Author: Leaman Ralph

Work stress, job stress, in this video I discuss work stress, and how to manage stress from work. Transcript notes Is your job hurting your health? Ever been in this situation? You wake up in the morning, get your mind right, then it is time to get moving, got to get to work. You can feel your heartbeat increase and your blood pressure rise, work. You, like many other people hate your job. Just thinking about your job really stresses you out. If this is how you feel, you are not alone. Statistics show that 30 to 40% of people describe their job as very or extremely stressful. And 25% of people rate their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. According to one report, 14% of people feel like punching a coworker, 25% of people feel like screaming because of job stress, and 10% of people fear a coworker could do something violent. All of this stress leads to several health issues including sleep issues, heart problems, digestive problems, weight gain. So, stress is really, really, really bad for your health. So this workplace stress situation leaves us with 2 questions, what are the causes of all this stress, and what can be done to relieve this stress? Some of the main causes of job stress include, working long hours, too heavy of a workload, poor management, lack of job security, dangerous working conditions, and problems with a coworker. So, if you are dealing with one of these situations, what can you do? The easy answer is to quit and get a new job, but life just isn’t always that simple. Many people stay at stressful jobs because they need the benefits, or they can’t afford a lower paying job. What you can do though is learn to manage stress. Keep a notebook with you for a couple of weeks, and write down stressful situations you encounter, and how you responded to them. Read through your notes and see if you can find a way to respond to those situations in a way that causes you less stress. If you feel you can, then speak with your supervisor. Not to complain, but let them know that you want to perform better at your job, but right now there are certain things that are causing you stress and preventing you from performing at a higher level. When you leave work, actually leave work. Don’t allow yourself to think about work, check work emails or even talk or text coworkers if the conversation is going to be about work. Get more active in your life. Exercise is a great stress reliever, as are physical hobbies such as joining a bowling or golf league, where you are doing something physical and social at the same time. Walking or hiking and listening to music are great ways to relieve stress. Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables that have vitamins, minerals and fiber, which help with proper bodily function and digestion. Make ample time for sleep. When most people are crunched for time the first thing they cut back on is sleep. Bad idea. Good quality sleep improves memory, creativity, and physical performance. Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise. Stress from your job can be just as damaging to your health as poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle. Learning to manage stress is not easy; it takes hard work, a lot of hard work. But, the payoff is worth it, a happier and healthier life.