Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension triggered by a certain event or situation. It is our
natural way of reacting and is not necessarily bad in all cases contrary to common belief. However, like
all other things, too much stress produces negative effects. This is especially true when it comes to our
workplace. It can result to decreased work productivity and satisfaction that can be harmful not only to
the employee under stress, but to co-workers and the employer as well. This is why we should actively
take measures to minimize our stress and its negative effects to our work life.
Identifying your stressors
First, we must know the cause of our stress in the workplace. There is nothing more stressful than not
knowing the source, and awareness of this is the first step for its prevention. Here are some examples:
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Urgent deadlines
Heavy workload
Poor physical working environment (excessive heat, cold or noise, bad lighting, uncomfortable
chair, malfunctioning equipment, etc.)
Disagreement with subordinates, co-workers or superiors
Establishing boundaries
Creating a boundary between personal and work life reduces stress as it tries to separate the two.
Learning how and when to “turn it off” can contribute in managing our stress levels since it allows us to
focus on our hobbies and other personal interests. Here are some tips to do so:
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When getting ready during the morning, think of it as preparation for your day, not just for work
On the way to work, do activities of personal interest that are not work related like listening to
music, reading books, etc.
We can use our travel back from work as the transition back to our life while we focus on family,
friends or personal interests
During off days, focus on personal interests/hobbies as much as possible
Taking time to relax and recharge
Stress can lead to decreased work effectiveness and efficacy that is why we need to take the time to
relax and recharge ourselves as often as we can. This can be considered as our recovering process after
a stressful day or week at work. Here are some tips to do so:
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Getting enough sleep as much as possible during the night
Take advantage of vacations, holidays and off days by being productive with personal interests
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Take time to exercise as it helps release endorphins (the “feel good” hormones) to our
bloodstream that stimulates relaxation and pleasure
Take breaks allowed to be taken and try to avoid thinking about work
Drink plenty of liquids during the day. Dehydration is a common cause of fatigue that can
contribute to stress
Managing tasks
Our tasks are predominantly the cause of our stress and this can be greatly reduced by managing our
tasks well. Here are some tips to do so:
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Note down tasks and accomplishments
Create a schedule
Overcome procrastination and do what is needed to be done
Identify our “prime-time” or the time of day when we are most energetic and allocate this time
for important or crucial tasks
Try to keep interruptions to a minimum and or eliminate them as much as possible
Use the “Covey Quadrants” as guide for task management (E-Learning topic for July 2016)
Unhealthy coping mechanisms
We should also take note that there are some personal preferences when it comes to handling stress.
Let us take into consideration if these are healthy responses or not. Examples of unhealthy responses
are:
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Overeating
Drinking too much alcoholic beverages
Smoking cigarettes
Procrastination
Compulsive spending
Ignoring our stress
These mentioned habits, though to some can help with stressful situations, poses risks and can also
create additional problems. As much as possible, we should avoid these unhealthy responses to stress.
It is upon us to acknowledge and accept that we are responsible for our own stress levels and our
responses to it. Once we do, we acquire control and gain various ways to fight and beat it. We just have
to look at our own behavior and how much we contribute to our own stress and to others. Being aware
of these enables us to take necessary action to improve those behavior. Failing to do so causes our
stress to create a snowball effect, generating more stress for ourselves, co-workers and the
organization.
Like the picture above shows, we can consider stress as a lit bomb, when left ignored can cause damage
to us and those around us. We are holding it, and we can put out what can trigger the explosion.
References
Association, A. P. (2016). Coping with stress at work. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspx
Goudreau, J. (2013, March 20). 12 ways to eliminate stress at work. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/03/20/12-ways-to-eliminate-stress-atwork/#792bd2b97ff7
Helpguide. How to deal with job and workplace stress. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-at-work.htm
Managing work-related stress - health encyclopedia - university of Rochester medical center. (2016).
Retrieved October 26, 2016, from
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=2882
MTD Training, & Bookboon.com (2016). Managing Stress (1st ed.)
What’s on Your Plate? Stress Management Strategies, Psych Central. (2016). Retrieved October 26, 2016,
from http://psychcentral.com/lib/whats-on-your-plate-stress-management-strategies/