Figure 1: Stressed employee; source: (Scott. E, 2018)

Take a deep breath and manage your stress at workplace

Introduction

If you find you're constantly adding items to your never-ending to-do list, feeling overwhelmed at work and at home, and finding your health and relationships negatively impacted, you are likely experiencing stress. Stress is produced by your own feelings and reactions to certain external events, rather than by the events themselves. This means that while you may not always be able to control the external events causing you stress, you can control your reactions to them and how you handle them. It is explaining the physiological, behavioral, and psychological signs and symptoms of stress and where can come from. The outlines strategies for dealing with stress and avoiding burnout. It also covers ways to change your responses to stress and make them more positive and how to use relaxation techniques such as breathing and mediation to help you cope.

Sources of work stress

Stress at work frequently coexists with circumstances. The following are a few typical sources of work-related stress:

·         Low pay rates.

·         Overwhelming workloads.

·         Few possibilities for development or advancement uninteresting.

·         Inadequate social support

·         Not having enough influence over workplace decisions

·         Demands that are in conflict or unclear performance expectations.

 

How stress effect health

Stress is a response to a circumstance. Everyone's response is unique as a result. One employee's emotional suffering might mean nothing to another. To that extent, how different people respond to the same pressures determines how stressed they are. However, there are some aspects of workplace stress that simply cannot be ignored. Stressors are a natural part of any job that puts one's personal safety at risk, such as those held by firefighters and police officers. Additionally, occupations that concern others' safety and wellbeing, such as those of crossing guards and emergency room staff, come with a built-in level of stress. It puts a lot of pressure on you because other people are depending on you for their wellbeing. The body suffers as a result of stress.

Why Is Job Stress So harmful?

Worker effects are unavoidable as job stress builds up.

Sickness

Stress impairs your health, as was previously mentioned. Stress has physical effects, and being overly stressed at work makes people sick. Absenteeism or higher health insurance costs for employers are the results of this (Campbell.S, 2019).

Depression

Stress can result in depression if you don't have effective coping mechanisms.

Violence

According to Campbell.S, (2019) Stress has caused 14% of workers to feel like hitting a coworker, and 25% of workers have felt like yelling at one. Employees become dangerously tense with one another as a result of stress.

Decreased productivity

You won't be at your most productive if you're stressed out. You're going to miss deadlines.

Issues at home

When work is stressful, it frequently extends to

Taking action to control stress

Maintain a stressor log

Keep a journal for a week or two to note the circumstances that stress you out the most and how you handle them. Keep track of your thoughts, emotions, and details about the situation, such as the individuals and events involved, the physical environment, and your reaction. Did you speak louder? Visit the vending machine for a snack? Taking a stroll? You can discover patterns between your stressors and your responses by taking notes. Create wholesome reactions. When you feel the tension rising, try your best to make healthy choices as opposed to trying to combat it with fast food or drink.

Create wholesome reactions

When you feel the tension rising, try your best to make healthy choices as opposed to trying to combat it with fast food or drink. A fantastic way to reduce stress is to exercise. Yoga is a great option, but any kind of exercise is good for you. Make time for your interests and preferred pastimes as well. Make sure to schedule time for the activities that make you happy, whether they are reading a book, attending concerts, or spending time with your family. Effective stress management also depends on getting enough decent sleep. Create sound sleep habits by avoiding coffee in the afternoon and cutting back on stimulating nighttime activities like watching TV and using the web. A fantastic way to reduce stress is to exercise. Yoga is a great option, but any kind of physical activity.

Establish limits

It's simple to feel under pressure to be accessible all the time in today's digital age. Set up some boundaries between your job and personal lives. That could entail setting a rule against checking email while at home in the evening or refraining from taking calls while having dinner. Although everyone has a different preferred level of blending their work and personal lives, setting some distinct boundaries between them can help to lessen the likelihood of work-life conflict and the stress that comes with it.

Spend some time resting

We require time to refuel and get back to our pre-stress level of functioning in order to prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress and burnout. In order to complete the recuperation process, you must "switch off" from your job by going for stretches of time during which you don't do any work-related tasks or think about your job. You must therefore occasionally disconnect in a method that suits your needs and tastes. Don't spend the time you have off. Take time off whenever you can to unwind and rest so that you can return to work reenergized and prepared to give your best effort. When you can't take a break, you can receive a boost simply putting your phone away and concentrating.

Learn to unwind.

Stress-reduction techniques include mindfulness (a state in which you actively examine current feelings and ideas without judging them), deep breathing exercises, and meditation. Take a few minutes each day to concentrate on something easy, like breathing, walking, or taking in a meal. With experience, the ability to concentrate intently on one thing while avoiding distractions will become stronger, and you'll discover that you can use it in a variety of situations in your life.

Speak with your manager.

Since productivity at work and employee health have been linked, your manager has an incentive to foster a culture that values employee wellbeing. Have an honest discussion with your supervisor to start. This isn't meant to be a list of grievances; rather, it's meant to help you develop a strategy for effectively managing the stressors you've identified so you may perform at your very best at work. While some elements of the plan may be intended to help you develop your abilities in areas like time management, other components could include locating wellness resources offered by your employer that you can access, outlining expectations, obtaining the resources or support you need from coworkers, and enhancing your job to include more (Stange.J, 2019).

Get some assistance.

Accepting assistance from dependable friends and family members might help you be better at stress management. Additionally, your employer might offer stress management tools through an employee support program, such as online resources, accessible counseling, and, if necessary, referrals to mental health professionals. A psychologist can help you better manage stress and stop engaging in harmful behavior if you continue to feel overburdened by work stress. If this is the case, you may wish to speak with one.

Conclusion

Developing a deeper awareness of stress in the workplace, in their organizations, and in their teams and employees is once again a crucial challenge for managers. Anyone in a leadership role inside an organization or on a team needs to monitor the stress problem. By enhancing employee autonomy, training, working conditions, timetables, career development, support systems, etc., good management practices will generally likely lower unhealthy stress.

References

association, A. p. (2018, Octomber 14). Coping with stress at work. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from American psycholgical association: https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/work-stress

Campbell.S. (2019, August 28). 16 Helpful Ways to Deal with Stress At Work | When I Work. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from wheniwork: https://wheniwork.com/blog/how-to-manage-stress-at-work

Ryba, K. (2019, August 27). 7 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace. Retrieved Novemnber 7, 2022, from Quantum workplace: https://www.quantumworkplace.com/future-of-work/7-ways-employees-can-reduce-stress-in-the-workplace

Scott, E. (2022, May 23). 9 Simple Ways to Deal With Stress at Work. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-deal-with-stress-at-work-3145273

Stange.J. (2019, November 7). 8 Manager Tips to Reduce Employee Stress at Work. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from Quantum workplace: https://www.quantumworkplace.com/future-of-work/manager-tips-reduce-employee-stress-at-work

wheniwork. (2019, August 28). 16 Helpful Ways to Deal with Stress At Work | When I Work. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from wheniwork: https://wheniwork.com/blog/how-to-manage-stress-at-work

Wooll, M. (2022, August 10). BetterUp Blog | Maggie Wooll. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from Betterup: https://www.betterup.com/blog/effects-of-workplace-stress