Back to list 2020-01-21 11:03:08

In today’s modern society, stress has become the new normal for many people and seems to be a consistent part of our daily lives. The World Health Organization states that stress has become a worldwide epidemic.

Stress at work can damage employees’ health and the business’s performance. According to a recent study, China is the country with the most stressed workers (75% of respondents), and stress levels are rising worldwide.

The Main Sources of Work Stress

Long hours, tight deadlines, last-minute projects a without warning, a mountain of emails, phones ringing every five minutes, and even noise from colleagues can leave you feeling emotionally and mentally drained, overwhelmed, and stressed.

Some common work-related stressors are the following:

• Low salaries
• Excessive workloads
• Physical discomfort
• Few opportunities for growth or advancement
• Work that isn’t interesting or challenging
• A lack of social support
• Not enough control over job-related decisions
• Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations

Those stressful experiences may happen every day at work, and some of those work-related stressors are closely linked with burnout and anxiety. Burnout is a psychological reaction that happens after suffering chronic stress for a long time, and it can manifest as feeling overwhelming exhausted, cynicism, and feeling useless.

How to Deal with Stress at Work?

Stress at work has become so common that finding a low-stress job may be difficult or impossible for many people. The next-best solution is to learn how to cope with stress by applying some effective strategies to reduce stress at work.

* Be Clear on Requirements

One of the main sources of stress is unclear requirements. If you do not know what’s expected of you, or if the demands keep changing with short notice, you may end up feeling much more stressed than usual.

* Stay Organized

The key to working stress-free is planning. Disorganization increases your level of anxiety, so try to plan as much as possible when possible. That way, you can avoid overtime work.

* Be Comfortable

The chances are that you’re spending most of your time sitting at your desk. Being in an uncomfortable chair for hours increases your stress level. Physical discomfort can lead to a sore back and eventually to stress.

* Go Out for Lunch

Going outside during lunch and taking a walk can greatly help you feel less stressed, lift your mood, and may help you stay in shape. Your body is not made to support hours of sitting, so try to get up whenever you get the chance.