Step one? Acknowledge your feelings.
Work-related stress can get the best of us all. It’s the silent killer we all try to evade.
It lurks in the shadows, sacking your focus, draining your energy, and ruining your confidence.
Your colleagues talk about it in hushed tones (if they do at all), and your manager is in denial of its very existence.
Stress is no joke. Recent findings all hint that excess stress can trigger real physical symptoms like upset stomach, headaches, high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, and chest pain. Add the mood disorders like anxiety and depression, and you’re all set for disaster if you don’t manage them on time. In the post below, we’ll take a look at the warning signs that you’re too stressed and simple methods for reducing stress and anxiety in the workplace.
What are some causes of workplace stress?
Stress is the most widespread work-related illness in the UK, and this already major challenge has worsened in the last two years. Even so, employee stress statistics reveal that about 69% of workers experienced moderate to high levels of stress in 2020.
You can just escape work stress. It’s unavoidable, not to mention a certain amount of stress may be perceived as acceptable or even healthy in some workplace cultures. But when that pressure piles up, it becomes an issue that can damage your health and performance.
According to UkLaw.co.uk, the prevention and management of work-related stress demand action on behalf of the individual and the company. Managing the causes and identifying the signs of poor mental health are essential parts of this process.
Common causes of workplace stress include:
● Pressure to work to meet expectations but with no improvement in job satisfaction
● Fear of being laid off
● Extra working hours due to staff cutbacks
● Pressure to work at optimum levels – all the time!
● Not having control over how you do your work
Signs of stress at work:
When you feel flooded at work, you lack confidence and may easily become irritable, angry, or withdrawn. More often than not, you may feel:
● Anxious, depressed, irritable
● Apathetic, not interested in work
● Can’t rest
● Tired
● Having trouble concentrating
● Digestive problems
To beat workplace stress and anxiety, you need to:
Reach out for help
It’s not easy to admit you need help. But sometimes, the best stress-reducer is sharing whatever consumes you with someone close to you. Sharing and getting support and sympathy – especially face-to-face- can be a good way to blow off steam and regain your sense of calm.
Your spouse, friend or colleague doesn’t have to “fix” your problems; they just need to listen to you.
Your co-workers can help. Having a serious support approach at the office can help you get rid of the negative effect of job stress. But make sure you can offer your colleagues the support they need as well. It’s important to encourage healthy behaviours, especially in the workplace.
If you don’t have someone close at work, now may be the right time to become a bit more social with your colleagues. Instead of directing your attention to your Instagram feed when taking a break, try engaging your co-workers.
Be Conspicuous on Requirements
A factor known to contribute to workplace stress is unclear requirements for employees. If you’re uncertain about what is expected of you, or the requirements for your position keep changing with little to no notice, you might become very irritated.
Whenever you find yourself doubting what you’re doing, it may help to chat with your manager. Leave expectations and home and better discuss strategies for meeting them.
Conflict is Necessary But Not Always
Workplace conflicts can take a toll on your physical and emotional health. When conflict takes place among co-workers, it is near to impossible to escape it. So, it’s considered a smart move to avoid conflict at the workplace as much as you can.
Why gossip? Why oversharing? Try avoiding people who don’t get along well with others. If a conflict arises anyway, make sure you know how to manage it decently.
Prioritize and Organize
Clean your own room before judging others. That could mean anything, including organizing your own schedule before gossiping to a not that tidy co-worker.
A great way to reduce workplace stress is to learn how to prioritize and organize. Here’s how to do it:
● Set Realistic Goals
Before you can prioritize, learn to set clear objectives. Sit with your manager, clarify your goals, and make sure that your daily efforts track back to one of your overarching goals.
● Prioritize Accordingly
Don’t set priorities randomly. Use goals to evaluate the importance of every task. You can do that by asking yourself: Is this getting me closer to my goals? If the answer is anything but not “closer to”, it’s not an urgency.
● Set Deadlines
When your tasks don’t have deadlines, they will get pushed aside for those that do. Set achievable deadlines for everything, and everything will get done.
Almost Everything Resumes to Food
You’re familiar with the phrase “eat your feelings.” It’s a real phenomenon. Modern or, let’s just say, “always on the go”, people turn to unhealthy “comfort foods” as stress management at work.
It’s safe to say that dealing with work stress in this way it’s not good. Why do we crave “comfort food”? Our brain is to blame. It releases the hormone cortisol that makes us crave the sweet, the salty, and the fat-laden goodies for the temporary pleasure they bring. But ironically, “stress eating” only feeds the problem.
Fat-laden or sweet foods can make us feel lethargic and less likely to tackle the problems around us, which only increases our stress.
That’s why it’s crucial to embrace healthy foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates that fuel our brains and support concentration and focus.
Try following these steps outlined here so you can bring your stress level back down into the healthy range so you can focus and be productive.
Tags: your workplace
