No job is without stress For when the conversation needs to go up the chain, talking to a boss about stress covers that delicate version. Our piece on the stress of remote work For coaching as one path, working with a coach for personal growth covers a different angle. For social media impact, see fighting social media-made insecurities covers one specific shape, regardless if a person loves what they do. Everyone who has ever dealt with job-related stress has, at some point, felt overwhelmed by the pressure of their work. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming, and sometimes even harmful.
Unfortunately, this kind of chronic stress is all too common. While it may be impossible to avoid all workplace tensions, controlling job-related stress levels is a must. For the follow-up question this often raises, see 4 Factors to Consider in Finding a Therapist in New York.
What Are Common Sources of Work Stress?
There are several different sources of job-related stress. Here are just a few:
- Interpersonal conflicts with coworkers or customers
- A heavy workload
- Having too little job autonomy
- Feeling not listened to or respected
- Enduring ongoing harassment or abuse
- Failing to meet performance expectations
- Unclear organizational priorities or failure to provide clear direction For where this leads for many readers, see Essential Things One Has to Know about Post-COVID Anxiety.
- Poor working conditions (noise, air quality, etc.)
With that said, here are some ways to deal with and cope Our piece on finding a therapist in New York covers the next step. with work stress.
1. Track Stressors
It might be tempting to blame work when feeling overwhelmed by stress. But sometimes, the culprit is something else entirely. To ensure that the stress is work-related, track stressors for a week or two. Take note of the most frequent sources of stress, and analyze what happens to the stress levels when stressors are unattended. For the follow-up question this often raises, see Psychotherapy: Overcoming Mental Health Problems and Emotional Challenges. If a person feels less stressed when avoiding the stressors, they’re likely connected to work. For the part most readers come back to, see How Psychotherapy Helps People Cope with Various Conditions.
2. Establish Boundaries
There will always be things that make someone unhappy at work, so it’s essential to establish boundaries between the person and the work. Rather than thinking of work as an obligation, it must be considered an obligation to fulfill or a job paid to do. As long as it’s fulfilling the commitments needed, it’s okay to be through with work and walk away. For the newer take on this, see How to Know Which Form of Talk Therapy One Should Get.
3. Develop Healthy Responses
When feeling overwhelmed by stress, the instinct might be to run from the problem. But, a more productive strategy is to learn stress triggers and develop healthy responses to those triggers.
For example, if stress tends to increase around aggressive coworkers, take the time to learn about ways to de-escalate aggressive behavior. If stress seems to go down when catching up on work email, learn limits on work email and develop a plan for practicing effective self-care around it.
4. Look for Support
Sometimes, stress can seem like an insurmountable problem because it’s isolating and lonely. But, while it can feel hard to talk about feelings at the office or to friends and family, sharing the details of stress can make it easier to cope. A person might feel better after talking about their problem, and friends and family may have some great suggestions for dealing with it. For one update on the same theme, see Grief: What You Should Know about Broken Heart Syndrome.
5. Take Time to Recharge
In the long run, fighting stress isn’t about avoiding stressful events. Instead, it’s about staying alert to stress levels and responding effectively. To stay alert, a person needs to take care of themselves. Allocate a time in the schedule to relax and always have time to recharge. For the newer take on this, see Strategies to Move On from a Bad Breakup Experience.
Conclusion
While work-related stress can’t necessarily be prevented, it can be fought. The key is to be mindful of stressors and develop work-life boundaries, not constantly feeling overwhelmed by the job.
Therapy24x7 offers psychotherapy and life-coaching services both in-office and online. We work to provide support, enhanced coping strategies, and results-based therapy for issues affecting daily life, such as stress management, clinical depression, chronic anxiety, unresolved childhood issues, grief, and body image issues. If you’re looking for a For an angle we returned to, see 5 Essential Tips To Help Overcome Social Anxiety.
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For ongoing one-on-one work with a clinician on our New York team, see our individual therapy for workplace stress NYC page.
Frequently asked questions
How do you deal with extreme stress at work?
Managing extreme work stress usually combines practical limits on workload with attention to how you relate to pressure, since the same load affects people differently.
What is the difference between work stress and burnout?
Stress tends to lift when the demand drops; burnout persists and includes exhaustion and detachment that rest alone often does not resolve.
Can chronic work stress affect your health?
Yes. Prolonged stress is associated with sleep problems, anxiety, depression, and physical health effects, which is why ongoing stress is worth addressing.
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