We experience stress every day at work, at home and in our relationships. Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress.
While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can impede your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and personal life. It can even mean the difference between success and failure on the job.
When is stress at work too much?
Stress isn’t always bad. A little bit of stress can help you stay focused, active, and able to address your workplace challenges. A bit of stress keeps you on your toes during a presentation, or alert to prevent costly mistakes.
However, some workplaces often seems like an emotional roller coaster. They are so stressful! You have offices where people have very long miserable hours, 12-14 a day, coupled with very tight schedules “make sure you’re in the office by 8am!” Work place demands can leave you feeling worried, drained, and overwhelmed!
What are the Common Causes of Stress at Work?
- Lack of control over how you do your work. Sometimes you can feel enslaved to a foolish boss. You have ideas on how to make the company run better; but the boss shoves them, and makes you use very inefficient ways to reach your goals.
- Pressure to perform to meet rising expectations by the boss, but with no increase in job satisfaction. A good company will ensure that your effort is rewarded.
- Fear of being laid off: some jobs can be equated to being in an abusive relationship; where every single day a spouse threatens to “leave”
- Pressure to always work at optimum levels! Sometimes we give ourselves so much pressure when we try and work at optimum levels, sit with your boss and decide the deliverables, and reasonable time frames.
- Financial needs that require more work. We are all trying to make an extra buck, rich and poor. Make sure that you are not compromising your health in the search for more, you might miss the opportunity to enjoy it!
What Are The Warning Signs Of Stress at work?
When you feel exhausted at work, you may lose self-confidence and may become angry, irritable, or withdrawn. Other signs and symptoms of excessive stress at work include:
- Loss of sex drive
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed
- Apathy, loss of interest in work
- Problems sleeping
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Muscle tension or headaches
- Stomach problems
- Social withdrawal
- Using alcohol or drugs to cope
