Job stress comes in different forms and affects your mind and body in different ways. Small things can make you feel stressed, such as a copy machine that never seems to work when you need it or phones that wont quit ringing. Major stress comes from having too much or not enough work or doing work that doesnt satisfy you. Conflicts with your boss, coworkers, or customers are other major causes of stress. Its normal to have some stress. Stress releases hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. Stress can be useful when you need to focus on or finish a big project. But too much stress or being under stress for too long isnt good for you. Constant stress can make you more likely to get sick more often. It can make chronic pain worse and can also lead to long-term health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, back problems, and depression. Look for these signs of job stress: Headaches Trouble sleeping Problems concentrating Short temper Upset stomach Job dissatisfaction and low morale What causes job stress? Most of the time, its the major sources of stress that lead to job burnout and health problems. Job stress can affect your home life too. Here are some common sources of major job stress, with examples of each: Lack of control. Feeling as if you have no control over your work or job duties is the biggest cause of job stress. People who feel like they have no control at work are most likely to get stress-related illnesses. Heres an example: Shelly is responsible for putting together a report that her boss must deliver at a 4 p.m. meeting. Shes been waiting all day for the notes and numbers she needs. Shelly finally gets the notes from her boss at 3:15 and rushes to prepare the report and charts and to make copies in time. She gets it done, but she feels mad and resentful. This is the third time this week that this has happened. Increased responsibility. Taking on extra duties in your job is stressful. You can get more stressed if you have too much work to do and you cant say no to new tasks. John volunteers for every new project, because he heard thats the best way to get promoted. But the tasks are starting to pile up, and hes feeling overwhelmed. He knows he cant really manage one more thing. But this morning, Johns boss asked him to take on another project, and John agreed. Now hes more worried than ever about getting everything done. Job satisfaction and performance. Do you take pride in your job? If your job isnt meaningful, you may find it stressful. Are you worried about doing well at work? Feeling insecure about job performance is a major source of stress for many people. Raoul has worked in his new job for 8 months. He thinks he is doing well. But his boss doesnt say much, so Raoul isnt sure. He wonders if hes on the right track, but hes afraid to ask. Uncertainty about work roles. Being unsure about your duties, how your job might be changing, or the goals of your department or company can lead to stress. If you report to more than one boss, juggling the demands of different managers can also be stressful. Rosas old manager was promoted. Now Rosa is working for someone new. Shes heard that the new boss plans to shake things up in her department. The new boss just hired Emily, whose job seems to be the same as Rosas. Rosa worries about what this means for her. Poor communication. Tension on the job often comes from poor communication. Being unable to talk about your needs, concerns, and frustrations can create stress. A new job with more responsibility and better pay just opened up in Jills department. Jill knows she can do this job. And shes been with the company longer than anyone else on her team. She waits for her manager to ask if she is interested. But after several weeks, a coworker is promoted to the new job. Jill feels hurt and angry, but she doesnt say anything. Lack of support. Lack of support from your boss or coworkers makes it harder to solve other problems at work that are causing stress for you. Jeff works in a busy office answering customer complaint calls all day. It would be easier to handle all the calls if he could at least trade tips with his coworkers. But everyone else is busy too. His coworkers never make it out of their cubicles during the day, even to let off a little steam. Poor working conditions. Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions, such as crowding, noise, or ergonomic problems, can cause stress.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 07:58:03 +0000
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