Layoffs, understaffing, and poor working conditions are just some of the factors that can lead to low morale and stress in the workplace. As most people experience job stress at some point in their lives, job stress management is critical towards maintaining a healthy balance between your professional and personal life. There are various methods of managing job stress which depend upon the degree and nature of the stress as well as the resources available to the person suffering from it. Choosing the best job stress management techniques involves assessing the severity of the stress and taking advantage of the resources available to help combat it.
If you find yourself experiencing stress on the job which causes irritation or anxiety at work but doesn’t affect your personal life, it can most likely be considered a moderate level of stress. Dealing with difficult coworkers or feeling overwhelmed with your workload are common work stressors which can sometimes be alleviated just by talking to a trusted friend. Although gossiping with coworkers about job stressors can be tempting, it’s better to speak directly and in confidence with your supervisor or boss about the sources of your job stress. Searching the Internet for job stress management techniques can also yield potential solutions for alleviating specific sources of work stress, whether they involve the nature of the work itself or interpersonal conflicts. If your workplace has a human resources (HR) department, they may also be able to provide some literature or counseling for job stress management.
If you find yourself experiencing job stress that’s affecting your personal life in such forms as anxiety or loss of sleep, you are most likely experiencing a high level of stress. If left untreated, high levels of work stress over a prolonged period of time have the potential to cause depression and other health problems. If your workplace offers counseling or psychological services as part of a health benefits plan, take advantage of those services by booking an appointment to speak to a mental health professional. Organizations that have unions typically offer counseling as part of their jobs stress management employee resources. If your boss or supervisor is supportive of working with you to alleviate job stress, you may want to speak with him or her about the steps you’re taking to manage job stress, especially if they involve a leave of absence from work.