Did you know that in 2017, more than 10 million Vietnamese people have problems with anxiety disorders, depression, and work stress ?
Rapidly changing lives, increasing responsibilities and costs make stress and fatigue leading to stress or depression more and more common. Among them, work stress is the top concern.
Stress at work affects the performance of employees leading to damage to the business. More importantly, it erodes the strength of workers both physically and mentally, reducing their quality of life.
To avoid this situation becoming serious, let’s learn with Glints how to reduce stress effectively in this article.
Signs that you are stressed at work
Work stress can be recognized in terms of physical, psychological, and behavioral signs.
Based on these signs, we can see how severe a person’s stress is.
Signs of stress through physical expression
Work stress can be the cause of physical symptoms. If you or someone else has one of the following symptoms, chances are they are suffering from stress at work.
- Tired
- Headache
- Constantly sleepy at work
- Difficulty sleeping or prolonged insomnia
- Digestive disorders, stomach pain, acne, etc.
Signs of stress through psychological expression
Psychological manifestations are often difficult to see. One can even hide what’s going on inside of them with very ordinary actions and gestures.
- Depression and anxiety disorders
- Pessimistic
- Or grumpy
- Decreased ability to concentrate and make decisions
- Lost motivation
Signs of stress through behavior
Work stress can take over a person and cause them to behave differently in life and at work.
- Take frequent breaks
- Behaving strangely
- Reduced work productivity
- Suddenly stopped participating in company activities
- Late work
- Overly sensitive
- Become isolated
Specifically, what can cause work stress? The next section covers some of the most common causes.
What causes stress at work?
Working hours are too long, leading to stress and fatigue
The normal working time at companies today is 8 hours/day. However, there are jobs and periods where workers have to work overtime, so this number can be up to 10 to 15 hours per day.
Long working hours make our body tired, life cycle is interrupted, and pressure increases. This, if prolonged, will lead to serious work stress.
Overload of work
According to a survey on work stress or work-related depression in the UK in 2021, overwork is the leading cause of stress. ( 1 ) The figure of 39% of workers surveyed by Statista also acknowledges this.
The pressure of work overload includes tight deadlines, heavy responsibilities, and lack of management support . Requests from superiors exceed employees’ ability and tolerance, causing them pressure and stress.
Lack of support and collaboration from colleagues and superiors
An ideal working environment is when colleagues support and cooperate with each other to achieve common goals. Besides, listening to feedback and support from managers or leaders is the motivation to help employees complete their work well.
Without these factors, each individual would be very lost and disoriented. Work stress also comes from there.
Especially, imagine if you are new to the company without receiving guidance from colleagues or superiors. This is indeed an unpleasant experience.
Work is too boring
This may sound paradoxical because you may feel bored with the work but at least there is no pressure for not being able to complete it. Because the job is boring, it may be because it is too easy to dex or you have already mastered it.
However, if this state of affairs goes on for too long while your desire to experience something new is aroused, stress can still arise.
Conflicts and repression when you have to do work you don’t want to anymore will make you stressed and tired.
Lack of skills to do the job well
When you are not able to handle work, you are also very susceptible to stress. You always want to complete the assigned work well but the results are not as expected. The sadness of failure and the pressure of criticism from your superiors will double the stress in you.
The problem gets worse when it affects your self-belief and self-esteem. Thinking that you are inferior will make you overwhelmed by work stress.
Conflict with colleagues and boss
To do a good job you need not only to be competent but also to know how to build healthy and cooperative relationships with everyone in the company.
Therefore, once these relationships are in trouble, your work and even your spirit will suffer.
Toxic working environment
Another external factor that contributes to work stress is a toxic work environment . This is also the reason why most employees quit during the “great resignation” or “great resignation”.
There are many factors that make up a unique work environment. Some of the main reasons can be listed:
- Does not guarantee development opportunities for employees
- No respect for staff
- Colleagues and superiors behave unethically and unprofessionally
- Discrimination
There are countless other causes and they can depend on each individual’s circumstances. Among them, working from home during the past pandemic is also a leading cause of work stress.
How to relieve stress at work easily and effectively
Recognizing the causes of work stress will make it easier to deal with them. If you still don’t know what to do when stressed at work , refer to the following methods.
1. Identify the cause of work stress
The first thing you need to do is figure out why you’re stressed. It could be one of the reasons mentioned above. Only when you know exactly what the cause is, can you solve it completely.
2. Give yourself positive responses to stress
You should face stress, not avoid it. Acknowledge that you are in a state of need for attention and care. Work stress can make you tired, weak, and down. But that’s okay, it’s our natural response when faced with difficulties and it’s completely normal.
Consider this stressful time as a necessity for you to know how to take care and change yourself. Don’t force yourself to suffer or hide it.
3. Rest and relax to free yourself from work stress
While running a deadline or working overtime to ensure work progress, don’t forget to give yourself the necessary breaks . A few minutes of breathing in the fresh air on the balcony or sipping a cup of tea can make you feel relaxed and less stressed.
If possible, spend a weekend going to a cafe, picnic, or traveling with friends to temporarily forget work stress and “refresh” yourself.
4. Eat healthy and get enough sleep
Diet and sleep greatly affect our mental health. Sleep deprivation is also a major cause of stress, fatigue, and depression.
Despite the difficulties at work, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It will equip you with a durable health and a strong mind to fight stress at work.
5. Share with colleagues and superiors
If you want to reduce stress in the workplace, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with those involved. Chances are your co-workers or superiors don’t realize the situation you’re going through. Speaking out will help you gain understanding and empathy. From there, active methods can be discussed to solve the problem.
6. Seek professional help to eliminate work stress
Currently, psychological problems are very common and increasingly concerned. If you feel stuck and need help, do not hesitate to contact a reputable psychologist for advice.
They will help you heal and “treat” your stress.
Conclude
Anyone can experience work stress. So if one day you find yourself in a similar situation, calmly face it and find a solution. Always remember that there will be someone willing to listen and help you through that difficult time. Take a deep breath and then all the fatigue and stress will soon pass.
Leave a Reply