Reverse your stress at work with these simple steps
Hanah Polotsky //September 23, 2019//
Reverse your stress at work with these simple steps
Hanah Polotsky //September 23, 2019//
It’s a familiar feeling — the stress that is associated with constant emails, barrage of requests from your boss and coworkers and even relentless office noise. Surprisingly, as common as job-related stress is, there are some serious long-term effects including as heart disease, high blood pressure, back problems and depression. But the good news is there are some simple steps you or your employees can take to reverse the trend.
As a physician, I see a lot of my patients suffering from sleeplessness, constant headaches and lack of life enjoyment — all symptoms of job-related stress. While there can be other underlying causes, most of the time some simple life-style changes can help curb these ailments. Here are some common sources of major job stress:
You can reduce some job stress by learning how to manage your time and job duties. Think about the kinds of events that trigger stress for you at work. Then you can focus on one or two things you can do that will help the most to reduce stress. Here are some ideas:
You may feel like you are burdening others with the stress you’re feeling at work, but your friends and family are there to support you — and it’s not a burden. Make sure you get support from friends and family in your efforts to reduce job stress. If friends and family are unavailable, especially if you’re a recent transplant to Colorado, see if your company has an employee assistance program. You might use it to talk with a counselor. A counselor can help you set goals and provide support in dealing with setbacks.
If you are truly miserable because of a stressful job, it may be time to think about changing jobs. Make sure you know whether it is you or the job that's the problem.
Before you quit, spend time thinking about other job options. Not having a job will probably also lead to stress. Getting another job before you quit is best, but sometimes that isn't possible. Decide what is less stressful for you — unemployment or being miserable in your current job. It might help to talk with a counselor about your choices.
As a caveat, it's normal to have some stress. Stress releases hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster and give you a burst of energy. Stress can be useful when you need to focus on or finish a big project. But too much stress or being under stress for too long isn't good for you. As an employee, managing your stress will help you not only be more effective and efficient at work, but it will help you be more present at home and healthier in the long run.
Hanah Polotsky, MD, is a Kaiser Permanente Colorado endocrinologist, internal medicine physician and medical office chief at the Kaiser Permanente East Denver medical offices.