Workplace Stressors and how to deal with them
Most jobs have some degree of stress. Work can be stressful and often you can’t always set our deadlines or our workload. Work plays a major part in our lives and as a result, can become a source of anxiety in your life. Mountain of studies have already indicated: that stress can take a terrible toll on both our mental and physical health.
The good news is that there are several ways to reduce workplace stressors and it starts by being able to identify the stressors and take clear and practical steps towards limiting their impact on your everyday routine.
1. Feeling Like There Isn’t Enough Time
The average work week consists of about 40 hours of work, or eight hours of work per day – so it’s no wonder we often feel like there is not enough time. With most people getting approximately 5 to 8 hours of sleep each night, it leaves only a few short hours for exercise, eating dinner, and relaxing with friends and family.
The key to overcoming these feelings of being time poor is setting realistic schedules for yourself. At the same time, be sure not to take on more tasks that you can accomplish within a reasonable deadline. Finally, be clear and communicate with your superiors about how long it takes to ably complete a given project.
2. Over-Multi-Tasking
The ability to multitask, is one of the most valuable traits within a workplace and this ability to focus on several different things at once can help one worker set themselves apart from their competition in the office.
On the flip side, spreading yourself too thin can also create huge problems when it comes to stress. Taking on too many different projects all at once can prevent an individual from completing any of those projects in a satisfactory way, leading to criticism and, you got it, even more stress.
Therefore, managing a variety of tasks with a task list that clearly outlines the time frames and status till completion, is just one straightforward way to stay on top of an extensive list of tasks to complete.
3. Fearing Change
Within the workplace, change can be one of the main causes of intense stress, primarily because people often associate change with instability, or a chance they may lose their jobs.
If you work in an environment that’s undergoing change, it is important to stay positive and try not to stress until you’ve received good reason to.
Get as much information as you can about the change, but until you’re told that your position is changing or being eliminated, don’t let it get to you. If your position does change, think about how you can use your existing skills and try not to have a negative attitude which may lead to other noticing and not wanting to work with you.
It’s important to recognize that change is a constant in our lives and is a reality we can’t avoid it within our careers. Remember, you simply can’t control everything and some change can be positive.
Come to terms that your new situation might not be perfect but your previous situation probably wasn’t either. Think about how you can best leverage your skills, experiences and network to maximize your new role. If you have a negative a attitude, your new manager and co-workers will notice and they won’t want to work with you.
4. Feeling Insufficient
There are few more agonizing feelings than the feeling of insufficiency, or simply feeling like you’re not good enough to perform a task or your job. Not knowing everything—whether that’s because you’re new on the job or have incomplete information—can make you feel insecure and lead to a lack confidence.
It’s good to take on new challenges, but doing so without the right backing and information can be daunting and incredibly stressful – so make sure you are surrounding yourself with supportive co-workers or ask for the resources you need to complete or support your job role.
And remember that just about everyone feels like they’re not good enough at one time or another. Even the best and most talented employees sometimes feel like they’re in over their heads. The key to overcoming this feeling is taking the steps to get the information and resources needed to complete the project in a safe and efficient way.
5. Relationship Trouble
It is difficult for most people to clearly separate their work and home lives. It can be a huge problem, particularly when our personal relationships begin to have a negative impact on our ability to perform our jobs (or vice versa).
If your personal issues are beginning to impact on your job or you are struggling with a personal issue, discuss the matter with your manager, who may be able to refer you to an internal workplace counsellor or assist you in finding a counsellor for you.
In the event, you don’t feel comfortable raising your personal issues within your workplace, or even with your manager, then seek assistance from an external counsellor within your local area or city. There are also telephone services which can provide confidential advice or visit your local GP to discuss what you are experiencing.
6. Physical Health Issues
These days, many of us spend most of our work day sitting in meetings or behind a desk. Such an environment, whilst not physically straining, still has a big effect on our work and how we deal with stress - particularly if we are then eating a high-calorie, high-carb lunch followed with some after work drinks.
Be mindful that your work environment and eating habits, if not balanced, can leave you feeling tired and lead to lack of focus, energy, and then under-performance. Struggling with physical health factors can increase workplace stress and it is important that you establish healthy exercise and eating habits, which will assist in managing workplace stress.
7. Grasping in the Dark
Most people within the workplace, will become stressed when asked to undertake a task without having the necessary information they need to perform that task correctly and on time.
That’s why it’s crucial for employers to ensure all the information associated with any given project is given to staff; and for the employee who’s lacking critical details about a task, to immediately ask your superiors or colleagues for clarification or more information.
