Primary Key Points
Understanding Stress: Stress is a natural response to life's demands, but when overwhelming, it can negatively affect physical and mental health.
Workplace Stress Factors: Key stressors at work include performance-based stress, driven by high standards and performance-contingent pay, and job insecurity, which causes anxiety over potential job loss or unfavorable changes in employment status.
Managing Work Stress: Strategies to manage work-related stress include identifying stress sources, developing healthy coping mechanisms, setting boundaries, seeking support, practicing good self-care, and using time management techniques.
Defining Stress
Stress is the response of your brain and body to life demands, whether work, school, exercise, significant life changes, or traumatic events (1)
It is a normal physical and mental response to situations that require attention, effort, or change. While some stress can motivate us to take action and solve problems, it can become overwhelming and adversely affect our physical and mental health.
Work-Related Stress
Many people feel that their job is the major source of stress. In fact, work is the second top source of stress, at 65%, right behind money (2).
Some factors that trigger stress at work include heavy workloads, tight deadlines, a lack of control over work, conflicts with coworkers or supervisors, and work-life imbalances.
These stressors can affect one's physical and mental well-being and job performance. Individuals and organizations must recognize and manage work-related stress to maintain a healthy and productive workplace.
Major Causes of Stress at Work
Many factors can trigger stress in the workplace. Here are two of them:
1. Performance-Based Stress
Performance-based stress, or achievement stress, is one of the main stressors related to work. It is associated with meeting high standards or achieving specific goals.
One factor that triggers this type of stress is that performance-contingent pay is a major approach worldwide (3).
Performance-contingent pay, or “pay for performance,” is a system in which an employee's pay is based on performance or productivity. This means payments may increase or decrease based on how well they meet specific targets.
Performance-contingent pay can motivate employees by providing a financial incentive to work hard. However, it can also be a source of stress because it pressures them to meet specific goals and induces uncertainty about their pay.
Overworking is also another concern. If you are competitive or need to meet expectations and prove yourself, you will be more prone to stress.
2. Job Insecurity Stress
Another huge source of stress is the fear of losing your job or experiencing negative changes in your employment status. Various factors, such as economic downturns, changes in the job market, or organizational restructuring, can cause job insecurity.
Job insecurity can have adverse effects on your physical and mental health, as well as your job performance. It can cause stress, anxiety, and depression, and it can also lead to decreased productivity.
Add to that the fear of losing the ability to provide for your family's necessities and failing to provide luxuries such as bigger houses, cars, and expensive vacations.
Tips on How to Manage Work-Related Stress
1. Identify the source of your stress
Take some time to think about what is causing your stress at work. Are there specific tasks, people, or situations that are causing you stress? Once you have identified the sources of your stress, you can start to develop strategies to manage them.
2. Overcome Sunday Night Stress
As the weekend reaches its end, you may find yourself dreading Monday morning. The real culprit is Sunday night and your anticipatory anxiety. The irony is that most often when you get to work and spend a couple of hours on the job, your stress level lowers. You replace your work worries with involvement and action. You find that the reality is less distressing than your negative anticipation.
So, the trick is to figure out how to cope with the night before. You can do that by getting to bed a little bit earlier, planning something relaxing and enjoyable that you can look forward to on Sunday night, and planning something you can look forward to on Monday.
3. Develop healthy coping mechanisms
Find healthy ways to cope with stress, such as exercising, practicing relaxation techniques (deep breathing or meditation), or talking to a friend, family member, or a mental health professional.
4. Set boundaries
Set limits on your work hours and create a healthy balance between work and your personal life.
5. Seek support
Do not be afraid to ask for help or support from your colleagues. You can even talk to your supervisor about your workload and any concerns you may have. They can provide you with additional support or resources to help you manage your stress.
6. Practice good self-care
Take care of your physical and mental health by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in activities you enjoy.
7. Practice time management
Use time management techniques, such as setting priorities, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and delegating tasks to help you manage your workload more effectively.
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FAQ
What are the leading causes of work-related stress?
Two significant causes of work-related stress are performance-based stress, driven by high standards and performance-linked pay, and job insecurity, caused by concerns over job loss or negative employment changes.
How can I manage work-related stress?
To manage work-related stress, identify its sources, set healthy boundaries, develop coping mechanisms like exercise and relaxation techniques, seek support from colleagues or supervisors, practice self-care, and improve time management.
Why do I feel stressed on Sunday nights before work?
Sunday night stress, or anticipatory anxiety, occurs when the thought of returning to work on Monday becomes overwhelming. Coping strategies include going to bed earlier, planning something enjoyable for Sunday night, and having something to look forward to on Monday.
What can I do to improve my work-life balance?
To improve work-life balance, set boundaries by limiting work hours, prioritize personal time, engage in activities you enjoy, and practice effective time management techniques.
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(1) National institute of mental health : I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet
(2)2015 Stress in America Snapshot (apa.org)
(3)Strategic pay: Aligning organizational strategies and pay systems. - PsycNET (apa.org)