Dr. Jantz Discusses Dealing With Work Stress
6 minutesIf your job is stressful, you’re not alone. According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of U.S. workers face work-related stress, and 1 in 4 rate work as the number one stressor in their lives. A whopping 1 million American workers call out of work every day because of stress[1].
But just because workplace stress is common doesn’t mean it’s not a problem. Workplace stress is a form of chronic stress which can have severe consequences for your body and mind. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with overwhelming stress at work, even if you can’t leave your job.
How your body and mind respond to workplace stress
Stress is the body’s reaction to overwhelming or threatening situations – in this way, it’s more physical than mental. When under stress, the nervous system activates a series of changes in the body to help you fight, flee from, or overcome the threat in front of you.
Your body is flooded with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Your five senses get sharper. Your heart starts beating faster and stronger to increase blood flow to your large muscle groups. Your immune system shuts down.
Short, intense bursts of stress – also called acute stress – can help get you through temporary crises. For example, stress could help you push through an all-nighter to meet a deadline or overcome dangerous situations.
However, workplace stress tends to be chronic stress or the kind of stress that lingers over time. This kind of stress doesn’t help us face temporary threats—it stays activated even when there is no particular danger. Every day, you come face-to-face with the stress trigger—work—and your nervous system never has the opportunity to settle.
The human body isn’t meant to have its stress response activated over long periods. Being under chronic workplace stress can have serious health consequences, including high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and mental illness[2].
What are the most common causes of stress at work?
Some of the most common reasons why people say they’re stressed at work include:
- Long working hours
- Lack of autonomy
- Heavy workload and tight deadlines
- Low pay
- Boring or unchallenging work
- Toxic interpersonal relationships at work
- Lack of recognition or appreciation
- Job insecurity
- Poor leadership
- Harassment, bullying, and discrimination
- Lack of advancement opportunities
- Unclear job expectations
- Not having the right skills or equipment to perform duties
In addition, people in people-centered careers like social work, teaching, healthcare, and more can be affected by a special type of workplace stress called compassion fatigue. People in helping professions like these are typically exposed to a great deal of human trauma, and witnessing and supporting people through this trauma can become overwhelming over time.
