Work Stress
In a fast-paced, career-oriented society like the US, work can cause significant pressure on people to succeed, gain money, and advance in their jobs. However, although stress and work often coincide, there are various techniques you can try to manage work-related stress levels in your life. Below, explore work stress reduction techniques and ways to find support.
Tracking the causes and effects of work stress
Stress at work is common. According to a 2021 survey, over 50% of all employees reported that work-related stress was having negative impacts on their physical and mental health. To understand why you’re stressed at work, looking at common causes of work stress can be the first step to fixing them.
Start by identifying your stressors. Ask yourself whether you experience stress before, during, or after your shifts. Do any specific situations or stimuli cause the stress to arise? Keeping a journal where you write down a list of people, situations, and events that make you feel stress from work could help you pinpoint key causes. Over time, you may be able to identify patterns that cause stress, such as unrealistic deadlines or certain co-workers.
Workplace stress, anxiety, and depression
Notice the effects of stress on your mental health. You may start by tracking how workplace stress affects your thinking and behavior. Are you missing a lot of work when you’re feeling most stressed? Does it seem like you might be experiencing anxiety or depression? Does your self-esteem decrease or your negative self-talk increase when your job demands too much? Knowing your symptoms could help you find tailored coping mechanisms to address specific workplace stressors and general job stress.
Take note of how you react to stress. How you react to work-related stress could jeopardize your job, relationships, and health, so being aware of your responses to better control them could be a good place to start. For example, defaulting to angry outbursts, self-medicating with alcohol, or isolating yourself socially are all examples of ways to relieve stress that could negatively influence your life and health.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
Get active for workplace stress relief
Below are a few ways to start relieving workplace stress through physical activity.
Practice yoga
Research suggests that the ancient Indian spiritual practice of yoga may be so helpful for stress management in the workplace that many companies around the world offer classes to improve employee health. If your company has that option, you might consider taking advantage of it. If not, taking an in-person or virtual class in your free time could produce mental health benefits. The breath work that accompanies yoga is majorly stress relieving for many.
Take a group exercise class
Research suggests that group exercise, in particular, may increase well-being and a sense of social connectedness, offer various physical health benefits, and potentially reduce symptoms of depression. Whether it's a kickboxing class, a spinning class, or a running group, getting active—especially with others—could help reduce stress hormone (cortisol) levels and help you feel calmer. Ensuring your time outside of work is fulfilling can help you balance stress.
Join a sports team
While it’s not for everyone, some people find that the camaraderie and lighthearted atmosphere of joining an adult sports league is an enjoyable way to make new connections, get exercise, and decompress from a stressful job.
Take a walk or a jog
Even if for a few minutes each day, taking a walk—especially if you can do so in a park or other natural area—could help you control your mood and release tension. Light exercise is a time-honored way to reduce stress and forget about work when you're off the clock.
Use relaxation techniques for job stress management
Practice deep breathing
Deep breathing helps supply more oxygen to the body and brain, releasing more carbon dioxide and potentially lowering high blood pressure. Closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths—whether at your desk or on public transport to or from work—as needed could help you control your work-related stress response.
Try a body scan
When you’re feeling the pressure, you might also take a moment to become more aware of stress symptoms throughout your body. Start by sitting quietly or lying down if you can. Next, direct your attention to each part of your body, one at a time, noticing any sensations. This exercise may help you realize where you’re holding muscle tension and what you may need (food, water, rest, exercise, stretching) to help your body and mind better cope with work-related stress.
Consider meditation
Meditation is an ancient spiritual practice with roots in Indian culture that is becoming popular worldwide due to its potential health effects, including better stress management and calming the nervous system. When you’re overwhelmed by work, you can practice meditation by taking deep breaths and letting thoughts drift in and out of your consciousness, noticing them without judging or trying to hold onto them.
Some studies suggest that engaging in a normal gratitude practice could help you increase your emotional resilience to stress. Gratitude might involve thinking of three aspects of your life you’re grateful for before you go to sleep each night or writing a few in a notebook each morning.
Healthy habits may help you keep your body and mind healthy simultaneously. Below are a few tips:
- Eat nutritious foods: What you eat could affect how you respond to certain emotions and help with disease control. Incorporating nutritious foods may help you respond more productively to stress.
- Get enough sleep: High levels of perceived stress can contribute to poor sleep and vice versa. Practicing good sleep hygiene could help you get enough quality rest despite work-related stress so that your body and mind can be better equipped to face a new day.
- Avoid drinking too much caffeine: Many people find that too much caffeine from coffee or energy drinks can exacerbate their tension and anxiety, making them jittery and nervous or causing sleep disturbances. For this reason, someone who is already stressed may avoid or limit caffeine.
- Avoid or limit alcohol: Although some people turn to a drink or two to unwind after a stressful workday, this habit could be counterproductive. When consumed too close to bedtime, alcohol could decrease sleep quality, which could decrease stress resilience, emotional control, and cognitive performance.
How to set boundaries at work
Below are a few ways to reduce work stress by setting boundaries in the workplace.
