Kimberli Lowe-MacAuley* says being able to recognise the difference between regular stress levels and chronic stress is vital to maintaining physical and mental health.
Are you feeling stretched thin at work? Many professionals feel the impact of increased workloads and demands from our current tech-heavy, overscheduled lifestyle.
While it’s normal to feel some stress in your job, if the pressure is chronic or overwhelming, it can take a toll on your mental and physical health.
If that sounds familiar, it might be time to analyse whether your work stress is an occasional and manageable part of your job or if it’s more intense and constant.
Is it due to a temporary stressor, such as a deadline or a demanding customer? Or, can you barely remember when you weren’t feeling overwhelmed? Consider some of the following signals to determine whether you need some simple, temporary stress management techniques or a solution to a more deep-rooted concern.
Signals you’re overstressed at work
Taking action to manage your stress is a sign of professional maturity and an essential aspect of maintaining your overall well-being.
However, it can be hard to recognize when your anxiety gets to a dangerous level.
Take some time to consider whether the following warning signals are present in your life.
— You feel overwhelmed daily
People who work in offices are all too familiar with the feeling of being overwhelmed by daily tasks.
Whether it’s managing a never-ending stream of emails, attending back-to-back meetings, or balancing your personal priorities with an inflexible work schedule, there’s often not enough time to get everything done.
This can lead to feelings of frustration and anxiety.
— You’re frequently physically sick
Too much stress can have serious adverse effects on our physical health.
If you find yourself frequently feeling like you need to call in sick, it may signify that you are experiencing an unhealthy level of stress at work.
Warning signs include fatigue, muscle tension, and frequent headaches.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is vital to take action to prioritize your health.
— You’re having anxiety attacks
When stress interferes with your ability to function at work, home, or school, it becomes unhealthy.
Suppose you can’t seem to get rid of worrying thoughts about work, even when you’re off the clock.
That should be a red flag.
Or, maybe you find yourself hyperventilating when you think about an upcoming project or presentation.
Worrying about a big project is normal, but it’s time to take note if it’s developing into a full-fledged anxiety disorder that revolves around your job.
— You can’t get regular sleep
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, work stress is a common cause of insomnia.
Stress can interfere with standard sleep patterns in several ways.
It can make it difficult to fall asleep, cause you to wake up during the night, or feel exhausted when you wake up in the morning because of work dreams that invaded your thoughts.
So, if you routinely find yourself tossing and turning at night because you can’t stop thinking about work, it’s time to strategize a solution.
Overcoming Work Stress
If any of those signals hit home, you must tame your work stress back to an appropriate level.
This doesn’t mean that you have to scrap your entire career and start over.
There are many different ways to get your stress levels back in balance.
Here are a few of the most effective ones.
— Prioritize your breaks
Are you in the habit of skipping your breaks and eating lunch at your desk? Instead, start prioritizing the time to step away from your tasks.
That will help not only reduce your stress levels but will also improve your work performance.
By giving your mind a chance to rest, you can return to your tasks with fresh energy and new ideas.
So, next time you’re feeling stressed at work, step away from your desk for a few minutes and give yourself a break.
— Maintain stress-busting health habits
One excellent way to proactively manage stress is to support yourself with healthy habits, such as exercise, meditation, yoga, and maintaining your nutrition and hydration.
Exercise releases endorphins that help boost your mood and increase your sense of well-being, while meditation can help you learn to be present in the moment.
Furthermore, paying attention to your nutrition and hydration is essential for maintaining your energy levels and keeping your mind functioning at total capacity.
— Explore flexible schedule options
Most of us are familiar with the phrase “work-life balance.” It seems like a simple concept, but achieving a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives can be difficult.
One way to create lower stress and better balance is to explore flexible scheduling options for work.
Perhaps you can avoid a long commute and balance time for personal commitments, reducing your overall stress levels.
— Set better boundaries
Have you learned the art of setting boundaries? This can mean setting physical boundaries, such as separating your home office from the rest of your living space, or setting workload boundaries by establishing clear lines with coworkers and your boss when you have too much on your plate.
By establishing healthy boundaries, you can ensure that your work doesn’t take over your life and start to impact your health negatively.
Managing your professional stress levels
Looking for some warning signs can help determine if your work-related stress is becoming an issue.
Once you identify the problem, plenty of strategies can be implemented to limit your stress before it starts affecting your work performance or health.
By taking care of yourself, you’ll be better positioned to take on whatever challenges come your way at work.
If your current job won’t allow you to create healthy boundaries, it might be time to consider a new job that supports more manageable stress levels and a healthy work-life balance.
*Kimberli Lowe-MacAuley is a Content Coordinator for FlexJobs. With a background in recruiting and training, Kimberli spent the majority of her career in leadership with Fortune 500 companies before joining the FlexJobs team.
This article first appeared at flexjobs.com
