Prolonged daily, work-related stress can have disastrous effects on our health. It has been linked to heart problems, digestive issues, inflammation, anxiety, depression, tension headaches and migraines, and substance abuse. For those in recovery, it poses a major risk for relapse.
Different people respond differently to work-related stress. Some get keyed up or overly emotional. They are unable to sit down. They feel angry or agitated. Others have the opposite reaction. They become withdrawn or depressed. They pull away from the situation and feel drained of energy or emotion. And some find that they freeze or tense up in stressful situations. They are agitated but are unable to react. Occasionally experiencing any of the responses to work-related stress is normal, but when someone is on a daily roller coaster of these stress responses, it can be a ticking time bomb for more serious emotional and physical problems.
There is more to the equation than just someone’s work environment that leads to stress. Other factors determine how someone is able to handle stress. We all have different tolerance levels for stress. Some people are sensitive to stress while others may thrive at the same stress level. One’s tolerance for stress can depend on your life’s outlook, the quality of your relationships, your emotional intelligence, nutrition and fitness regimes, and genetics.
Signs of Stress:
- Cognitive: Memory problems, inability to concentrate, negative thoughts, worry, poor judgment.
- Emotional: Irritability, moodiness, loneliness, depression, inability to relax.
- Physical: aches and pains, nausea, fast heartbeat and or chest pains, frequent colds, digestive problems.
- Behavioral: Eating or sleeping too much or too little, isolation, self-medicating with drugs/alcohol/smoking, nervous habits like pacing or nail biting, procrastinating/neglecting responsibilities
Ways to Manage Work-Related Stress:
- Evaluate your support system both at work and at home. People with a strong network of friends and family tend to manage stress better.
- Work on ways to calm and soothe yourself, especially when you are feeling sad, angry or overwhelmed. People who have the ability to deal with their emotions fair better under stress.
- Prepare for stress. When people prepare for a stressful situation beforehand they are better equipped to handle stress.
- Alter your outlook. Try to be more positive or optimistic. This makes one more resilient to stress.
- Make an effort before or after work to do activities that can reduce stress:
~Exercise: Run, walk, yoga. If you are more social, consider joining a team sport: kickball or softball league.
~Read, play on the internet, watch a movie, listen to music.
~Schedule time with friends or family.
~Pray or meditate.
