Ways To Deal With Stress
Dealing with stress, contrary to how it may feel at the time, is very possible. First things first, tell someone. As a society, we are improving the way we talk about our mental wellbeing, but there is still a long way to go. So talk to a coworker, your superior, or someone disconnected from work entirely, if thats what it takes.
Be active. Physical activity can provide confidence, physical health , and also release tension. Its an all-round good idea. If running isnt for you, maybe korfball or elephant polo is more your thing. It doesnt really matter, just do something.
Understand yourself. Increased introspection probably isnt necessary for the majority of us, while for some, it should be prescribed in high doses. However, knowing what tends to trigger high-stress episodes can be vital in overcoming them. Identifying triggers shouldnt lead to avoiding them if that will just prolong the problem. So a knowledge of the situation and yourself is crucial.
These quick methods barely scratch the surface when it comes to dealing with stress, but we thought we better include the on the off chance that they help! Youll notice, fittingly, that these can always be beneficial when you are feeling overworked, even if you arent officially stressed – whatever that means.
For more ways to combat stress at work, check out this article.
Resignation Letter Due To Stressful Work Environment
Posted: Sample 1 resignation letter due to stressful work environment. As we have discussed before, Im having a difficult time handling the stress levels of this job. Its starting to impact my health, and as such, I must tender my resignation. As you know, this is an extremely high-stress environment. Despite my very best efforts, I am not
Rely On A Strong Support Network
Keep in touch with trusted friends and family members to help cope with stressful work situations.
If youre struggling with an especially challenging work week, try asking parent friends if they can help out with carpooling your kids to school on certain days.
Having people you can rely on during the tough times can alleviate some of the built-up tension.
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Causes Of Unrealistic Work Expectations
Unrealistic expectations at work arise when there is a challenging organizational culture. When there is poor leadership, it can lead to a lack of or poor communication. There also is a tendency to have confusion about objectives and strategies. When deadlines are impossible to reach because there is not enough time to complete the task, or there are not enough workers to handle the workload, the pressure is on and expectations become unrealistic.
The most common ways employees try to reduce their daily stress is by exercising, enjoying time with friends or significant others after work, engaging in a hobby, listening to music and taking advantage of the companys paid time off policy to go on vacations.
Tip: Managing stress is just as important for business owners as it is for employees. Dont let burnout prevent you from growing your business.
Tip #: Try Mindfulness Meditation
Whenever you have the opportunity, whether during your lunch break, before work, or after, work in some micro-moments of mindfulness and meditation. It allows you to pay attention to how you’re body feels. Think about if you’re getting enough sleep, doing enough exercise, and your work-related stress levels. It’s a chance to check in with yourself during the workday and figure out what you need the most.
Read Also: How To Be Less Stressed And Anxious
Common Signs Of Too Much Work
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Meeting project deadlines and completing tasks promptly are essential characteristics of a productive employee. Occasionally, the number of tasks a company requires you to complete might take more time than is available. Understanding the signs of having an overly full workload can help you determine whether a reduction in work is necessary to enhance your work-life balance.
In this article, we share 13 common signs of having too much work, show how to address the situation and list tips on managing your workflow.
What You Should Do If Your Job Is Too Stressful
Its normal for work to be stressful sometimes. But when is it too stressful? Heres a guide to help you determine when youve reached your limit.
All jobs are stressful sometimes. But the problem is when a job becomes stressful most of the time, or all of the time. Thats when you should start thinking about your next step. And the answer is simple: start exploring your options, and look for a new job.
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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.
How To Cope With Stress At Work
You don’t need to cope with stress at work alone. Here are some general ideas you can try to help you manage:
- Understand more about stress. Recognising the signs of stress and learning about the causes of stress is good place to start.
- Figure out what you find stressful and helpful. You could make a to map out what causes you stress and what keeps you well. Once you know what’s best, talk to your employer. They may be able to make some changes to help you.
- Learn different coping techniques. Everyone deals with stress differently, so take time to find methods that work for you. Use them as soon as you start to feel pressure building. Check out the guides from the Stress Management Society for ideas.
