Handling Stress in the Workplace

Stress reduces productivity on the job and often causes employees to quit their jobs. Seventy-two percent of employees experience stress related conditions that could increase health costs. Oftentimes, stress results when the mind, body and emotions receive an overload of stimulus. While some people are able to handle workplace challenges without any sign of stress, others are stressed with even the smallest changes in the workplace. You know you are stressed when you have one or more of the following symptoms:

• increased anger,
• fatigue,
• problems with relationships,
• anxiety and inability to focus properly,
• insomnia
• and stress headaches

It is essential to increase your ability to handle stress as stress can affect your productivity and relationship with people both in and out of workplace. How you deal with stress determines how it will affect you. Just imagine you were driving your car then suddenly another car suddenly veers off out of nowhere and caused you to slam on the brakes. Notice that your pulse rate is up and you are more vigilant. This reaction is your body's normal response to sudden changes in situations. Now imagine yourself always feeling angry and fatigued with workplace responsibilities. Your pulse rate is always up and if this continues your body is damaged by the frequent physical changes it puts itself through.

Stress can often result to hidden injuries that workers often suffer from. Long term health problems can be caused or aggravated by workplace stress include strokes, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, diabetes, domestic violence, alcoholism, immune system dysfunction, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse. Employers often handle stress in the workplace by focusing on the workers ability to deal with stressful situations and the interpersonal and socio-cultural causes of stress. For workers here are a few pointers to remember to lessen the impact of workplace stress in your life.

• Every morning, take a few minutes meditating or simply gazing out the window. This will help you have inner peace and start your day right.
• Use your office breaks to relax rather than smoke or take a short walk
• Talk with your co-workers during lunch break about topics not related to your work
• Consider having a quiet lunch at least once or twice a week
• At the end of the day, make a smooth transition from work mode to home mode.

The level of responsibility demanded in today's workers is greater than in the past. With so much responsibility placed on workers, it is the employers or managers duty to implement programs that promote production, well-being and reduces the stress that workers are experiencing. Keep in mind that stress can kill. You don't need to react to stress but you can choose how to respond to it.