Coping With Stress At Work
Working hard should not be confused with overworking at the expense of relationships and physical health.
Coping with stress at work.
Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelmingand harmful to both physical and emotional health.
Unfortunately, such long-term stress is all too common. In fact, has consistently found that work is cited as a significant source of stress by a majority of Americans. You cant always avoid the tensions that occur on the job. Yet you can take steps to manage work-related stress.
Making Money Without A Job
There are plenty of different ways to make money without a job that can help with the anxiety involved with quitting.
- Become a rideshare driver: Lyft and Uber are popular alternatives to a 9 to 5 if you have a car and a smartphone. Those without a vehicle can still take advantage of on-demand courier services like DoorDash and Postmates as long as they have a bike.
- Sell or rent your stuff: Take advantage of thrift stores, Amazon, eBay, and the raging market for used and unique items to clean out your home and to score some extra cash while doing it.
- Earn cash while shopping: Sites like Ebates are easy to use and offer cash back for purchases that you are already making.
- Take online surveys: Taking surveys online does not require experience or a large investment and is free to get started.
Secrets To Dealing With Too Much Work
Many have warned that the UK is on a fast-track to resembling Japan and Korea in its unhealthy work/life balance. The extent of overworking in Japanese culture is seen in their word karoshi, which literally translates to overwork death. Tragic cases of employees dying of heart failure after working hundreds of overtime hours are well known. And while these cases are extreme, they speak for a culture that harms many.
If the UK is to avoid going down this path, efforts must be made first and foremost by the government and employers to protect the wellbeing of workers. However, on an individual level, there are things you can do when faced with too much work.
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A Good Nights Sleep Seems Out Of The Question
Have you done this before? Youre already under the covers and although your eyelids begin to feel heavy you still quickly glance at your phone and seconds later you find yourself checking your work emails and your calendar for tomorrow?
If you think about it, it seems kind of obvious: This sort of behavior reduces the chances of healthy, restful sleep. Well have a harder time shutting down completely. When we fall asleep with higher stress levels, we sleep worse because the brain will remain active, even during sleep. This can explain why sometimes, even after an entire night of sleep we can wake up feeling not well-rested.
This can quickly lead to a very vicious cycle: Too much stress at work and rumination makes it harder to sleep. And, in turn, with less sleep, we are more vulnerable towards the daily stress we experience. Our bodies have a harder time coping with the stress which makes it even harder to fall asleep while our stress levels start skyrocketing.
Can My Employer Tell Others Why I Was Fired
There are no federal laws restricting what information an employer can or cannot disclose about former employees. If you were fired or terminated from employment, the company can say so. For example, if someone was fired for stealing or falsifying a time sheet, they can explain why the employee was terminated.
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If Your Spouse Is Venting To You
Being on the receiving end of a loved ones work woes isnt easy either. If one is chronically stressed and always taking it out on you, it can start to feel like youre walking on eggshells every time your partner comes home, says Fleming.
If your SO is always venting to you, broach the topic at a non-stressful time, like during a walk or while you two are catching up on your favorite TV shows. Let him or her know the effect of their constant unloading on you and the strain you feel it puts on your relationship, says Katehakis. Instead of blaming or shaming your partner, talk about your feelings and suggest a solution, like a 15-minute nightly check-in where you take turns listening to whats on your minds.
Counteract The Sunday Blues
We all know the feeling â that trepidation on the evening before you head back to work for the week.
âItâs quite common to be anxious on a Sunday night,â says Tim. âThe good news is you can do something about it. On a Sunday, not too late in the day, get ready for your work week ahead. Prepare and plan as best you can for what you need to do; focus on what you can control and try not to worry about what you canât.
âAnd give yourself permission to enjoy your weekend time. We all need time off work and, in fact, we work better when we allow ourselves time off.â
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Put Things Into Perspective
Changing the way you think about your work situation could help alleviate some of the pressure, says Connell. Remember the important things in life and do not let yourself get carried away with stresses. She suggests trying cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness techniques. They cannot resolve the work situation, but instead are aimed at helping you manage how you think about it and how you cope from a personal perspective.