- Try practising mindfulness. This practice is about focusing on the here and now. It might help you to find calmness and clarity to respond to stressful situations. See our pages on mindfulness to learn more.
- Look after your physical health. Eat well and try a gentle activity like going for a walk or doing a chair-based exercise. Our pages on physical activity and food and mood have more details on how this can help your mental health.
“I try to keep each task short and clear, take breaks when getting tired and be polite, honest and empathic with the people I work with.”
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Scope Of Stress In The American Workplace
Davids and Theresas stories are unfortunate but not unusual. Job stress has become a common and costly problem in the American workplace, leaving few workers untouched. For example, studies report the following:
- One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.-Northwestern National Life
- Three-fourths of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago.-Princeton Survey Research Associates
- Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.-St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co.
Fortunately, research on job stress has greatly expanded in recent years. But in spite of this attention, confusion remains about the causes, effects, and prevention of job stress. This booklet summarizes what is known about job stress and what can be done about it.
Tip : Support Your Health With Exercise And Nutrition
When youre overly focused on work, its easy to neglect your physical health. But when youre supporting your health with good nutrition and exercise, youre stronger and more resilient to stress.
Taking care of yourself doesnt require a total lifestyle overhaul. Even small things can lift your mood, increase your energy, and make you feel like youre back in the drivers seat.
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Be Proactive About Your Job And Your Workplace Duties
When we feel uncertain, helpless, or out of control, our stress levels are the highest. Here are some things you can do to regain a sense of control over your job and career.
Talk to your employer about workplace stressors. Healthy and happy employees are more productive, so your employer has an incentive to tackle workplace stress whenever possible. Rather than rattling off a list of complaints, let your employer know about specific conditions that are impacting your work performance.
Clarify your job description. Ask your supervisor for an updated description of your job duties and responsibilities. You may find that some of the tasks that have piled up are not included in your job description, and you can gain a little leverage by pointing out that youve been putting in work over and above the parameters of your job.
Request a transfer. If your workplace is large enough, you might be able to escape a toxic environment by transferring to another department.
Ask for new duties. If youve been doing the exact same work for a long time, ask to try something new: a different grade level, a different sales territory, a different machine.
Take time off. If burnout seems inevitable, take a complete break from work. Go on vacation, use up your sick days, ask for a temporary leave-of-absenceanything to remove yourself from the situation. Use the time away to recharge your batteries and gain perspective.
Employers That Dont Help Relieve Stress Arent Doing Their Job
The truth is employment shouldnt be a one-sided relationship.
You pour your heart into your job, you take pride in your work, and you truly care about the outcome. An employer who doesnt encourage you to take breaks and doesnt provide opportunities for stress-relief is an employer who doesnt deserve to have you around.
You offer something many fantastic employers would bend over backwards to have: a work ethic and a high level of commitment. Good employers know its their responsibility not to run people into the ground. They know they must pay attention to how much you work as well as how stressed you are.
At the core, youre dealing with a culture of stress. A study of organizational culture showed that a hierarchical, bureaucratic culture, in which the organization showed little care for employee well-being, created a state of low morale.
An organizations negative, stress-based culture leads to poor performance, high turnover, and a low level of engagement.
The bottom line is that when youre dealing with a culture of stress, youre completely justified in being uncommitted.
A companys culture is its identity. Dont commit to a culture therefore an identity that is tearing itself down instead of building itself up.
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Talk To Your Supervisor
If delegating isnt an option for you, maybe its time to talk to your supervisor. After all, employee health is linked to productivity. So your supervisor, as well as your employer, have an incentive to listen to your concerns.
Consider starting an open conversation, in which you clarify what your job scope is and assess if theres a possibility that you might be doing more than whats actually required of you. If you need some backing, be sure to get the support of your colleagues beforehand.
Some companies also have fantastic wellness resources to help employees stay at the top of their game. Whether its in the form of a gym or sleeping pods, make sure that youre aware of the benefits that you can tap into to manage your stress.
