How To Combat Work Stress? 8 Signs That You Suffer From Too Much Stress At Work
Do you think you may suffer from work stress? How can we identify if we suffer from too much? Find the keys and tools to control and combat stress at work.
Many of us are used to leading a very hectic life and, in these times, everything seems to indicate that living under stress is something normal and something we have to get used to. Nothing could be further from the opposite. Although it is true that in most cases the stress He will continue to be in our lives. If we can learn to manage it in the most effective way and deal with it so that the consequences it generates in our body diminish with the acquisition of certain habits.
More than half of European workers receive the work stress as something common in their lives, especially in their work environment, according to the latest survey by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Over time, stress has become for many people an annoying shadow that never seems to leave us, not even when we are supposed to be away from our professional obligations. So much so that most of the consequences of stress can affect many areas of our daily lives.
He stress labor It is the mental or bodily result of any excessive pressure placed on an individual. At the work level, it usually occurs in situations in which external demands are greater than the individual’s ability to respond. A fact that can cause a general alert of the body’s resources to deal with it. Every person who suffers from a stressful situation at work or at other times, we could say that they go through a series of stages or phases, which I describe briefly below.
First phase: alarm phase.
Second stage: adaptation phase during which adaptation and learning mechanisms are activated in the face of difficulties.
Third phase (if it occurs): exhaustion. This phase appears when the duration of the stimulus is excessive. It is precisely during this phase that the repercussions of work or worldly stress appear on a somatic level, such as increased heart rate, insomnia, weakness, excess sweating. On a psychological level, it can cause anxiety, depression, blockages, inability to concentrate, in such a way that they can very negatively affect the well-being and personal performance of the individual.
Causes of work stress
Stress at work is one of the issues that most affects our daily lives. So much so that many of the effects of stress They can have consequences on our happiness and health. Although we can all have so-called positive stress, there are different causes why we can develop work stress at work and even trigger so-called burnout.
Poor organization and development of work: One of the ways of combat work stress is by maintaining good organization. When we do not have fixed schedules or we create goals that are too unrealistic, we end up becoming saturated. For this reason, one of the causes of work stress is having poor organization.
Conflicts between colleagues or superiors: The so-called mobbing is the last step of having toxic relationships within the work environment. When the environment is tense, control of the work stress is more difficult.
Inadequate management of time used in the development of a specific task: Knowing how to organize time and manage the tasks at hand is vital to not have a negative work life. For this reason, learning time management techniques can be one of the remedies for work stress.
Conflict in professional career development: When we don’t achieve our goals, the work stress may appear. The reasons why this happens are usually because we are not motivated with our work and we do not have the recognition we would like.
Family problems: It is impossible to separate work life from personal life, for this reason, one of the causes of stress at work It is precisely the problems that we take with us from home.
Relationships: Another of the causes of stress The most common is precisely the relationship with co-workers. Managing stress is easier when others have a good attitude towards us.
Own internal situation (mental state of the individual): Combating work stress also involves working on yourself at home. One of the most common causes of stress at work It is precisely a bad emotional situation. Lack of self-esteem and confidence can lead to depression at work or due to other situations.
There are different types of stress at work depending on their severity and the effects they may have. Among the main types of stress that we can experience in our workplace, we find the following:
Acute stress: This is a stress that can be beneficial for you. In these cases, this perception of stress at work It can motivate you to reach a deadline that has been imposed on you and does not pose a risk to your mental or physical health.
Episodic acute stress: Some people may experience minor crises because they perceive too much tension in certain work situations.
Chronic stress: This is the work stress which has the most consequences for our mental and physical health. It is a recurring stress that ends up harming our daily lives. Experiencing this stress at work can have very negative effects on a professional and personal level.
Consequences of stress at work
Although at the moment there is no method that is capable of measure work stress Scientifically, we know that it is there because of the negative consequences that it often brings to our body: headache, back pain, neck pain, tendonitis, stomach upset, anxiety problems, nerves, hair loss… No. Suffering from stress at work is a milestone reserved for only a few, but those of us who are affected by this very common ailment can activate certain mechanisms that help us keep it at bay.
We are so used to wearing a frenetic pace in our lives and in our work that some of us do not even realize the level of stress we carry. Over time we have learned to downplay its importance and believe that it is something that we simply “have to put up with.” Stress is a natural response that is difficult to avoid, true, but it is a mistake to get stuck in that argument, since we can acquire healthy habits related to stress that help us deal with it and prevent our body and our psychological state from suffering.
