Hey there, we're glad you stopped by because today we have a little bit of sunshine advice on how to keep you smiling in the workplace and manage that scary S word - STRESS! Remember when you mentioned in your interview that you have superb organisation skills and can manage large workloads? Or how about when you said you love working in high-pressured environments? (Guilty!) Just remember that sometimes it's ok to say 'hey you know what, i'm a little stressed and need a break!' No one is going to judge you, unless you're a Jedward fan of course. You're only human and so is your boss (no, they're not a dragon) and we hope these tips help employers worldwide to help alleviate stress in the workplace, even if just a little bit!

1. Relax, refresh, renew and get social! 

It's no secret that fun in the workplace makes complete and utter sense. Fun can take place in all shapes and sizes, as much as I'm sure we would all love slides and a firemans pole in our offices, fun can take place in happy little packages too. Dominoes Friday! Beers on a Friday! Or simply asking each other what you think of the latest series of Orange Is The New Black. There are endless ways to make sure your employees keep smiling and most importantly, feel connected. 

As Fun Experts ourselves, we cannot recommend enough the importance of team building. Give yourself a chance to inspire, motivate and energise your work colleagues with a day of teamwork, competition and fun. Colleagues can come together and discover a new meaning to communication, work together to achieve a common goal and most importantly, improve their morale. 

2. Create a modern working culture

So we've left the dark ages behind and not only have we improved technology, fashion and hair styles too but also, our working environments. We cannot denigh that the pace of life is changing. In some ways, it is more efficient than ever before but it's also very very fast-paced. How does this impact our working lifestyle? Time. And we need more of it. 

Create a modern working culture of flexi-time, even if only just for a short period. Do your employees need to leave that little bit earlier to go to their children's all important sports day? Is your colleague a gym fanatic and wants to take that morning spinning class? Everyone is unique and we are not robots on a hamster wheel. Everyone needs and deserves time for themselves. How does that help you? It has been proven that if employees have more time to engage in activities, they are 12% more productive at work (pretty awesome right?) 

3. Grab a coffee and have a chat 

A wise man once said that the art of communication is the language of leadership. Now I know most of you would say that you have great communication with your employees, you arrange your appraisals and have your monthly catch-up meetings but when is the last time you sat down with Sarah in HR and asked her what she's having for dinner tonight? Oh and did you know that Tom in Finance is getting married next year? Sometimes small talk is the best kind of talk. It helps to build relationships, stay connected and most importantly, build trust. 

Unfortunately, when employees often feel stressed because of their workload they shy away from speaking out because their relationship with their boss isn't quite there yet. Remember that maths teacher who terrified you at school? Yup, don't turn into her. 

4. Let's get moving 

Ever stepped outside when you've felt stressed? That's no coincidence. It has been found that nature can help people respond better to distruptive events. In fact, researchers found that for every 1% increase in green space, there was a corresponding steeper decline in participants' stress levels. So why not get creative and fill your office with plants, or go that one step further and create your very own plant room.

Or better still, why not take your weekly catch-up meeting outside and go for a walk with your colleagues? The fresh air and greenery will be sure to spark your imagination, just don't forget to bring an umbrella if you're British! 

5. A note from Sleeping Beauty...

This last and final piece of advice is for employers and employees alike and is from the very princess herself. And yes you've already guessed it, it's sleep. We cannot stress the importance enough of the rejuvenating effects of sleep. And no it's not just for beauty, sleep is a critical recovery period for your body. 

Unfortunately, we are all very aware that stress can have a detrimental effect on sleep so try some all important breathing excercises before hitting your head to the pillow.

We hope our little tips and tricks ensure you have a blissful night of sleep and make your days that little bit more fun (we love it!) And most importantly, if you take anything away from this post, we hope it's a Dominoes pizza from your boss this Friday. You're welcome!