At times of intense work, its more important than ever to look after your physical and emotional self
When you are feeling stressed at work, you should leave this emotional baggage in the office. Remember its just a job. Dont take it home with you, switch off email and phone alerts when youre at home and plan some fun stuff outside work, says Sarah Archer, career coach and co-founder of CareerTree.
Effects Of Job Stress
Seventy-two percent of people who have daily stress report that it interferes with their lives. Thirty percent of respondents say they have taken medication to manage their anxiety and related problems like nervousness and sleep disorders .
Job stress can lead to chronic health problems like cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological disorders, according to The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health , a division of The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you catch symptoms early, you can resolve problems before they lead to more severe consequences.
NIOSH points out that some of the early warning signs to look for are job dissatisfaction, sleep disturbances, headache, trouble concentrating, a short temper, an upset stomach, and poor morale.;Also be aware of a change in personal relationships, increased use of drugs or alcohol, and teeth grinding.
The ADAA’s Workplace Stress & Anxiety Disorders Survey found that workplace stress can also cause problems on the job. Individuals who suffer from it report problems with job performance, work quality, and relationships with coworkers and superiors.
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Make Essentialism Your 2021 Word
When youre figuring out your 2021 goals, take time to weigh the cost. Ask yourself if its worth the investment. Being proactive means that you take into consideration all the variables before cementing your goals.
Before you map out your plan or get crazy with those highlighters, ask yourself these two questions:
- Will this goal help create balance in my life?
- Will this goal produce a return on investment?
If you can answer a resounding yes to both of these questions, then take these ideas and write them down on a piece of paper.
After youve compiled a list of 15 to 20 ideas, take a new sheet of paper and break it into two columns. The first section should contain a list of goals that take priority. These ideas would fall under the umbrella of being trend-related and financially profitable.
The second section should contain a list of goals that will increase your social proof and promote your priority goals. This column drives traffic and promotes awareness of your business and your product.
After youve compiled this list, break it in half and cut it down to three goals in each section. Three is the perfect number because it gives you leeway to pivot and bend if you need to make changes throughout the process.
The two excellent tools that have helped me develop a schedule of essentialism are Hilary Rushfords Elegant Excellence Journal and Jill Konraths book, More Sales. Less Time.
Task Management Tips For Reducing Job Stress
Prioritize tasks.;Tackle high-priority tasks first. If you have something particularly unpleasant to do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.
Break projects into small steps.;If a large project seems overwhelming, focus on one manageable step at a time, rather than taking on everything at once.
Delegate responsibility.;You dont have to do it all yourself. Let go of the desire to control every little step. Youll be letting go of unnecessary stress in the process.
Be willing to compromise. Sometimes, if you and a co-worker or boss can both adjust your expectations a little, youll be able to find a happy middle ground that reduces the stress levels for everyone.
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How To Avoid Bringing Your Work Stress Home
There are many things that cause us to feel stress with workplace stress one of the more common. Lessen the impact of workplace stress on your home life with these helpful tips.
There are many things that cause us to feel stress, including worries about money, relationships, health, and our friends and family. A common contributor to our worries is workplace stress. Many of us spend eight hours a day working, so its important to find ways to stop issues at work, or the pressure created by too much work, impacting on our precious personal time.
In the Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing report, workplace stress was seen as a leading cause of stress by 31% of people, with 92% of all serious work-related mental health condition claims attributed to mental stress. While we will never eliminate workplace stress entirely, there are some steps we can take to minimise its impact on you, or your family, at home.
Stress Can Often Be Caused By Having Too Much Work And Not Enough Time To Do It Proper Planning Can Help In Using Your Time Efficiently
Stress can often be caused by having too much work and not enough time to do it. Proper planning can help in using your time efficiently. Plan out your day, week and month. Prioritise the work you have, and manage the expectations of others. Dont promise to deliver everything straight away give people reasonable expectations of how long tasks will take and when you will get it to them .
Factor a lunch break in to your plans, and aim to leave work around the same time each day you wont operate at your best if you are over tired and overworked! Before you leave, write a list of what you need to carry over to the next day, to avoid thinking about it at home.
Its also important not to suffer in silence. If you feel you can, then let your manager know about your concerns be it too much work, or others on the team not pulling their weight. Make sure you are ready to suggest some solutions that you think might help. It may also help to talk to a counsellor about ways to manage your stress.