Our body is equipped to be able controlling stress in small doses. But, when these levels are exceeded over a long period of time, it can result in many harmful effects for our body.
Tense muscles: One of the most notable consequences of stress is exaggerated tension that our body constantly has. That all the muscles in your body are tense is a clear reflection that stress is acting on your body.
Shortness of breath : Be in a continuous state of work stress It can lead to a change in the way you breathe. People who don’t know how to manage stress end up breathing more shallowly.
Concentration and memory problems: The endocrine system and the central nervous system are clearly affected by a work stress situation. In this way, when the body feels a stressful situation, adrenaline and cortisol hormones are released, causing a state of alert to be activated in all parts of your body. Maintaining this state for a long time can have effects on memory, concentration and mood.
Digestion problems: The tension that is generated in the body cause of work stress It can lead to certain digestion problems. Suffering from constipation or any stomach-related consequences is one of the most common symptoms of stress.
Lack of sexual appetite: One of the prejudices that work stress entails is a clear lack of sexual appetite. When the stress levels are higher than we can bear, relationships can be harmed through these symptoms.
weight problems : One of the symptoms of work stress What can be seen most in those affected is weight problems. Many people who are immersed in very high levels of demand try to resort to immediate stress remedies such as food.
Depression and anxiety : Have levels of work stress High levels can lead to depression or anxiety problems.
Skin problems : Another of the symptoms of work stress More visible are the spots or imperfections on the skin that arise due to the hormonal imbalances that cause these situations.
Work stress management
Just the journey from home to work already produces some high stress levels. It is true that the usual delays in public transport or enduring long caravans every day to get to the office is something that makes it very difficult for us. However, there are some items that are worth following to arrive at the workplace more relaxed:
Get up earlier: Having more time to do the morning routine will make us feel more relaxed. Time yourself well and don’t get up at the right time.
Organize your work day: If you know what you are going to find when you arrive at the office, you will start the day more calmly.
Have a good breakfast: Stick to fruits and natural juices and take time to eat, going out on an empty stomach will not help you handle work problems.
A difficult work environment , bad relationships with colleagues or bosses, lack of control over our tasks, work overload or high responsibility due to the level of the position we occupy are some of the most frequent reasons that trigger our so frequent work stress. Avoiding all of this is often difficult, but making them affect us less is something that is in our power. Some recommendations worth following:
Set priorities and make lists.
Set achievable goals on a daily and long-term basis. Congratulate yourself and cross them off your list when you’ve reached them.
Delegate tasks when you see that you don’t accomplish everything.
Regroup phone calls if you can to avoid wasting time.
Keep your desk organized to feel calm and organized.
Plants lower blood pressure and relieve stress, try surrounding yourself with some.
Stop to analyze things and think before acting. Those extra minutes won’t make you finish later; perform a task poorly because you did not take time to think, yes.
When faced with greater pressure, breathe calmly by taking air in through your nose and releasing it through your mouth.
Do a self-massage on your hands when you feel like your head is going to explode or your neck is killing you.
Don’t eat or have breakfast at the desk.
Drink water and eat well: don’t overindulge in snacks and pastries.
Don’t abuse coffee and opt for relaxing infusions.
Take short but frequent breaks. Get up, stretch, and walk around the office a bit.
Go out for a few minutes of fresh air if you have the chance.
Do activities outside of work such as sports, painting, dancing, it will help you focus and relieve your stress.
If, despite having tried in many ways, you continue to feel overwhelmed and stressed, it is better to contact a psychologist specialized in work stress.
How to control work stress?
For cope with stressful situations First of all, we must be able to realize how the triggering situation or stress-generating stimulus influences our way of evaluating the situation and what types of thoughts and emotions it is generating in us.
Once identified the situation or stress trigger , we must redirect our thoughts to avoid the appearance of automatic or irrational thoughts, using cognitive behavioral techniques. These techniques will help us deal with problematic situations in an effective way.
The key lies in knowing use our emotions intelligently deliberately making them work for our benefit, so that they help us control our behavior and thoughts in order to obtain better results.
If the situation overcomes us and we are not able to manage stress properly it is advisable to request the help of a psychologist, who will provide you with the necessary tools to better handle the problematic situations in which you may find yourself throughout your work and personal life.
