Stress is your body’s reaction to a particular situation, demand or challenge. There are multiple reasons that can cause stress to you. The most common type of stress that people suffer is work stress. Unfortunately, stress and anxiety, are a part of the new lifestyle that people are leading.
Increased pressure of upgrading their standard of living and financial concerns, changes in the economy, contribute to work related stress. According to the statistics given by American Institute of stress, work-related stress causes 120,000 deaths and contributes 190 billion dollars in healthcare costs every year. Don’t let these numbers scare you because in this article, we’ll be highlighting the causes of stress at workplace and also be sharing tips for dealing with workplace stress.
Work stress can affect a person’s mental health to a great extent. Most of the times people get stressed just by the thought of work.
People react to work stress differently.
Some experience sleeplessness, loss of appetite, excessive sweating, anxiety attacks etc. While others often overeat, also called as stress eating, get themselves intoxicated by excessive drinking, smoking, drugs etc. One of the main reasons for work stress is Increased workload.
A lot of companies dump huge burden of work tasks on employees. Many people love their job but nobody likes to have too many things on their plate. A lot of times employees are forced to meet the ever-increasing targets and deadlines given by their superiors. All of this cause the employee to feel burdened and extremely stressed leading to decreased productivity.
Mental stress at work is at its peak when employees have to work for long hours. Increased productivity cannot be equated with longer working hours. The human brain can function effectively only for a certain period of time after which the quality of input given by them decreases.
Reasons of Work Stress:
- A study says, if an average employee works for more than 40 hours per week, he/she is likely to feel stressed.
- Poor work-life balance is yet another reason that elevates work- stress.
- Bullying and harassment at workplace impacts the mental well-being of an employee.
Although, a lot of times bullying and harassment are reported to the employer, low level bullying can go under the radar. Bullied worker often underperforms as they are more likely to take time off due to ill- health, anxiety or depression. Another very important cause for work stress is financial concerns.
Even though this isn’t directly related to work, financial strains have an impact on the stress level of employees at workplace. Tackling financial problems can cause a lot of stress and have a negative impact on performance.
Stress is not all bad.
Stress cannot be considered purely as our enemy here. The real villain is our approach which often views stress as toxic and demotivating. The key to overcome stress is to accept the fact that its normal and majority of us face stress. Stress management in the workplace can help in relieving stress. Once you know what stress actually is, you can reframe your thinking about the thing that’s causing you so much stress. Here are some of the effective tips for reducing workplace stress:
- Starting the day right:
A lot of times your mornings set the tone for the rest of your day. If you had a bad morning, you’re most likely to feel stressed and anxious throughout the day. On the other hand, if you’re morning is positive and good, you’ll feel energized and happy throughout the day. Try to avoid looking at your phone or thinking about work in the morning. Talk to your family, have breakfast and a nice cup of coffee to kick start your day. - Staying organized:
Planning ahead and setting priorities can help you to be stress free at work. No matter how disorganized you are in life, try making a time-table or priority list for your work. By doing this you can avoid confusion and have a clear vision as to what you are supposed to do. An organized approach can avoid negative effects of clutter and increase your efficiency at work. - Do not multitask: Multitasking can cause a lot of confusion and do the opposite of saving time. It can also make you feel irritated and anxious. Its always better to focus on one task at a time. Make a checklist and complete each task one after the another. This might compromise your speed at first but it will increase accuracy and you can save the time spent on correcting the errors.
- Give time to yourself:
This is a creative way to reduce stress at work place. Its very important to take some time off work. Make sure that you take out at least 30 mins from your day to do something you love doing. It could be spending time with your family and friends, cooking, singing, dancing or watching your favourite sitcom. This helps in managing work related stress. - Listen to music:
It’s a proven fact that listening to music comes with a lot of benefits and can help in dealing with work related stress. Listen to your favourite soundtrack on the way to work or on your way back home. This can help you to combat the stress of a very long and tiring day. - Eat right and go for walks:
Eating right and drinking calming teas can help in stress reduction. It’s a proven fact that consuming whole grains, fruits and vegetables help in reducing stress as they stabilize your blood pressure. Herbal teas and dark chocolates can make you feel calm and also get you into a good mood. Instead of having oily and junk food, treat yourself with some nutrient rich food. Going for walks can help in increasing the supply of blood to the brain. It will help you blow off some steam and uplift your mood.
If you want to cope with stress at workplace, imbibe these tips and make sure you follow them everyday consistently. Let us know how do you manage your workplace stress effectively.
Cheers!