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Figure Out What Your Priorities Are
Are you planning on having a baby in the future? If you quit, would you be losing out on maternity leave benefits? Are you trying to pay down debt or save for your childs education? Do you just want to earn more money or do you want more free time to enjoy with your family? Think about what it is that you really want and then let that guide your decision about whether or not to quit your job.
You Start Losing A Part Of Yourself Due To Work Stress
Finding yourself irritable, forgetful, or just plain apathetic? If all your energy goes towards your work, you might become short-tempered or unable to focus on other aspects of your life.;Often the symptoms of a stressful job can mirror those of;depression,;and leave you feeling overwhelmed, tearful, or empty.;;
Everyone is prone to the;occasional;Sunday Sadness, but;if youre spending your weekends filled with dread for the coming week,;unable to enjoy your time off; this is a sign that your role is getting to be too much.;You need to take a proper break in order to maintain your own wellbeing, and allow yourself to enjoy your downtime.;;
Equally if youre unable to sleep or wake up worrying about work most nights, this can lead to long-term health problems and cause a vicious cycle of being tired at work, stressed out about being tired You get the drill. Make sure you;put your wellbeing first.;
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Your Mental Health Gets Worse
Reynolds noted that increased stress can exacerbate existing mental health issues. Someone who might be a worrier in a really toxic work environment; that worry will often exacerbate to cross the clinical threshold, she said.
If you feel like your boss is always out to get you, your mental health pays a price. One 2012 analysis of 279 studies linked perceptions of organizational unfairness with employee health complaints such as overeating and depression.
E. Kevin Kelloway, the Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health Psychology at St. Marys University, said that unfair treatment at work can cause us outsized stress.
Injustice is a particularly toxic stressor because it strikes at the core of who we are, he said. When you treat me unfairly you attack my dignity as a person essentially saying that I dont deserve fair treatment or to be treated the same as others.
Could I Be Dismissed Because I Am Too Stressed To Turn Up For Work
If you are suffering from a significant level of stress, you may well have been signed off work by your GP. Your employer is not obliged, however, to keep your job available for you on an open-ended basis. Your employer could ultimately dismiss you for long-term sickness absence, or if they consider you are no longer capable of carrying out your role, but they will have to carry out a fair process;in doing so.
This means that the underlying reason for the absence should be investigated, and if there are signs of a stress-related illness, expert medical advice should be sought, either by your own medical team, or one appointed by your employer . It may be that the stress is down to the way you have been treated by your manager, or an overload of work. Or it may be that you are the subject of office bullying. These are matters which can be addressed by your employer.
If such investigation shows no good reason for the absence,however, , your employer might treat the absence as a misconduct issue. This is one of the fair reasons for dismissal.
If there is a good reason for the absence , and your illness is through not fault of your employer, ;then reasonable adjustments to help you get back to work should be considered. If this does not prove possible,;then your;employer may ultimately be justified in considering a dismissal;based on your illness- this is also one of the fair reasons for dismissal.
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Take Time To Recharge
Taking even a few minutes of personal time during a busy day can help prevent burnout.
Listening to an interesting podcast in between meetings or watching a funny Youtube video can give you relaxing pauses throughout the day.
Its also important to take breaks from thinking about your job by not checking work-related emails on your time off or disconnecting from your phone in the evenings.
Sometimes, feeling overwhelmed by work comes down to how organized you are. Try setting up a priority list at the beginning of your work week by preparing tasks and ranking them according to importance.
You can also beat procrastination by setting aside specific time blocks for deep concentration work.
Stay Positive And Set Realistic Expectations
Train your mind to focus on the wins and to see failures as learning experiences. Even the most experienced employee is bound to fall short of a goal now and then. And as a new employee, it’s going to take time to learn the ropes and best practices of your new workplace. Give yourself the chance to learn during this transitional period and use your missteps as a way to become a more efficient and knowledgeable employee.
Try not to clutter your daily to-do list with an excessive number of tasks. When starting out at a new job, it’s important to take things slow and celebrate every accomplishment and step forward. If you assign yourself too many tasks, you will become overwhelmed and won’t be able to get to them, and that will only add to your stress. Focus on your top few priorities each day. You will feel much more accomplished when you’re able to clear your to-do list on a daily basis.
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