Work-related stress

Hard to drag yourself out of bed to your 9-5? Fantasies of throwing that laptop out the window still clogging up your mind? You may be suffering from work-related stress.

What is it?

A 2007 poll of 2,000 employees revealed that 46 per cent of respondents rated their jobs "highly stressful". An estimated 40 million working days are lost each year to stess-related illnesses, costing industries £1.5bn a year.

Stress is the reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures. You may find it difficult to cope with tasks, responsibilities or other types of job related pressures or you might get anxious trying to meet such demands. It isn't just bad for your work, it could also be affecting your health.

What causes it?

Stress may be caused or amplified by a number of factors including:

Bad relations with other work colleagues
Long and/or irregular hours
Too little work
Repetitive work/boredom and lack of job satisfaction
Working alone
Job insecurity
Job or organisational change
Low pay
Jobs with heavy emotional demands
Poor working environments such as excessive noise, the presence of dangerous materials, over-crowding, poor facilities, or extremities of temperature or humidity
Increased accessibility - the use of mobile phones, pagers and emails means the boss can always chase up work.

The situation can be made worse if there is bullying, conflict, harassment, and indifference to staff needs. Where the organisation lacks leadership, work arrangements, deadlines and demands are set without consultation and seem to be inflexible, this leads to a high degree of uncertainty about direction, purpose, objective and job responsibilities amongst staff.

What are the symptoms?

Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning
Constant fatigue
Forgetfulness
Aches and pains for no apparent reason
Poor appetite
Social withdrawal
Loss of interest in activities
Increased anxiety and irritability
"Flying off the handle"
Increased heart rate
Migraines/headaches
Blurred vision
Dizziness

Everyone has bad days but if you've noticed three or more of the above symptoms and you've experienced them for some weeks you may need to do something about your stress levels. Visit your local GP to rule out other possible reasons for the symptoms such as depression. If you think you may be suffering from work-related stress is worth visiting your GP for a check up. Stressed out people have higher blood pressure, and where stress-levels hit boiling point sufferers are at a higher risk of death from any cause than their more chilled out colleagues. They are also prone to heart disease, colitis (inflammation of the bowels), thyroid disorders, and ulcers.

How do I deal with it?

If you are suffering from work-related stress try some of the following ways to calm down and chill out:

Try to make time for yourself away from work to wind down. For example relaxing in a warm bubble bath, listening to soothing music and shutting out the world for a while.
Take time for your mind and body to relax. Methods can include reading, meditation and yoga.
Take time to exercise. Regular and frequent exercise is a good stress reducer.
Find time to pursue non-work activities such as hobbies and recreational activities.
Eat well, skipping meals will deplete your energy and leave you drained.
Talk to your family and friends. Make time to see your mates, it will help you unwind after work and let you unburden any problems.
Learn to say no. If you are asked to take extra work on board, or to stay in the office after your colleagues have left, have the confidence to decline.
Take breaks at work. Don't stay glued to the job - take a few minutes to sit back and relax, or take a brisk walk during your break.
Plan your work. Sit down and establish what needs to be done. If you have an excessive workload, delegate if possible, and decide on when your work needs to be completed.
If all else fails, have a serious talk with your line manager with you workload, or think about changing your job.