Chill Out at Work

Stress Management at Work

Shania Twain sings about her rough day at work, the doctors on E.R. struggle to save a patient, and the married couple in your book are fighting because the husband works too much. Whether you are listening to the radio, watching television, or reading a book, American culture conveys the message loud and clear: People have to work to make a living, and where there is work; there is stress.

Early signs of job stress may be easy to identify with symptoms such as, headaches, sleep disturbances, or even strained relationships outside of work. Chronic health issues may also be connected to job stress. Although this connection can be harder to visualize because chronic diseases take more time to develop, they can be affected by other factors as well. However, evidence linking chronic health problems to job stress is now increasing. The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine states that, health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.

Therefore, it’s important to keep your work stress in check, not only for short-term health but also for your physical, social, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing in the long run.

Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).