Questions To Ask Yourself
Whos in my support network? Everyone should have people in their life who are positive influences, support providers, and role models for healthy living. They can be friends, family members, mentors, spiritual leaders, colleagues, and mental health professionals.
What activities do I enjoy? Your work might be enjoyable, but everyone needs hobbies that arent about competition or personal accomplishment. What helps ease your worries and makes you more mindful about your body? These activities might include reading, dancing, gardening, board games, crafts, etc.
What are my sleep habits? If youre getting roughly 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night, youll be able to think more clearly, boost your immune system, and concentrate better on work and relationships. A simple step such as turning off screens an hour before bed can make a huge difference in your sleep quality.
Am I saying no to unnecessary tasks? Ideally you should be able to pass on tasks that demand too much of you, arent your responsibility, or dont fall in line with your personal values and objectives. If youre not sure where to start, take a look at your schedule and to-do list, and see what can be delegated or removed completely.
Am I organized? Start to declutter your life. When you can manage tasks with an accurate schedule and prioritized to-do list, you reduce the unnecessary anxiety that can accompany a cluttered and confusing agenda.
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Tip #: Think About Your Dream Work
It can be scary, but this may be a great time to step back and think about what you want in life. Ask yourself some work-life balance questions and what your work values are. Maybe a career change is in order. If you’re not passionate about what you do anymore, starting anew may be the best thing for you.
You Have Digestive Issues
Digestive issues such as constipation, excess gas and diarrhoea can all be caused by high levels of stress. When the brain feels severely stressed, writes Chris Woolston for HealthDay, it unleashes a cascade of hormones that can put the whole digestive system in an uproar. If this stress is left untreated, it can cause irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn in the long term.
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Common Sources Of Work Stress
Certain factors tend to go hand-in-hand with work-related stress. Some common workplace stressors are:
- Few opportunities for growth or advancement
- Work that isnt engaging or challenging
- Lack of social support
- Not having enough control over job-related decisions
- Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations
Adjust Your Thinking And Expectations
When youre stressed, the last thing you want to hear is that its all in your head. In situations where you cant control, the best thing that you can do is to reappraise the situation and focus on what you can control.
Dont set unrealistic goals for yourself. Let go of the need for perfection and avoid negative thinking. These can vastly improve the way you work and reduce your stress levels, allowing you to make level-headed decisions and stay at the top of your game at work.
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Seeking Help With Completing Work
A positive way to ensure you’re completing your tasks is to incorporate teamwork into your workflow. If you have a colleague with strengths for a certain assignment, consider asking them for help. Your colleague might have advice on how to complete it more easily. Alternatively, if their workload includes assignments where you have strengths, you might switch tasks with them. Swapping assignments can reduce both of your task lists, allowing you to feel satisfied with the work you complete.
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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.
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How Bad Bosses Ruin Good Employees
They neglect to solicit staff input.
Bad bosses dont really value their employees, and the employees can feel it. In turn, they stop making their best effort. When you dont feel appreciated and valued, you are less likely to bring your best self to work, and you are less likely to flourish on your projects.
The Amount Of Time You Spend Doing Activities With Others Outside Of Work
The number of hours you spend at work dictates how many hours you have for activities outside work, like hobbies, friends, and downtime. Your work-life balance will suffer if you’re too invested in the hustle of work. Neglecting others in your life will contribute to loneliness, and you’ll risk experiencing the mental and physical impacts of burnout.
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Delegate What And Where You Can
Lumpkin says that you should also utilize your resources to the best of your benefit. In other words, dont take on more than you can handle instead, delegate what and where you can: What can you delegate? At work, there are many levels of actual delegation, it doesnt have to be all of a project or task or nothing. Look at delegation through the lens of what might benefit others where might a colleague or employee gain experience or desired visibility if you were to collaborate or delegate all pieces of a project? Sometimes reluctance to delegate comes from an anticipated larger time spent in training others for the task up front. Its true, but that time spent is an ROI with compounding dividends in flexing your leadership muscles.
