Stress at the workplace is a major issue that many of us face in our daily lives. Considering the fact that adults spend most of their time at their workplace, the workplace environment should be comfortable for all. However, 1 in 4 employees views their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted research that shows that 40 percent of workers have very or extremely stressful jobs. According to the American Institute of Stress (AIS), job pressure is the number one cause of stress in the United States followed by money, health, and relationships. In Japan, almost 2,000 people committed suicide in 2017 due to work-related problems, according to statistics, which is why tips and tricks to manage workplace stress are important.
Table of Contents
1. What can you do to manage workplace stress?
2. Route to recovery
Stress may manifest in the form of physical symptoms such as fatigue, headache, upset stomach, muscle tension, appetite change, and dizziness as well as psychological symptoms including irritability, nervousness, lack of energy, and the need to cry. It is very evident that if a workplace has a negative environment, there are high chance that the company will suffer from poor productivity. The employees may frequently take days off and/ or may suffer from drug or alcohol abuse caused by physical and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
What can you do to manage workplace stress?
If you find yourself identifying with any of these symptoms, please read these 10 tips to manage workplace stress and anxiety:
- Discussing problems/ issues with colleagues: Solutions for the majority of problems at work can be resolved by talking to colleagues or your boss. Your coworkers might feel the same way and your boss will listen when confronted by these problems.
- Keep yourself organized and practice time management :
Step-by-step planning is important to keep yourself organized. Managing your time for various projects, keeping clean drawers and desks and listing tasks are some important ways to be efficient during your day and manage workplace stress - Be practical: Multitasking is sometimes helpful. However, it might turn counterproductive and cause unnecessary stress. Be practical during work and focus on the task at hand.
- Taking care of yourself: Self-care or self-love is vital to your health and mental state of mind. Self-care may include getting quality sleep, eating healthy, having healthy relationships, and staying in optimum physical health.
- Avoiding faultfinding or perfectionism: perfectionism is a risk factor for many mental illnesses like addiction to work, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic stress, and self-harm. Perfectionism can also mean being critical of what others do, hence reducing the team’s and your own productivity.
- Indulge in physical activities: Physical activities such as exercise and yoga produce endorphins that act as natural painkillers and improve not only sleep patterns but overall health.
- Practice spirituality: Spirituality helps you unveil the purpose of life, connect to the world, add meaning to life, manage priorities, and eliminate stress.
- Practice mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness, i.e. bringing awareness to each breath and sensation that you feel in your body helps you become aware of your thoughts, which can help in controlling instant reaction to a situation and relax.
- Avoid repressing anxiety: “What you resist persists”. Anxiety is a normal response to stress. It is imperative to be stressful at times. Resisting it can make you hopeless and unproductive.
- Talk to a therapist or professional psychologist: There are a number of evidence-based treatments for persistent stress, anxiety, depression, and related mental illnesses. If you feel like the stress is too much handled and you find yourself unable to manage workplace stress, please visit a professional and get proper care.
Route to recovery
Anyone can experience stress at the workplace, and it’s completely normal until the feeling becomes persistent, aberrant, and devastating. When stress impairs daily functioning, it is known as an anxiety disorder. It is important to recognize symptoms at the right time and take preventive measures before it starts to consume and dictate your life.
At AKUA Mind & Body, our clinical team understands that treating stress, depression, and other mental health issues is important for clients to reach a healthy state of mind. If you or someone you know is suffering from work-related stress or depression, anxiety, or any mental health issue, you can contact us on our 24/7 Admissions Helpline for a free, confidential assessment.
