Work doesn't have to be stressful - adopt these strategies for a calmer working day.

Stress, the 21st century malaise, affects most people at one time or another in their lives - and for some it has become a permanent feature of their working landscape. In fact work-related stress is the main cause of job absence in the UK, and is estimated to cost business over £5 billion a year. It's undeniably endemic - what can you do about yours?

The causes of workplace stress

"Differentiate between work and home so that you leave bad work stuff behind you and home is your refuge."

Stress typically arises from the continual emphasis by employers on the bottom line, on the 24/7 working culture, short-term contracts and job insecurity, the impact of technology and the pressure for both partners to be bringing in an income.

But contract and part-timers have their own set of stresses to contend with, including:

• Lower or irregular earnings, creating financial pressure.

• Keeping up to speed with new developments in the work place may be more problematic as part-timers spend less time there, while freelancers and contractors may not have a network that a large company offers.

• Part-timers and contractors may be overlooked in company decision-making processes and therefore feel undervalued.

• Conflict with colleagues at work. If you're not there long term or full-time, there simply isn't the time to invest in relationships. It's often a case of having to hit the ground running.

• Dissatisfaction at work, frustration your talents aren't being used properly, or feeling that you won't ever get on in this field could all point to you being the proverbial square peg in the round hole.

Stress signs to look out for

• Tired and lethargic, particularly the self employed who invariably work longer hours to make their business a success.

• Frequent headaches.

• Eating and sleeping patterns alter - either not eating / sleeping enough, compared to your usual routine, or too much of either.

• Feelings of dread or hopelessness at the thought of work.

• Depression, feeling low - work takes up much of our lives so any stress there may eat into other areas.

How to de-stress

This advice applies to anyone who works, whether it's full-time, part-time, shift or contract.

• Start on a physical level. Lunchtimes are crucial to workplace sanity, so get out of the office - do some physical exercise e.g. yoga, going for a run or a swim in the local pool before work or at lunchtime. Or chill out with a book, wander in a nearby park, or take out some funny tapes from your library and listen to them on a personal stereo.

• If you're not getting on with a colleague, first you must identify what the problem is, then be clear in your mind that you want to change it. The next thing is to brainstorm ideas on the best ways to tackle the problem. Often this is best done with someone from within the organisation as they know the way the place works, and possibly the personalities involved. Decide which are the best tactics, then them put in order of merit. Try plan A and if that doesn't succeed, try plan B, etc.

• Have someone who you can discuss work related stresses with. For some it's a friend well away from the office, for others a friend at work in another department who is removed from the immediate problem. Other people opt to invest in a mentor or coach who's independent.

• Differentiate between work and home so that you leave bad work stuff behind you and home is your refuge.

• Procrastination plays a large part in stress. Putting things off so that they're niggling at the back of your mind may drain you of energy. Deal with things, if not immediately because you're too hot under the collar, then within a reasonable time frame - say a week, so things don't slide or get forgotten.