If you consider work-related stress as a corporate laughing matter, well, think again. If ignored, it can grow into a serious problem affecting not only your health and well-being but also your outputs. To learn more on the problem’s extent, check out here its causes and effects, as well as some ways to manage it.
Factors That Can Cause or Worsen Work-Related Stress
Overload
When you fall under the stress of heavy workloads and fail to finish tasks on time.
Control
When you lack control over some aspects of your job or lack influence in decision-making.
Work Relations
When your colleagues or bosses isolate, discriminate, or leave you in the lurch.
Job Security
When you are insecure about your job due to lack of stability or fear of skill redundancy.
Work-Life Balance
When your workload threatens to spill over into your personal life and leave a strain on your relationships with other people.
Resources
When your employer belittles your skills and/or deprives you of proper training, equipment, and resources.
Salary and Benefits
When your company doesn’t reward or pay you right.
Career Growth
When you are stuck in your career due to lack of growth or poor physical working conditions.
Effects on Health and Productivity
Several studies report that prolonged work-related stress may affect the health and efficiency of the employees. Its effects may include:
- Physical: sleep disruptions, headaches, upset stomach, and high blood pressure or heart diseases
- Emotional: anxiety, bad temper, depression, and mood swings
- Intellectual: loss of focus, lack of drive and passion, random thinking, memory loss, and poor decision-making
- Behavioral: substance misuse, low sexual drive, attitude problems, isolation, and tardiness.
Work-related stress may also affect the people in the organization. It may result to:
- High absenteeism and labor turnover
- Poor time management, performance, outputs, and motivation
- Increased complaints, ill-health, accidents, and incident reports
Ways to Lessen or Manage Stress at Work
1. Overcome stress by building good relations with your coworkers. Having someone to share your thoughts and feelings with can help lessen your stress.
2. Exercise is an effective stress reliever. It lifts your mood, boosts your energy, sharpens your focus, and relaxes both your mind and body.
3. What you eat can affect your mood and feelings. Eating small, frequent, and healthy meals can help your body maintain your blood sugar level, keep your energy and focus, and avoid mood swings.
4. Get enough sleep. Having enough rest will keep your emotional balance and help you cope with job and workplace stress.
5. Learn how to prioritize and organize when your workload starts to overwhelm you. Create a work plan, break projects into smaller steps, delegate tasks, and be willing to compromise.
6. Face challenges with humor. Enjoy a joke to boost your mood and productivity.
Learning the causes, effects, and solutions for work-related stress can help you perform better at work. But if your workload gets too much to handle, why not assign some your tasks to the experts? Visit our virtual assistance services page to know how we can help you.
Sources:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk
adrenalfatiguesolution.com
www.admin.cam.ac.uk
www.foxbusiness.com
www.helpguide.org
