Managing Stress at Work
Work can be a significant contribution to the amount of stress in your life. Between deadlines, performance expectations and workplace dynamics sometimes work may become overwhelming and unenjoyable. If you find that work related stress is impacting your health, it’s time to seek professional help.
How do you know if you’re stressed at work?
- Headaches or migraines
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Problems sleeping
- Fatigue
- Irritability or mood swings
- Muscle tension
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thinking about work outside of work
If you have some or all of these symptoms, it’s time to prioritize you before you reach burnout. Since one third of your time is spent at work so it’s important to learn ways to manage your stress. Learn to know your limits and not over extend yourself and your abilities.
How do you decrease stress at work?
- Recharge your battery. There is only one you and you need to make time to take care of yourself. This involves engaging in activities, like self care, that energize and recharge your battery. If you’re running on empty, you won’t be able to effectively perform at work and will reach burn out a lot sooner.
- Prioritize your workload. Some projects and tasks at work are more important than others. It’s okay to work on those that need your attention now and postpone those that do not. If you’re unsure what is a priority, asking your manager may help.
- Don’t skimp on your sleep. Sleep is important to recharge your battery. You may think you can cut down on your sleep to do more work but that only ends up hurting you in the long run. Lack of good quality sleep leads to diminished cognition, decreased alertness and a drop off in work performance.
- Know when to say no. You may want to seem like a team player by saying yes to all tasks offered to you but if you’re unable to complete them in a timely manner that can hurt your reputation. It’s okay to say no or set boundaries with what you’re able to do in the time you’re allow to do it.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. It’s essential to keep communication open with your colleagues and supervisors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your peers or your managers.
How do you know when it’s time to quit your job?
There will be times when you’ve done all you can to decrease your stress but the environment at work is not conducive to your physical and mental well-being. This may look like having a management team that is unsupportive of you and your boundaries. It’s unrealistic for your manager to expect you to consistently work long hours and not be compensated for them. In addition, if your supervisor is constantly calling you about work projects during your time away from work, that can be a sign that it’s time to leave.
Sometimes it’s not your managers but it’s your colleagues that are making it stressful at work. Navigating relationships at work is important because workplace relationships can contribute to how happy and satisfied you are with your position. If you have coworkers that are supportive and encouraging, then your stress level will decrease. However, if you have colleagues that undermine your abilities, your stress increases. If you’re in an unfortunate environment where your coworkers are unsupportive, you can try to address it directly with them. If you don’t feel comfortable or safe doing that, speaking with your manager or someone in human resources can be helpful. If those options don’t work out, it may be time to look for another position inside or outside of the company.
It is crucial to be able to cope with stress at work. At times, you will be able to cope on your own but other times, you may need more guidance. It’s all right to seek help from a professional.
Judy Wang, LCPC, CPC provides therapy online in NV and MD. She works with teens and adults who are struggling with OCD, anxiety and trauma.