According to the American Psychological Association, work and money are the two biggest contributing factors to stress. But, taking a breather at work is hard to do for most of us. There’s no time for a lunch break, Sure, we could watch TV, exercise, or meditate to calm ourselves, but tough deadlines and irrational work hours still make it hard to spend time with our families.

With almost four full days of workplace discomfort, those in the cutthroat marketing and advertising industry are stressed about 80% of their workdays. It’s a known fact that ad agencies can rival finance companies in the crippling culture of late nights and long hours. And this doesn’t just affect one department; this culture is rife throughout, with everyone from account executives to senior producers, who are regularly asked to give up their lives in pursuit of "creativity".

I know it's hard, especially if you are a fresh grad with no working experience before. So I rewrite from Campaign Live about how to surviving in agency life. I hope this can be beneficial to you. 

The power of saying no

Of course, there will be times when late nights and the odd weekend are needed. The deadline was always yesterday. Stress alone is a known cause of multiple long-term illnesses such as depression and anxiety, but also heart attacks and strokes. 

Saying “no” can be really difficult because you don’t want to upset people. You might be worried about what they will think of you or how they will react. Maybe you’ll lose their favor. It’s ok to say “no,” especially if you learn to say it clearly and kindly. People will respect you even more when you can give them a straightforward answer.

Practice your breathing

We want you to always put safety first on the road, but you’ve typically got a lot of downtimes if you’re in stop-and-go traffic. Since you can’t go anywhere or do anything else, this is the perfect time to practice some calming breaths.

Deep breathing is known to improve health and can help you relax during frustrating traffic. Take deep breaths in through your nose, hold, and then take the same amount of time to breathe out through your mouth. Your body will thank you.

Listening to soothing music

While your first inclination may be to put on your latest jam that makes you want to dance every time you hear it, try turning on some soothing musics instead. One song has the potential to reduce anxiety by 65%, according to Psychology Today.

So next time you’re feeling stressed during rush hour, try turning off Kanye’s most recent album or the new Taylor Swift song and opt for this Psychology Today recommendation.

Turn off your phone

Since you can’t be on your phone while you’re driving anyway, the drive home is a good time to test out unplugging. Unless you need it for your music, try turning off your phone completely.

Even if you aren’t on it, it’s too easy to think about the emails piling up and the work waiting to be done. Not only is it a safe driving habit, but you’ll also feel the stress melt away.

Use an aromatherapy car freshener

Aromatherapy car fresheners can help you quickly relieving stress even during the worst commute. There are so many options based on your mood. Lavender is known to help with anxiety, and peppermint is known to boost your energy.

Peppermint can also clear your mind and can potentially even improve your cognitive performance. Sounds like magic, right? Will you try it out on your next drive home?