For anyone who has ever had a job at any point in their life, they have felt the pressure of work-related stress. No matter what the job is, there can be stressful elements to it. When it comes to short term stress, people may experience anxiety to fulfill a challenging project or meet a deadline. When the stress is something that becomes chronic, it becomes overwhelming and can even be harmful to both your emotional and physical health.
Dealing With Stress At Work
A large majority of Americans have found that their job causes chronic, long-term stress. There are many different factors that tend to lead to stress in your professional life including excessive workloads, low wages, little opportunity for growth or advancement, lack of social support, work that isn’t engaging or fulfilling, not feeling like you have enough control in job-related decisions, and unclear or unattainable performance expectations.
Unfortunately, stress, worry, and anxiety in your professional life do not just go away when you end your workday. When this stress continues, it takes a toll on your overall health and well-being. A stressful professional life can contribute to problems like headaches, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, and a short temper. Chronic stress can lead to insomnia, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, heart disease, and even obesity. Those who experience stress for a long time tend to deal with it in unhealthy ways such as eating unhealthy foods, lack of exercise, overeating, smoking, and abuse of alcohol or drugs. It is important to take steps to manage your stress to ensure your mind and body are in a healthy place. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to manage stress, anxiety, and worry in your work life.
Tracking Your Stressors at Work
It is important to know what is causing stress and worry in your professional life. Try journaling for a couple of weeks to identify what situations related to your job create the most stress and the way you respond to it. Track your thoughts, feelings, and information about the environment you were in at the time that you felt a lot of stress, fear, worry, or anxiety while at work.
Develop Healthy Responses
Rather than fighting the stress with unhealthy food or alcohol, try your best to find healthy outlets when you feel stress levels rising because of your job. Exercise is a great outlet for relieving tension and stress. You can also make time for your favorite hobbies like reading books or spending time with family or friends.
Establish Boundaries
With all of the technology surrounding us these days, it can be easy to feel like you have to be available at all times. Establishing healthy work to personal life balances and boundaries is essential for managing stress levels. This can include making rules for yourself like not checking emails after a certain time and simply not being available on the phone after work hours. Everyone has different preferences with how much they blend their home and work life but creating boundaries can reduce any unwanted tension.
Talk With Your Boss
Talking with your boss has an incentive for you and your boss. It can make your professional life more enjoyable and create a better work environment that promotes employee well-being. You can start by having an open conversation with your boss. The purpose would be to come up with an effective plan for managing any stressors that you have identified so that way you can perform your best while on the job.
No matter how you do it, taking decisive actions is the first step because this is not something you should ignore, and it is not something that will simply go away. Stress can wreak havoc on anyone’s health if you let it get out of hand, especially while at work. Make sure to put your physical and mental health first so that you can be your absolute best at your profession. These steps are just a few ways you can do it.
Contact a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Ultimately, talking to a psychotherapist can help you come up with more effective solutions for managing stress, anxiety, and worry that are personalized to fit your unique situation.
Life can be challenging at times. We all need support at different times in our lives. My clients seek help when their current way of dealing with life’s challenges no longer works for them. With a caring, non-judgmental, and solution-focused approach, we will explore your issues in a safe therapeutic environment that allows you to learn more effective ways of managing anxiety or stress, sadness or depression, conflicts, or other challenges in your life.
