Work Stress
WHAT IS STRESS?
Most experts define stress as a response to life situations like the following:
- Having too many responsibilities
- Having vague or confusing expectations
- Doing unpleasant tasks
- Facing too many distractions
- Doing tasks for which one is unprepared
- Working with difficult people
- Being bored
- Being sick
- Experiencing too many changes
- Being in physical danger
- Living or working in a crowded space
- Getting inadequate exercise
- Getting inadequate nutrition
- Getting inadequate sleep
- Getting inadequate time to relax
- Being dissatisfied with one’s physical appearance
- Abusing drugs or alcohol or being close to someone who abuses them
WHAT CAUSES STRESS?
Stress has become a factor in our culture in the last 20 years because of technology that was originally designed to make life less stressful. Conveniences such as ATMs, microwave ovens, and fax machines have made life easier in many ways but have also woven into our culture an expectation of instant gratification, a condition that causes stress.
WHAT CAUSES STRESS AT WORK?
These days, almost everyone complains of stress at work. This stress often results from one of the following:
- Having too much or too little work
- Having very complicated and demanding work
- Having boring and repetitive work
- Having unclear goals and expectations
- Having to follow changing or confusing procedures
- Being at a career dead end
- Working in a company with an impersonal management philosophy
WHY HAS WORK STRESS INCREASED?
The nature of work has changed.
The fight-or flight response to stress is ineffective in dealing with the stresses of today’s life.
The workplace has become decentralized.
In many places, people no longer work together in one place but are scattered around the world or working from home, connected by technology.
People change with each generation.
Baby Boomers differ from Generation-Xers in terms of their values, work ethics, and definitions of success. These generational differences contribute to stress at work.
HOW DOES WORK STRESS AFFECT WOMEN?
Both sexes experience stress; however, women are affected in some unique ways. Here are a few examples:
Women still face a "glass ceiling" as they climb the corporate ladder.
- Overall, women are still paid less than men for the same work.
- Women still face a "glass ceiling" as they climb the corporate ladder. A recent report states that only 2 percent of top management members in North American corporations are women.
- Women who choose to have children are usually responsible for the logistics of child care.
- Women with children often do more housework when they get home from their jobs than their husbands do.
- Compared to men, women with children tend to feel more guilty about leaving their children to go to work.
HOW CAN STRESS BE MANAGED?
The most important part of any stress-reducing strategy is to learn to manage relationships. Here are some key components of such a strategy:
Identify the sources of stress in your relationships.
Write about these sources in a journal. Make a list of people who cause you stress and explore what the issues are.
Resolve the underlying issues.
For each of the sources you identified in the preceding text, assess what needs to happen to resolve it. Make a list and design a plan to improve the situation.
We are not born knowing how to get along well with others, and from our parents most of us learned only limited skills.
Learn skills to improve relationships.
Relationship skills are learned. We are not born knowing how to get along well with others, and from our parents most of us learned only limited skills. Identify the skills you need to develop; then make a plan for yourself. You can learn these skills by reading books, taking classes, or working with a therapist.
Avoid toxic people and situations.
Some people have a toxic effect on you. If possible, limit the amount of time you spend with these people. Look for opportunities to decline their invitations. When these people are family members, remind yourself that you don’t have to feel guilty about avoiding anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself. In the workplace, look for ways to rearrange your schedule or your workspace to avoid interacting with such people.
Seek out positive people and situations.
Think about people who make you feel good about yourself and look for ways to increase time with them. Look for opportunities to spend more time in situations that make you feel good.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING STRESS?
Besides learning to deal with people in a more positive manner, you can do many other things, such as the following, to manage the stress in your life:
Watch what you eat. Some foods amplify the stress response. These include:
- Caffeine, which stimulates the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of oxygen going to the heart. However, ongoing exposure to caffeine can harm the tissue of the heart.
- Refined sugar, as well as processed flour, is depleted of needed vitamins. In times of stress, certain vitamins help maintain the nervous and endocrine systems.
- Too much salt, which can lead to excessive fluid retention, which, in turn, can lead to nervous tension and high blood pressure. Stress often exacerbates the problem of high blood pressure.
- Smoking, which not only causes disease and shortens life but leads to increased heart, blood pressure, and respiration rates.
- Alcohol, which robs the body of nutrients that it might otherwise use for cell growth and repair. Alcohol also harms the liver and adds empty calories to the body.
During times of high stress, eat more complex carbohydrates (found in fruits, vegetables, whole breads, cereals, and beans).
- Get moving. The human body is designed to be physically active. In many jobs today, however, people are seated most of the time; they hardly move at all except to go to lunch or a coffee break. When faced with stressors, we respond with our minds, not our bodies. It is no wonder that many of us have a difficult time responding to stressful events.
Exercise is one of the simplest, most effective ways to respond to stress. Activity provides a natural release for the body during its fight-or-flight state of arousal. After exercising, the body returns to its normal state of equilibrium, and one feels relaxed and refreshed.
Look for ways to let go of tension and anxiety. Meditation and progressive relaxation are two valuable ways to regenerate and refresh yourself. You can purchase meditation and relaxation audiotapes or record your own. Letting go of tension and anxiety is especially important, for your health and long life depend on minimizing stress and achieving a sense of balance and well-being.
The human body is designed to be physically active. In many jobs today, however, people are seated most of the time; they hardly move at all except to go to lunch or a coffee break.
WHERE CAN I GO FOR MORE INFORMATION?
Cunningham, J. Barton. The Stress Management Sourcebook. Los Angeles: Lowell House, 1997.
Davidson, Jeff. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing Stress. New York: Alpha Books, 1997.
Hanson, Peter G. The Joy of Stress. Kansas City, MO: Andrews & McMeel, 1985.
Hanson, Peter G. Stress For Success. New York: Doubleday, 1989.
Prevention’s Guide to Stress-Free Living. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1998.
Viscott, David. The Viscott Method. New York: Pocket Books, 1984.