Coping with Job Stress

The alarm goes off. Another day in the pressure cooker of work has begun. And there are only 24 hours to get more done today. If your mornings begin with the panic of job-related stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed, it’s time to implement some simple strategies for stress reduction. Stress is defined as a state of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium. This definition is vague, and for good reason. Stress is personal. The factors that disrupt one person’s “equilibrium” may be exactly what motivates another person. In other words, stress exists because you perceive it to exist. No one is injecting you with stress or slipping it into your morning coffee – you are fueling it. And that’s great news, because you can learn to manage it.

Take Control

The American Institute of Stress has determined a close connection between perceived stress and perceived control. People feel stressed when they feel a lack of control over a situation. Are there ways that you could gain more control over your job tasks, your work environment, your schedule, etc.? Certain factors of your job may be fixed, with little potential for more control. Look for opportunities to expand your control, and talk to your manager about ways that you could be more independent. Implementing control in your personal life can also reduce job stress. Simple changes like establishing a consistent workout schedule or focusing on eating a healthy diet can provide a sense of control and reduce stress. Look for any goal that you can work toward, whether job-related or not.

Focus on the Positives

There is a reason why people get paid to do their jobs. It is work, and it won’t always be enjoyable. Recognize and accept that there will be aspects of your job that you don’t like. Then stop focusing on those factors! Focus on the positive aspects of your job. This sounds obvious, but when you’re feeling stressed it’s easy to get caught up in the negatives. Start catching yourself when you think about something negative, and then redirect your thoughts back to something positive or encouraging. Over time, positive thoughts will become the default.

Maintain a Realistic Perspective

It’s only a job, after all. You don’t literally have the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you question the previous statement, you have an unrealistic perspective that allows stress to dominate your thoughts. Use stress as it is best used – as motivation. Feel the pressures of your tasks and deadlines, and then get busy and work hard. Don’t validate an unrealistic perspective by worrying about how you will reach impractical goals; instead, focus on what you have accomplished at the end of the day.

Don’t be a Work-aholic

It may seem like working endless hours is the only way to relieve the stress of a demanding job. If you do this, you will never feel “caught up” and stress-free. You will only be allowing job-related stress to enter into your personal time and overtake your life. Working late for an occasional project is one thing, but when long hours become status quo, stress is amplified. For most people, there is a point at which working longer does not correlate to significantly greater productivity. In other words, there is a point of diminishing returns. For me, this happens after about 9 or 10 hours of focused work. If I continue to work another few hours, there is not much to show for it. Recognize when your productivity starts to fade, and take that as your sign to call it a day. Go home, stop working, stop stressing, and enjoy life outside of work. After all, isn’t that why we work – to support and benefit our personal lives?

 

This article was written by Sherrie Elzey, Ph.D., a chemical engineer and freelance technical writer/editor. Sherrie has a background in nanoscience and nanotechnology research, with experience in academia, government, and industry positions.