Ways to beat job stress

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction
• What causes job stress?
• Why do we need to combat work stress?
• Ways to beat job stress
• Conclusion

Introduction

With the cost of living rising on a year-by-year basis, a job is a necessity if you want to pay your bills (unless, of course, you have enough investments to rely on). For some people, their job can be a source of great satisfaction and joy. But for most others, a job can be stressful more often than not.

A recent study by Oracle revealed that Indian professionals suffer from higher levels of stress than most workers on a global scale.[1] This is a troubling development, because job stress can affect the body and mind in many adverse ways.

What causes job stress?

There may be many trigger points that cause job stress. The causes may vary from one person to another, and even for the same person, the causes of job stress may be different from one day to the next. Here is a closer look at the most common causes of job stress in today's work culture.

• Work environment

  A work environment that is not comfortable and supportive of employee growth can be a great trigger for job stress. Adverse aspects in a work environment can include noisy workplaces, a lack of privacy, a lack of essential facilities and even general workplace politics. All these factors can make you extremely stressed out.

• Management style

  The management style in a workplace directly affects employee behaviour and employee morale. With a good management team, you will feel motivated and inspired to head to work each day. However, a management team that is not good at communicating well with the workforce, or one that does not support and bond with their employees can increase job stress.

• Work pressures and deadlines

  Work pressure is one of the most common causes of stress at the workplace. Undue amounts of pressure to perform well, coupled with challenging deadlines and poor work-life balance can ultimately wear you down. This leads to mental and physical stress. If you are suffering from this issue at your workplace, you will have to take measures to reduce job stress right away.

• Career-related concerns

  For some people, job stress can come from the fact that there may not be any opportunities for growth in their career. This can lead to weeks of worry, combined with a great deal of job stress. This anxiety may affect how they perform at work, leading to more concerns. Ultimately, this creates a vicious cycle of stress and worry.

Why do we need to combat work stress?

Job stress may not seem like a big issue at first. But for people who suffer chronically from this problem, or for people who suddenly experience an upshoot in work stress, there may be many mental and physical health issues. Here are some of the most common side effects of stress at the workplace.

• Physical impact of job stress

  Initially, stress and anxiety at the workplace can cause headaches, lack of sleep and even a loss of appetite. Over time, it can escalate to more serious issues like high blood pressure.

• Mental impact of job stress

  Job stress also causes anxiety, depression and decreased attention span. These issues may affect the employee's mental health over time.

• Critical illness due to job stress

  In many employees, stress at the workplace may also lead to chronic and critical illnesses like cardiovascular disease or heart disease. Left unchecked, these issues can cause a heart attack.

Ways to beat job stress

To avoid the adverse effects of workplace anxiety on your physical and mental health, it is important to take measures to reduce job stress at the earliest. This way, you can ensure that you don't develop any of the adverse effects of a hectic job.

Here are 5 ways to help you reduce job stress.

Conclusion

Job stress may be unavoidable, but fortunately, with the tips and tricks mentioned above, you can reduce the anxiety that your work brings you. A healthy work-life balance is crucial, and so, you need to make sure that you don't let your job get the better of you. Take the measures outlined above in a timely manner to avoid a burnout.

^[1] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/indians-professionals-suffer-higher-stress-level-than-most-workers-globally-shows-study/articleshow/87328039.cms?from=mdr
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