Ensure work-life balance
Many companies consider work-life balance a core value of their organizational values. Separating work from your personal life as much as possible can help you reduce stress. For example, you may avoid answering emails on the weekends or days off or practice relaxation exercises to calm down after work and before engaging with family or friends. Try to keep work stress from polluting your free time.
Set boundaries with coworkers
Consider your relationships with coworkers. If they expect you to do their work or help in ways that make you uncomfortable, deciding on time and energy limits may reduce your stress. Setting boundaries can be challenging if they seem to clash with organizational behavior, but maintaining your own occupational safety can benefit your mental health.
Set boundaries with supervisors
Managers, supervisors, and bosses may sometimes expect you to complete tasks outside your job description or devote more than your designated weekly hours to work tasks. While managing this stressful situation and safeguarding your job can be tricky, setting limits could be productive. Some companies may value employee input about delegating tasks and responsibilities to better account for hiring needs.
Enforce boundaries professionally
Once you set boundaries around work-life balance and with coworkers and supervisors, enforcing them when or if they are pushed is another element of safeguarding your health and energy. Job insecurity sometimes prompts employees to constantly take on more, but learning to say no calmly and firmly may prevent stress.
How to solve problems at work and identify your stressors
Below are ways to solve problems and understand your stress.
Identify your top three work stressors
Although it’s not possible in all cases, you may be able to eliminate or reduce sources of stress by solving problems. First, you might try listing three to five top work stressors that could be dealt with.
Brainstorm solutions
Go through each challenge and brainstorm a list of potential solutions. For example, an ill-fitting uniform or work clothes that add to your agitation throughout the day could be altered or replaced. A rude coworker could be approached calmly and kindly to resolve the conflict. A dull or uninspiring work environment could be brightened with personal decor or creature comforts.
However, reporting these conditions to management or the appropriate agency is generally recommended if your safety and health are at risk at your job. You may find that no amount of stress management is effective if you are unsafe at work.
Maintaining your health
Mental and physical health habits can help you feel less stressed at work. Consider trying the following.
Unplug from digital work chores
When you go home from work, disconnecting from the digital world of your workplace and releasing unnecessary stress may help you recharge from the day. If you need to check work emails at home, you might set a specific time frame in which to do so and then do your best to put your device down and put that stress out of your mind.
Distract yourself
Getting your mind off work can be tricky, even in your off-hours, so you might search for activities that can allow you to get into a “flow state” of present focus where you aren’t thinking about anything but what you’re doing in the moment. For example, some people can find this state while drawing, writing, singing, or running. Finding a flow-state activity like this that works for you could allow your brain a break.
Get outdoors
Studies indicate that spending time in nature could help reduce stress levels. For example, in your off hours, you can hike or walk around your local park.
Laugh with your friends
Laughter may decrease stress and anxiety, so spending lighthearted time with friends, attending a comedy show, or watching a movie or show you find funny could be useful.
Spend time with your loved ones
Social support can be a crucial element of overall health and well-being. Healthy connections may increase stress resilience, which points to prioritizing time with friends, family, neighbors, and others.
Get mental health support
Opening up to friends or family members about your stress at work could help you feel heard and may even help you find resolutions to your key stressors. In addition, if you have a particular challenge that's increasing your stress at work, going to a support group could help you get your feelings out and find new solutions to your problems. For example, if you work in a caring industry like healthcare, meeting with others in the field could offer you a space to commiserate and heal.
Talk to a therapist about work stress and its negative effects (such as anxiety and depression)
A mental health counselor may help you develop better ways of coping with stress at work. For example, they can help you track your stress, use relaxation techniques more effectively, learn to set boundaries, and generate potential solutions for key stressors. They are also trained to provide support if you are also experiencing an emotional disorder, such as depression or anxiety, due to the negative effects of workplace stress.
Treating work stress
Commuting to and from in-person therapy appointments can be difficult if you’re stressed at or because of your workplace. In such cases, you might prefer meeting with a therapist through a platform like BetterHelp. With an online platform, you can access sessions via phone, video, or live chat and access unique resources like journaling prompts and weekly support groups. Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy for challenges like chronic stress, so you might consider this option if it’s more convenient for you.
Takeaway
Should I quit my job due to stress?
If your job is causing you extreme stress, considering leaving for a new opportunity is normal. You’re not alone in feeling this way. If you have exhausted all other avenues, such as talking to management, changing your schedule, or reducing stressors in the workplace or your personal life, you may consider quitting your job. Some people may try to line up another job before leaving in case their management cannot schedule them after putting in their notice.
What is the most stressful job?
Stress is subjective, but specific jobs that require significant manual labor or long hours may be more stressful for certain workers. For example, jobs in construction, on oil rigs, or with long daily schedules may be more stressful for workers. Jobs that require significant focus and well-being, such as those in the medical field, may also be stressful for some people. However, many people experience stress at work, and regardless of their field, this stress can be valid and essential to address.
Is it normal not to want to work?
Not wanting to work is normal, especially if you’ve only experienced significant stress at past jobs or struggle to make ends meet with your income. People who don’t make a lot of money or aren’t getting satisfaction from their careers may struggle to go to work or want to work in general, especially if they have hopeless thoughts about the future.
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