The good news is that there are several ways to reduce workplace stressors and it starts by being able to identify the stressors and take clear and practical steps towards limiting their impact on your everyday routine.
1. Feeling Like There Isn’t Enough Time
The average work week consists of about 40 hours of work, or eight hours of work per day – so it’s no wonder we often feel like there is not enough time. With most people getting approximately 5 to 8 hours of sleep each night, it leaves only a few short hours for exercise, eating dinner, and relaxing with friends and family.
The key to overcoming these feelings of being time poor is setting realistic schedules for yourself. At the same time, be sure not to take on more tasks that you can accomplish within a reasonable deadline. Finally, be clear and communicate with your superiors about how long it takes to ably complete a given project.
2. Over-Multi-Tasking
The ability to multitask, is one of the most valuable traits within a workplace and this ability to focus on several different things at once can help one worker set themselves apart from their competition in the office.
On the flip side, spreading yourself too thin can also create huge problems when it comes to stress. Taking on too many different projects all at once can prevent an individual from completing any of those projects in a satisfactory way, leading to criticism and, you got it, even more stress.
Therefore, managing a variety of tasks with a task list that clearly outlines the time frames and status till completion, is just one straightforward way to stay on top of an extensive list of tasks to complete.
3. Fearing Change
Within the workplace, change can be one of the main causes of intense stress, primarily because people often associate change with instability, or a chance they may lose their jobs.
If you work in an environment that’s undergoing change, it is important to stay positive and try not to stress until you’ve received good reason to.
Get as much information as you can about the change, but until you’re told that your position is changing or being eliminated, don’t let it get to you. If your position does change, think about how you can use your existing skills and try not to have a negative attitude which may lead to other noticing and not wanting to work with you.
It’s important to recognize that change is a constant in our lives and is a reality we can’t avoid it within our careers. Remember, you simply can’t control everything and some change can be positive.
Come to terms that your new situation might not be perfect but your previous situation probably wasn’t either. Think about how you can best leverage your skills, experiences and network to maximize your new role. If you have a negative a attitude, your new manager and co-workers will notice and they won’t want to work with you.
4. Feeling Insufficient
There are few more agonizing feelings than the feeling of insufficiency, or simply feeling like you’re not good enough to perform a task or your job. Not knowing everything—whether that’s because you’re new on the job or have incomplete information—can make you feel insecure and lead to a lack confidence.
It’s good to take on new challenges, but doing so without the right backing and information can be daunting and incredibly stressful – so make sure you are surrounding yourself with supportive co-workers or ask for the resources you need to complete or support your job role.
And remember that just about everyone feels like they’re not good enough at one time or another. Even the best and most talented employees sometimes feel like they’re in over their heads. The key to overcoming this feeling is taking the steps to get the information and resources needed to complete the project in a safe and efficient way.
5. Relationship Trouble
It is difficult for most people to clearly separate their work and home lives. It can be a huge problem, particularly when our personal relationships begin to have a negative impact on our ability to perform our jobs (or vice versa).
If your personal issues are beginning to impact on your job or you are struggling with a personal issue, discuss the matter with your manager, who may be able to refer you to an internal workplace counsellor or assist you in finding a counsellor for you.
In the event, you don’t feel comfortable raising your personal issues within your workplace, or even with your manager, then seek assistance from an external counsellor within your local area or city. There are also telephone services which can provide confidential advice or visit your local GP to discuss what you are experiencing.
6. Physical Health Issues
These days, many of us spend most of our work day sitting in meetings or behind a desk. Such an environment, whilst not physically straining, still has a big effect on our work and how we deal with stress - particularly if we are then eating a high-calorie, high-carb lunch followed with some after work drinks.
Be mindful that your work environment and eating habits, if not balanced, can leave you feeling tired and lead to lack of focus, energy, and then under-performance. Struggling with physical health factors can increase workplace stress and it is important that you establish healthy exercise and eating habits, which will assist in managing workplace stress.
7. Grasping in the Dark
Most people within the workplace, will become stressed when asked to undertake a task without having the necessary information they need to perform that task correctly and on time.
That’s why it’s crucial for employers to ensure all the information associated with any given project is given to staff; and for the employee who’s lacking critical details about a task, to immediately ask your superiors or colleagues for clarification or more information.
More about Stress:
- 10 Startling Symptoms of Stress
- Stress vs anxiety: The Differences Explained
- Workplace Stressors and how to deal with them
- High Anxiety: Six Common Realities of Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
- Effective Relaxation Tips