Reducing Stress At Work

February 17, 2011 By 28 Comments
stress

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I’m often stressed out at work. I wish I could be less anxious, but it seems as if I just can’t control it. Any suggestions for me?

Stress is complicated because it can be generated both by our personality type and by our circumstances: in either case, identifying the chief cause can be a challenge.

In addition, stress can often swirl into something more pervasive, to the point where an individual has an overall sense of anxiousness that far outweighs a particular issue or problem.

Stress can be debilitating and may even cause medical problems: addressing it at the earliest opportunity will therefore be beneficial for your health and emotional well-being.

Are you able to identify a few significant sources of stress? For instance, are there unresolved matters – from outside work – that need to be addressed? Perhaps you’re worried about an aging parent or errant child, or maybe there is a mounting pile of unpaid bills and insufficient money to pay them.

You can bring these feelings of anxiousness to the office which will mingle with your day-to-day workplace problems thus creating a general level of stress.

Think, too, about those specific tensions that originate at work: looming deadlines, budget pressures, difficult co-workers, and a demanding boss are some examples.

While we can’t always control our situation, we can frequently control our response. Let’s say your boss puts excessive pressure on you to complete an assignment without giving you the needed time. Speak to him or her immediately and request an extension.

If there are family problems that need to be addressed, deal with them strategically and don’t procrastinate; above all, make every effort not to blend your personal and financial matters with work issues. Respect your co-workers by minimizing any self-absorbed conversation.

Stress can have less impact on your life if you choose to be more balanced: take time for friends, relaxation, exercise and reading. Too much alcohol or fattening food can also have a negative effect on your personal self-worth.

You’ll never eliminate stress, but you can take some practical steps to mitigate some of its impact on your life. Lighten up whenever possible and remember that you don’t have to carry the burdens of others!

Submit your confidential questions relating to work and office life to Simon Gibson through our contact page.

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Too Much Tension At The Office

February 10, 2011 By 29 Comments

It seems as if there is constant tension in our office; I wish we could avoid it but many of us experience a lot of stress. What can we do to resolve the tension and make life more peaceful at work?

Tension in the workplace is not uncommon; in fact, I suspect many people reading your points – and question – would say that it reminds them of their own work environment.

We’ll never completely eliminate tension, of course, but if we can determine what causes it (not always an easy matter) then we’ve taken a significant step to reducing it.

You’ve probably already noticed that there are people in your company or organization who seem oblivious to stress: they happily go about their day calmly doing their jobs.

You have other employees, however, who seem to be troubled by virtually anything: they experience considerable stress which can frequently be shared with co-workers.

So, it’s important to realize that there are certain personality types who can aggravate the level of tension in an office. You may not be able to change them, but you can at least be aware of their potential influence.

It is also worth noting that tension is often a symptom of unresolved conflict. A supervisor may have disciplined an employee unfairly, perhaps a word was said in anger, or it could even relate to something surprisingly trivial.

Finding the source of the unresolved conflict – and addressing it – can have a positive impact on reducing stress.

And, take a moment to look at your own responsibility for the level of stress (and tension) in the office. Are you a voice for harmony? Do you try to understand what is causing certain employees to be “stressed out”? Make every attempt to be a peace-maker and try to resolve tension before it even has the opportunity to take root in your office.

A positive attitude can do wonders and you’ll discover that tension, in many cases, can be resolved through empathetic listening to the expressed concerns of co-workers.

Submit your confidential questions relating to work and office life to Simon Gibson through our contact page.

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