClassPass
7. Rest is work, too. It’s a job that needs to be done.
-Brittany Berger, Founder of WorkBrighter.co
8. It’s okay to work hard, but it’s not okay to work so hard that my work is no longer effective.
-Jordan Cullen, Senior Product Marketing Manager
9. It’s okay to pause and take a break… but don’t give up.
-Maycee Sugarol, Content Writer
10. This is not the end of the world. Start again tomorrow.
-Vidhita Kher, Software Engineer
11. There will always be more work. I can’t finish everything right now.
-Lionel Valdellon, Content Marketer and Blogger
12. I’m not feeling it today, and that’s OK. Tomorrow is a new day.
-Michelle Garrett, PR Consultant and Writer
13. Today is today, not every day.
-Ymani Wince, Writer
14. I’m not alone. I have options.
-Laura Bosco, Content Writer
15. I can’t make other people share my expectations.
-Ian Patrick Hines, Certified NationBuilder Expert
16. My manager isn’t a mind-reader, but they are there to support me.
-Chelsea C., Process Improvement Specialist
17. I work to live, not live to work.
-Jacob Edelman, Senior Appian BPM Developer
18. It’s only work.
-Annick Naranjo, Information System Architect at Bouygues Construction
Big thanks to all of our contributors to this list. Keep fighting the good fight out there. And download a copy of these affirmations for your mirror, desk, or anywhere work finds you.