Job Stress Management Articles | Stress

One of Dictionary's definitions of "stress" includes this: "a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism."

Now, where can you better feel the glory of being a mere organism than at work?

Work-related stress is a major cause of occupational ill health. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.

Stress is when job demands can't be met, relaxation has turned to exhaustion, and a sense of satisfaction has turned into feelings of tension. In short, you feel overly taxed both psychologically and physically, and you become more susceptible to illness, injury, and job failure.

And it gets worse. According to a study by the British Medical Journal, chronic stress has been linked to the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as other conditions.

What causes work-related stress? It's long been surmised that a poor working environment contributes most to stress buildup in the average worker. However, even today with employers giving interior designers a fatter chunk of the overhead, stress-related illnesses are still on the rise. The fact is that working conditions play a bigger part in causing stress than the environment - as workloads become heavier and markets grow more competitive, the demands asked of the average worker can get blown out of proportion. So in most cases, you can blame your boss.

Now normally, work-related stress has a good side. This is primarily the pressure or challenge that's normally supposed to motivate you to do a good job. On the other hand, it also has a bad side - too much of it usually manifests in health-related problems such as high blood pressure and flu-like illnesses. This is usually the result of an overload of physical, mental or emotional tension that you experience at work.

Long work hours, infrequent rest breaks, inefficient skill and job matching, and bad management style are just a few examples that contribute to job stress. Of course, brief episodes of stress create little danger. But if stressful situations go unsolved, your body can suffer from wear and tear, and its ability to repair and protect itself can become seriously compromised.

It is very important that individuals learn to cope with stress properly. It was once believed that long coffee breaks and occasional cigarette breaks where counterproductive. That has already been corrected (thankfully!) because studies show that employees who are given enough time or given a free hand to have short frequent breaks happier and more productive. Having the chance to take a breather when stress levels build up allows them to relax and recharge, so they last longer at work.

Job stress management also differs in every individual and culture. The people in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries take midday naps or siestas. The British have tea time. The Americans have coffee breaks and the Japanese do stretching exercises prior to starting the workday.

You could take the initiative to ask for improvements in your workplace's working conditions. It could start simply as having longer coffee breaks or playing smooth jazz or R&B music in the background during job hours. One of the more helpful (not to mention luckier) additions to the workday would be a qualified fitness instructor who can guide the employees on a daily Tai Chi or Yoga routine. Even a stress management counselor who meets the employees on a periodic basis will prove to be very helpful to both productivity and worker health.

If you're unlucky enough to have an evil boss, you can embark on various stress-busting practices on your days off. Get together with a few of your friends and have a cheer, play sports, or read a good book. Play with your pets. Do something you like. Try not to think of work - the brain needs time to rest and prepare itself for another week at the workplace.