If you are a hardworking, ambitious, and active person and are fond of fulfilling goals and achievements, perhaps work stress is familiar to you. Stress is a natural body’s reaction to extraordinary situations that require survival. It’s a complicated biochemical process that includes the release of certain hormones and a bunch of physical manifestations. There are ways to handle stress, and here are four effective ways to manage work stress.
Is it possible to fully manage your stress? It isn’t a conscious process, but it can indeed be processed. Today, people don’t need to fight wild beasts or chase prey. Now our prey is our careers and life goals, and our fight is with the numerous responsibilities. The circumstances have changed, but our reaction to irritants hasn’t.
How Work-Related Stress Affects Us
The problem of work stress is being studied since the 1960s. Every company that values its human resources provides management techniques to reduce stress in its employees. Reducing stress requires schedule planning, bonuses, extra holidays, or even psychotherapist’s help. Each company chooses its own techniques to cope with stress in the workforce.
Let’s see what manifestations work-related stress may have on people who are exposed to it.
Physical discomfort.
Some jobs require long periods of sitting or standing. Certain require frequent trips to different climate zones or deprive employees of night sleep. Remaining in steadily uncomfortable conditions leads to lifestyle health issues such as obesity, chronic back pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and headaches.
Emotional challenges.
Emotions are involved in any activity we’re engaged in. Emotions related to occupational factors may be very intense and devastating. Usually, the most stress-causing negative emotions related to work are associated with professional ethics, multi-tasking, or a lack of motivation to move further.
Informational overload.
Some jobs require informational overload that causes stress and may lead to mental depressions or a breakdown in thinking. These pressures can also happen to ambitious people who have several jobs or combine work with studying. However, entrepreneurs, startups, and most career hunters will be exposed to informational overload.
Problems in communication.
If you don’t work remotely, it’s impossible to go without interaction with people. If we work together, we have to communicate. Where there is communication, there will always be stress factors. Introverts are especially exposed to this type of job stress because communication is a challenge for them.
Management-related problems.
The higher your position is in the company, the more organizational responsibilities you have. Controlling and motivating employees, solving conflicts, being in charge of finances. All these tasks require accuracy, accountability, and concentration. It’s a great strain for one person. But it’s not just the managers that are exposed to this. Regular employees suffer from poor managing skills of their bosses.
Symptoms of Occupational Stress
If you notice these symptoms, you should think of ways to process the stress at work you are exposed to:
- Sleep disorders
- Frequent headaches
- Reduced concentration and memory
- A feeling of fatigue that doesn’t go away
- A weak immune system that results in frequent infections and other related problems
- Gastrointestinal diseases
- The feeling of depression, anxiety or irritability
If you can relate to everything mentioned above, it’s time to add some self-love into your tight daily schedule. Below are tips on fighting your work-related stress.
Body relaxation techniques.
You can practice them right in your workplace. A helpful technique is to relax all your body parts one by one. Focusing on your physical self will help you distract and process your negative emotions. These exercises came from yoga.
It’s sad that some people are so stressed that they have problems even with relaxing their muscles. Such a situation requires relaxation self-teaching, including meditation, massage, or special breathing techniques. [Inhale slowly to the count of four, hold your breath for four counts and slowly breathe out to four counts.]
Quick physical help.
If some situation that happened during your working day pushed you into the abyss of stress, try to move it out. Take a 15-minutes break and try to move your body to boost blood flow. You can take a little walk, wipe the dust off your table, or even perform a short workout.
Exercise it out.
During physical exercises, our body releases hormones that help us feel happier and overcome the negative consequences of stress. Include workouts into your daily schedule, even if it seems too tight for them to fit. This is necessary to be physically and mentally healthy.
Love yourself.
Even if you did something wrong or faced negativity from your colleagues, focus on the good things you did in this situation. You may not have done anything at all, and this can still be a benefit, at least by not making it worse. Learn to see any situation from a positive angle, and you will notice that you will feel less stress.
Remember that you are your own most valuable resource and always take good care of yourself!
