You’d be hard-pressed to find a member of the workforce who doesn’t experience job stress to some degree. Even if you’re exactly where you wish to be professionally, there’s no such thing as a job that’s bereft of stress. Although some of us endure more work-related stress than others, managing this stress should be a priority for everyone who experiences it. So, if you’re currently besieged by job stress and in the market for effective relief, consider the following options.
Learn How to Say “No”
If some people think they can walk all over you, they won’t hesitate to do so. This is particularly in the workplace, where people are always looking to shift blame and steal credit. Of course, this isn’t to say that being obliging at work is a bad thing. If anything, cultivating a reputation for being dependable is likely to serve you well. However, if you’re afraid to say no to bosses or coworkers, dependability can have its downsides.
For example, some bosses have no qualms about giving employees the largest possible workloads. By the same token, we’ve all had coworkers who constantly foist their responsibilities on others. Even if you’re a consistently reliable team member, there are limits to how much work you should reasonably be expected to take on. So, if you feel that you’re being saddled with too much work, make your concerns known to the relevant parties. Additionally, if less-than-dependable coworkers refuse to stop dumping their work on you, make it clear that while you’re always open to helping out, tending to their job duties is their responsibility, not yours.
If you’ve gotten into the habit of never refusing a work-related request, saying no is liable to seem like an alien concept to you. Still, learning how to do so may prove crucial to your mental health. The more unreasonable requests you turn down, the easier saying no will become.
Speak Out Against Overwork
Many members of the workforce are unlikely to be surprised by the fact that America is the most overworked country in the developed world. Instead of regarding overwork as the detriment to mental health and personal fulfillment that it is, far too many of us view it as a badge of honor and believe that people aren’t working hard enough if they aren’t running themselves ragged. This is why so many businesses get away with regularly working their employees to the point of exhaustion.
So, if overwork is a common problem in your workplace, you’d do well to speak out against it. For example, if the workloads you receive are so massive that putting in unpaid overtime is the only way to finish them within the desired time-frame, this needs to change. Your personal time belongs to you, not your employer – and if they expect you to tend to work-related tasks after-hours, they need to ensure that you’re duly compensated for your efforts.
Don’t Subscribe to Endless Workdays
As stated above, unpaid overtime is a common problem for workers in the U.S. Even after they’ve gone home for the day, many people devote hours of their personal time to making progress on various projects, answering emails and taking work-related calls. Your time at home should not be treated like an extension of the workday. Not only does this encourage your employer to overload you with work, it also eradicates any semblance of a healthy work/life balance. As such, make a point of officially ending your workday when you leave the office.
Seek Mental Health Assistance
Therapy, counseling and other forms of mental health assistance can prove tremendously helpful in counteracting job stress. Not only will a skilled therapist allow you to vent a wide assortment of work-related frustrations, they’ll be able to provide you with a plethora of helpful coping techniques and practical solutions to various problems. Even if you don’t have time to attend in-person sessions, you can easily find a convenient array of remote therapy options. For instance, residents of the Garden State have access to ample options for online therapy New Jersey.
Regardless of your profession, you’re bound to experience work-related stress on a fairly regular basis. After all, working is an inherently stressful experience. Of course, this isn’t to say that all job stress is equally severe. While some of us deal with light to moderate amounts of work-induced stress, others are utterly consumed by it. No matter which of these categories you fall into, getting a handle on job stress should be among your top priorities. Anyone looking for effective ways to ease the effects of professional stress should make good use of the previously discussed measures.
