While going to work may give us income, structure, and a sense of pride, it can also cause a lot of worry and stress. You do not want you job to be a cakewalk, but any means. We all want a challenge to make the end product all the more satisfying. But if the amount of stress and pressure we are under gets to be too much, then we find ourselves under stress. Work-related stress is one of the main causes of sick leave and research has shown that one in six people feel that their job is very or extremely stressful.
Most stress from work is the result of many smaller situations that build up over time, although work-related stress may also be triggered by a sudden or unexpected event. Lots of different factors can cause stress on the job, such as too much or too little responsibility, challenging working conditions, lack of job security, poor fit between your job and your skills and interests, difficult co-workers, and long hours at work.
Work-related stress is responsible for both physical and psychological health problems. You may have trouble sleeping, stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, backache, headache, fatigue, and sweating as a result of this stress. Psychological symptoms can include feelings that you cannot cope, irritability and mood swings, disturbed eating patterns, finding it hard to concentrate, feeling less motivated and a lower sex drive (libido).
Since you cannot completely eliminate pressure at work, it is important to know how to effectively handle stress. There are three basic approaches to dealing with stress:
- Changing how we react to an event that causes stress
- Reducing the effect stress has on your body
- Educate yourself on other ways you can manage stress
If you cannot get your work-related stress alone, then you will need to see a professional, who may be able to find individualized methods for you to cope. Do not resist seeing someone because you believe this indicates weakness. It is weak to simply sit and pretend there is no problem. It takes strength to solve your problem. Your physician should be able to determine the physical symptoms of stress that you are experiencing, help you identify the specific cause of your work-related stress, advise you about some relaxation exercises, and recommend a counselor if necessary.
If you feel that your stress is a result of being bullied or harassed then you need to speak to your company's human resources or personnel department. Almost all companies have guidelines to help deal with harassment in the workplace; this is important because no one should feel bullied, harassed, or victimized at the place they work. If your manager does not seem to be taking your complaint seriously, then you must press forward because you are legally protected. You do not need your manager to take action.
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