Why should you know about work stress? Unless you are happily retired with no residual stress or burnout symptoms then work stress is an inevitable part of your life. Either affecting you directly or through staff and colleagues.
Today's fast-paced and demanding work environments are mostly to blame.
While some level of stress can be motivating and help individuals perform at their best, excessive work stress can lead to burnout, health problems, and a decline in overall job satisfaction.
In this article, we will explore five important things to know about work stress.
1. Work stress is more common than you think
Work stress is a prevalent experience for many people, and it can affect individuals at any level of an organization. Factors that contribute to work stress include long working hours, heavy workload, interpersonal conflicts, poor work-life balance, and job insecurity. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, approximately 64% of adults reported that work was a significant source of stress in their lives.
2. Work stress can have negative impacts on physical and mental health.
Excessive work stress can have significant impacts on physical and mental health.
Prolonged exposure to stress can lead to chronic health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. In addition, work stress can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses. It is often surprising how many symptoms, including certain diseases, are linked to stress.
3. Work stress can lead to burnout.
Burnout is a severe consequence of excessive work stress. Burnout occurs when individuals experience emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. It can leave you shaking, feeling like you have a virus you can't shake, give you terrible heartburn, debilitating thoughts of dread and hopelessness and panic. Eventually it can lead to negative attitudes towards work, decreased job satisfaction, and even resignation. It is essential to recognize the signs of burnout and take steps to address it promptly.
4. There are ways you can manage work stress.
While work stress cannot be eliminated completely, there are ways to manage it effectively. One of the most effective ways to manage work stress is to practice self-care. This includes getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking breaks during the workday. Additionally, it is helpful to develop good time management skills and prioritize tasks effectively.
5. Employers have a role to play in managing work stress.
Employers have a responsibility to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being and manages work stress effectively. Employers can take various steps to reduce work stress, such as providing opportunities for employees to take breaks, encouraging open communication, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Furthermore, employers can provide resources such as employee assistance programs, wellness programs, and mental health support to help employees manage work stress effectively.
VITAL INFORMATION !!!
Dealing with work stress starts with you. As soon as you feel these symptoms creeping up it is time to do something about them. The working world can be oblivious to your struggles, don't rely on employers to notice or do much more than provide generic self-care videos and training sessions.
SELF CARE should include the usual sleep / eat / exercise requirements. BUT your mental health is extremely important and usually neglected. I advise seeing a hypnotherapist. Why that and not a counsellor or other therapist? Because the hypnotherapist works with your subconscious behaviour and thought patterns. They can also perform complete system relaxation techniques that will calm your mind and internal chemical reactions to stress. With no side effects like medication. You won't be just talking about the problem, which has very limited effect anyway.
Let's face it, if all we had to do was tell someone how we were feeling about something and receive some feedback, we wouldn't have many problems. Which is not how real life works.
Get help for yourself first and foremost. Then you can assess whether the problem is about you (this is usually linked to self-esteem) or workplace conditions (which are outside of you). In my experience it is probably a mixture of both. With clarity comes calmness and you can better see whether to tackle the problem with your employer or find somewhere less stressful to work. At least you will have options other than having to leave because you are too ill to perform.
(although employers do have a duty of care, it is limited and so is sick pay)
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