Stress in the Workplace

Working is a necessity but, unfortunately, stress in the workplace is quite common.

You need to find effective methods of stress relief so you can continue working without jeopardizing your health.

Here is some information on how to improve this situation.

What is Job-Related Stress?

As the name suggests, this type of stress is caused by the workplace.

That doesn’t mean feeling some pressure at work is a bad thing. Your boss has to cause you some stress in order to ensure that you get your work done in a timely fashion.

In a workplace that is too relaxed, nothing ever gets accomplished.

However, you have to strike a balance between that positive stress which causes you to do your best work and to meet your deadlines and stress related to your job that is uncontrolled.

Part of the difference is the good form of work stress doesn’t come home with you. The uncontrolled type of stress is on your mind when you’re at home, while you’re trying to enjoy time with your family, and when you’re attempting to go to sleep at night.

Ways Stress in the Workplace Can Affect You

Although you may feel the stress in the workplace in your body, you may not recognize the effects it is having on your body.

Other people are much more likely to recognize the outward results of your increasing stress.

People might notice that you have changes in your behavior. You might yell at co-workers for no clear reason or feel irritable when your boss asks you to do some type of work you don’t think you should have to do.

Other effects on your behavior might include difficulties making decisions, problems meeting deadlines, problems concentrating, making yourself work harder than necessary, feeling as if you are a failure or incompetent, feeling mentally fatigued more often, drinking or smoking more than normal.

With too much stress in the workplace you might stop wanting to be around your friends, listening to advice from others, or keeping commitments. You might also notice an increase in forgetfulness.

You may notice some of these feelings yourself, but your stress in the workplace is more likely to show itself in other types of symptoms.

For example, you might have more headaches and indigestion. You may suffer from panic attacks, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and depression.

By remaining in a constant state of stress because of your work, you are putting your health in jeopardy. Constant stress strains your heart and raises your blood pressure. That’s why finding stress relief is so important.

Reducing Stress in the Workplace

If you are suffering from uncontrolled work related to your job, there are some steps you can take to give yourself relief.

First, you have to set appropriate standards for yourself. Don’t think you can do everything then stress yourself out trying to achieve that goal. Learn how to delegate and how to say no. These two skills are going to be crucial to reducing your stress.

You also need to have realistic expectations of other people. No one is perfect. When a co-worker disappoints you, don’t take it personally and don’t assume the act was malicious. View it for what it is: a temporary problem to overcome.

Set small goals for yourself. If you have problems dealing with time management or if you feel overwhelmed by an assignment, break things down into smaller, achievable goals. As you accomplish each goal, take a moment to congratulate yourself. Then move onto the next goal. By doing it this way, you’ll see that no problem or project is unmanageable.

When you are having stress in the workplace due to problems with co-workers, your best bet is to avoid confrontations as much as possible. If that’s not possible, learn to walk away instead of engaging the other person in an argument. Step back, count to ten or go for a short walk to calm down, then come back to the situation with a new mind set. If things continue to be a problem, talk to you supervisor or boss.

Give yourself a few personal breaks each day. During the work day, take ten minutes from time to time to walk around your work area, to do some deep breathing exercises, to do some progressive relaxation with your body.

If nothing else, find a great web site or book containing humorous jokes or anecdotes. When you’re feeling tense, take a look at the funny material, let yourself laugh, and enjoy the sense of your tension melting away.

This combination of efforts will provide you with stress relief.

From Stress in the Workplace to our main page about Workplace Stress