Workplace stress has become one of the most important phenomena in the work environment and organizations in recent decades, especially after the economic crisis that has significantly affected developed countries.

Staff cuts, low expectations of development within companies, socio-economic changes and difficulties in reconciling personal life with work, among other reasons, have contributed to the fact that the well-being of workers has been significantly affected .

This has led to a lot of research in the field of organizational psychology focusing on this line of work, and thanks to this, much progress has been made in understanding why this phenomenon occurs and what can be done to prevent and reduce it.

Workplace Stress: A Multifactorial Phenomenon

Stress is a multifactorial phenomenon that has its origin not only in the factors of the workplace (excess of tasks, monotony, etc.), but there are many causes that can lead to its appearance.

Organizational factors also influence the onset and development of stress. Some examples are: leadership styles of superiors, organizational communication, promotion possibilities within the company, human resources policies of the companies or the relationship with co-workers.

This last point is especially important, since social support can not only become a stressor, but can act as a buffer. In other words, when stress has occurred, the relationship with co-workers can reduce the impact of stress on an individual.

Stress at work as a collective phenomenon

Studies have also provided evidence that social factors (economic crisis, cultural expectations, etc.) and extra-organizational elements (e.g., poor relationship with partners or financial problems at home) function as stressors and may therefore contribute to the manifestation of stress in the workplace.

Recently, some authors such as José Mª Peiró state that stress occurs at various levels and that a collective analysis of this phenomenon is essential , otherwise, it becomes impossible to prevent and control it. When people work in a group, they share emotional experiences, and both these emotional experiences and the experiences of stress can be transmitted. The shared expression of these emotions is called “emotional tone” or “emotional climate”.

The individual’s role in coping with stress

However, without neglecting this trans-level and collective view of stress, the role of the individual in coping with stress is also important, as he or she is the one who suffers the negative consequences and experiences the symptoms and consequences of this phenomenon.

The mismatch between the existing demands and the control the person has to cope with those demands is decisive for the stress not to occur. Likewise, the individual can adopt a series of habits to prevent stress and combat discomfort when it is present.

Symptoms

Workplace stress can significantly alter our lives and affect our thinking and behavior, causing physiological, physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral reactions. These are some of the most common signs :

  • Accelerated heart rate and tachycardia
  • Dizziness, nausea and vomiting
  • Headache
  • Muscle tension and contractures
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Concentration problems
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Bad mood
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Increased consumption of psychoactive substances (tobacco, alcohol, etc.)

Some tips to reduce stress

If you think you are going through this situation, it is important that you take measures to prevent it from becoming chronic and the burnout syndrome (chronic work stress) from appearing.

Here are some tips that will help you reduce the characteristic symptoms of this phenomenon and improve your mental well-being:

1. Seek support from friends or family

If you are going through a stressful situation at work, the first thing you should do is seek close support so that you can share your experience . Whether it is a colleague, friend or family member, talking to someone else will help you feel less alone.

It is also important for you to understand that stress at work often occurs through no fault of your own, so if the stressor is found in a bad organisational structure or in the cut-back policies (in which tasks among workers are badly distributed) there is little you can do to change it on your own. In these cases it is better to talk to your superior so that the company can take measures. However, as long as there is a good relationship with your boss.

2. Evaluate your interests, abilities and passions

It may be that work-related stress is the result of your professional profile, in which the skills you possess do not match the workplace you are in (due to a poor recruitment process).

For example, there are people who are passionate about working as a salesperson, because they like having to negotiate and talk to people constantly. However, there are other individuals who are made to work in front of a computer, because they are motivated by administrative work and have a series of skills and training that make them perform well in that job. When a person does not enjoy their work or the work they do is too big for them, they can end up being stressed.

To avoid this situation it is necessary to make an honest assessment to say whether or not you should look for an alternative job, one that is less demanding or that better suits your interests or skills. This decision may not be easy, so you may need to do some Life Coaching to help you decide which path is best for you.

If you want to know what is this Life Coaching, you can visit this article: “Life Coaching: the secret to achieve your goals”.

3. Disconnect from work

Work is necessary for our lives and essential for well-being, but some people become addicted to work and are the cause of their stress situation themselves. If you are one of those individuals who are always on the lookout for your mobile phone because of work issues or when you finish your work day you take your work home, you should seriously consider taking a break. Rest is synonymous with well-being, and therefore work should not compromise your psychological health.

4. Exercise

Rest is important, but so is having healthy habits. Many people exercise when they leave work because it helps them to unwind. There is nothing better than going to spinning class or playing a game of paddle tennis to release tension and clear your mind after a long day at work. Scientific studies have shown that physical exercise reduces levels of cortisol (which is the hormone related to stress), increases the production of norepinephrine (noradrenaline), a neurotransmitter that can moderate the brain’s response to stress, and produces endorphins or serotonin, which help improve mood .

5. Manage time

Poor time management is one of the most common causes of stress. For example, being distracted by the computer, or not having planned the time of the task you have to do, can lead to you ending up taking on many tasks at once or not completing any of them at all. Therefore, a correct organization of time is one of the best strategies to prevent stress.

Unfortunately, we can’t choose between saving or spending time , and so we must look for ways to use it more effectively. We all have in common that the day lasts 24 hours, but how we manage our time depends solely and exclusively on each person. If you want to learn how to organize your time to prevent stress at work, there are many courses that will help you manage it more effectively.

6. Sleep well

While it is true that stress can cause sleep problems, lack of sleep can interfere with productivity , creativity, problem-solving skills and ability to concentrate. The more rested a person is, the more able they are to cope with their work responsibilities and the more prepared they are to deal with stress in the workplace.

7. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness can be considered a philosophy of life that helps to face experiences in a more adaptive and healthy way. Thanks to meditation and other techniques, the person who practices Mindfulness manages to develop the ability to be aware, compassionate and to be in the here and now with a non-judgmental mentality.

There are different programs that help develop mindfulness such as the MSBR (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program) which lasts 8 weeks and which, according to different research, improves the quality of life of people who try it.

If you want to learn different Mindfulness techniques, you can read this article: “5 Mindfulness exercises to improve your emotional well-being”.

8. Attend psychological therapy

People can go through different stress situations throughout their lives and one of the most important sources is work-related. Often work in a company is subject to conditions, forms of organisation and demands that are not determined by our capabilities, needs or expectations. For example, technology, productive demands or the deficient design of the organization, which underestimates the importance of the company’s human resources .

People have a great capacity to adapt, but sometimes the demands of the job force us to make an excessive effort that can cause adaptive problems.

It is important to note that in the same workplace, under the same conditions, not everyone reacts to stress in the same way: some individuals may suffer more from this situation than others.This is due to the fact that each person has a different capacity to adapt depending on different reasons (personal variables, work skills, expectations about the job, problem-solving skills, etc.).

Psychological therapy becomes a good alternative to alleviate this situation, because it helps to develop a series of strategies and skills so that we can control the experiences and consequences that work stress produces. In this way, one is more prepared to face the requirements of the job and reduces the discomfort in a more significant way.

Mensalus Institute: experts in psychological therapy

If you are going through a time when you feel stressed at work and you have begun to notice that the situation you are in is getting bigger and is affecting your daily life, the Psychology Centre Instituto Mensalus has a team of professionals who are experts in the treatment of this type of problem .

It is located in Barcelona, where it offers face-to-face therapy sessions, but also has the possibility of online therapy. The sessions include relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, training in specific skills, among others, to overcome work stress.

If you want more information, you can find the contact details of the Centro de Psicología Instituto Mensalus at this link.