It's no secret that stress is a daily occurrence at work for many UK employees. According to stressexperts.co.uk, work-related stress caused a loss of 10.5 million working days in the UK in 2012, with each person suffering from stress taking 24 days off work.
What's stressing you out?
In part 1 of our stress in the workplace series, we outlined the most common stress profiles and asked our readers to share their workplace worries and their tips for managing anxiety.
Our survey of senior HR professionals revealed their most common causes of stress are:
€ Heavy workload (53.6%)
€ Tight deadlines (19.2%)
€ Bosses (11.5%)
€ Coworkers (11.5%)
These same respondents identified their stress profiles as:
€ The doer - takes on all responsibility (67.8%)
€ The decisionmaker - delegates and doesn't sweat the small stuff (21.4%)
€ The ditherer - looks busy doing nothing (7.1%)
€ The denier - ignores the problem (3.5%)
On the hairiest days, we all wish that stress just didn't exist. But it's important to remember that a healthy amount of stress is what's needed to be in top form at the office. Positive stress, otherwise known as eustress, is what pushes you to try your hardest, and is key to reaching your goals. Negative stress (distress), is when it all becomes too much to balance, and you end up feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.
Top tips to banish negative stress
Want to push yourself to accomplish your career aspirations? Try these tips:
1. Pinpoint your triggers: Did your blood pressure rise when your boss called you out in a team meeting? Did you want to walk out when your manager dumped a stack of paperwork on your desk? If you can identify the exact cause of your anxiety, it will make it easier to come up with a plan or talk to your boss about managing your workload.
2. Focus on the solution instead of the problem: Getting stuck in a pattern of thinking about your problems will only make it worse. Ask yourself: how would I rather be feeling right now? Once you have that answer, you can plan your way towards it.
3. Learn to say no: Though the majority of our survey respondents identify their stress profiles as doers, over half of them said their biggest cause of stress is a heavy workload. See a correlation? Taking everything on will only burn you out; instead, trying to manage your own workload by saying no or delegating will allow you to keep your anxiety levels in check.
4. Use your off switch: When you're not at work, don't think about it. Instead, spend time with family and friends, or find a hobby that you get deep satisfaction from. It will give your mind some resting time, so you can approach work with a fresh perspective.
How do you deal with stress? Practical advice from our readers
€Write a list and immediately tackle two or three small, easy things on it. Tick them off the list - you'll feel brilliant!€
-Amanda Rao, HRD Northern Europe, TNS
€Rather than looking at what you haven't done on the 'to do' list, look at what you have done and note down all that you have done extra today that was not on the original list - you'll be surprised and rewarded about how much you have actually done. If the pile to do is still large, just accept that you are being asked to do too much and that you should not blame yourself if you have to leave something for now.€
-Kim Stallard, personnel payroll and development manager, Wychavon District Council
€Avoid extreme reactions. I handle each task as it comes or selectively deal with matters in some priority. I also try to be positive about coping with situations.€
-Emem Obot, business manager, Home Desire Ventures
In the final part of the Stress in the workplace series, we'll share how to turn negative stress into career-making motivation.
What's stressing you out?
In part 1 of our stress in the workplace series, we outlined the most common stress profiles and asked our readers to share their workplace worries and their tips for managing anxiety.
Our survey of senior HR professionals revealed their most common causes of stress are:
€ Heavy workload (53.6%)
€ Tight deadlines (19.2%)
€ Bosses (11.5%)
€ Coworkers (11.5%)
These same respondents identified their stress profiles as:
€ The doer - takes on all responsibility (67.8%)
€ The decisionmaker - delegates and doesn't sweat the small stuff (21.4%)
€ The ditherer - looks busy doing nothing (7.1%)
€ The denier - ignores the problem (3.5%)
On the hairiest days, we all wish that stress just didn't exist. But it's important to remember that a healthy amount of stress is what's needed to be in top form at the office. Positive stress, otherwise known as eustress, is what pushes you to try your hardest, and is key to reaching your goals. Negative stress (distress), is when it all becomes too much to balance, and you end up feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.
Top tips to banish negative stress
Want to push yourself to accomplish your career aspirations? Try these tips:
1. Pinpoint your triggers: Did your blood pressure rise when your boss called you out in a team meeting? Did you want to walk out when your manager dumped a stack of paperwork on your desk? If you can identify the exact cause of your anxiety, it will make it easier to come up with a plan or talk to your boss about managing your workload.
2. Focus on the solution instead of the problem: Getting stuck in a pattern of thinking about your problems will only make it worse. Ask yourself: how would I rather be feeling right now? Once you have that answer, you can plan your way towards it.
3. Learn to say no: Though the majority of our survey respondents identify their stress profiles as doers, over half of them said their biggest cause of stress is a heavy workload. See a correlation? Taking everything on will only burn you out; instead, trying to manage your own workload by saying no or delegating will allow you to keep your anxiety levels in check.
4. Use your off switch: When you're not at work, don't think about it. Instead, spend time with family and friends, or find a hobby that you get deep satisfaction from. It will give your mind some resting time, so you can approach work with a fresh perspective.
How do you deal with stress? Practical advice from our readers
€Write a list and immediately tackle two or three small, easy things on it. Tick them off the list - you'll feel brilliant!€
-Amanda Rao, HRD Northern Europe, TNS
€Rather than looking at what you haven't done on the 'to do' list, look at what you have done and note down all that you have done extra today that was not on the original list - you'll be surprised and rewarded about how much you have actually done. If the pile to do is still large, just accept that you are being asked to do too much and that you should not blame yourself if you have to leave something for now.€
-Kim Stallard, personnel payroll and development manager, Wychavon District Council
€Avoid extreme reactions. I handle each task as it comes or selectively deal with matters in some priority. I also try to be positive about coping with situations.€
-Emem Obot, business manager, Home Desire Ventures
In the final part of the Stress in the workplace series, we'll share how to turn negative stress into career-making motivation.
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