WORKPLACE STRESSORS
Does work cause you stress?
Have you ever left work feeling angry, upset, or embarrassed due to harsh or unfair treatment from a co-worker or manager?
How about feeling overloaded with too many work demands and not enough time to complete them?
Do you spend a lot of your time daydreaming about quitting your job and working someplace else?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you likely have experienced workplace stressors. Due to the complex social dynamics and one’s reliance on work for financial reasons and livelihood, navigating workplace stressors can be especially tricky.
Isn’t work supposed to be stressful?
Your job type matters
The level of stress that one may encounter at work depends heavily on the type of work that they do. For example, the jobs of a firefighter or a nurse require swift and immediate responses to stressful situations and people in need. Due to the stressful nature of these particular jobs, a person in these roles might expect to experience some level of stress when working.
A person doesn’t have to respond to emergency situations to feel and expect stress at work. A delivery driver might experience increased work demands around holidays which may also come with varying levels of stress.
Ultimately, workplace stress comes in all shapes and sizes. In this case, what’s most important is being able to discern if your workplace stressors are job related or something more.
When work stressors become unacceptable
Some work stressors are expected based on job type, and some work stressors are unexpected and sometimes harmful. Work stress can become concerning when the stressors are related to feelings of disrespect, inconsideration and/or intentional harm.
Here are some examples of unacceptable workplace stressors
Humiliation in any form
Harassment of any kind
Unsupportive coworkers/managers
Unrealistic expectations and timelines
Expectations to work outside of paid/normal work hours
Harsh or critical feedback without support in making plans to improve
The negative effects of an unhealthy work environment
Most working adults spend a majority of their waking hours at work. Due to the significant amount of time spent working, workplace stressors can easily seep into other areas of one’s life. If you are stressed about work before or after work, there’s a good chance that this stress may be affecting your relationships with friends and family, your hard earned free time, and your ability to rest and recuperate from the stress.
A good example of this is ‘The Sunday Scaries’. This is when a person feels anxious and stressed in anticipation of the start of their workweek or work day. Experiencing this sort of anxiety on a Sunday or on your time off can rob you from time that should be spent in a more leisurely manner.
Work stress can also cause adverse physiological reactions, such as stomach aches, heart palpitations, and headaches.
This is why it is so important for the conditions of one’s workplace to be as stress-less as possible.
“My workplace feels stressful and toxic, but it’s been this way for years, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon…”
If your decision is to stay at your workplace, your therapists can work with you from within by helping you to;
Identify your specific work stressors and how they are affecting you mentally and emotionally
Brainstorm ways to decrease your work stress
Provide you with stress management strategies and
Set you up with a solid self-care routine to help you to recover from work stress.
She can also help you to explore your reasons for staying at your workplace vs. leaving, so that you are clear on this decision.
“I am worried that if I speak up about my stress at work, I may lose my job.”
Worries of job loss due to retaliation are completely understandable and valid. Your therapist can hold space for you to share about your stress and help you develop a plan to address your stress at work. She can also help you to focus on the things that can be controlled and improved upon at work, such as setting boundaries with co-workers or self-care to help you recover from your stress.
“I am ready to quit my job due to work stress, but I don’t have a plan or know how to.”
Stress can disrupt an individual’s abilities to think logically and see themselves through problems in a clear and strategic way. It can be really difficult to plan the next steps for leaving your job, especially when experiencing intense stress. Your therapists can help bridge that planning gap by helping you to explore the different options you have. She can also help you to process the emotions that are elicited by those options. This process can lead to better clarity and planning on what to do next in your career.
“I know I have work stressors. What do I do about it?”
Let us help. Our team of therapists are trained to support you in making the desired changes that will lead you to a healthier work experience. We are familiar with supporting individuals who work in an assortment of workplace environments from healthcare, large tech companies, education, small businesses and many other workplaces in between.
Garden Counseling and Wellness Group is here for you
If you are experiencing workplace stressors and feel as though you could benefit from talking with someone about it, please feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment with one of our therapists by clicking the green button below.
If you are a manager or owner of a company and would like organizational support to create better workplace environments for your workers, please reach out to us below to schedule a workshop or presentation for your organization or team.