Is Work Stress Killing You? Turn Stress to Strength

According to recent studies in India, up to 80 per cent of professionals report being stressed out regularly as a result of work. Employees at smaller organizations report even higher stress levels from work than those at large firms. Common reasons given for this stress include stressful work environments, pressure from superiors, uncertain job expectations and lack of value recognition.

Work stress takes different forms and can affect your body in various ways. It may result in health problems such as headaches, depression, chronic pain, frequent illnesses, back problems, heart disease, and high blood pressure. It can also cause a drop in your productivity and service delivery; result in trouble sleeping, and low morale levels as well as eventual job dissatisfaction.

Although Indian employers have identified work-related stress as a problem and have begun to develop strategies to help employees combat it, it is still a major problem facing employees all over the country. As such, you need to start working on ways to limit and prevent stress individually.

Here are some tips to help you turn your stress to strength.

1. Know Your Stressors
Knowing the factors that make you feel stressed the most is a good way to limit stress and be better at work. Keep a journal and record incidences where you felt the most stressed and your reactions to the incident. This helps you know what causes your stress and allows you work towards avoiding it.

2. Prioritize
Employees often complain about stress at the workplace because they have a lot to do and often do not have enough time to do it all. This is often because of a failure to plan their time properly. To efficiently manage and prevent stress, learn to prioritize. Prepare a list of all the tasks you have to perform and list them by priority. This helps you remain in control of your time while also staying on track with your duties. Also, avoid overtasking yourself. Only sign up for tasks you have time to carry out.
3. Concentrate while at work
When at work, concentrate on the tasks you have ahead of you and limit distractions. Stay off social media and work discussions so you can perform and finish your tasks as soon as possible. This helps prevent you from getting distracted due to multitasking.

4. Have Boundaries
Learning to separate your work from your home life can help you avoid carrying your work baggage back home with you and leaving you constantly stressed. Creating a clear-cut boundary between work and home can help you focus on relaxing at home, making you recharged for the next work day.

5. Take a break
If you begin to get stuck performing the same task over and again, it may be a sign that you’re fatigued. Take short breaks while at work to help you stay refreshed and keep stress at bay. It also helps you have the energy to continue your tasks more efficiently. Avoid skipping out on breakfast and lunch and stay hydrated because your body needs nutrients to function. Also, make good use of your vacation days and take time out to recharge.

For more information visit the website