Be Kind to Your Heart: Manage Stress at the Workplace

A convention speaker once said that stress is a necessary part of life. Without stress placed on the back, one would not be able to sit up straight. A tightrope walker would not be able to cross without the stress put on the rope or wire. This is true when applied to our lives. Stress often pushes us to new challenges, gives the drive that we need to get going, and allows us to focus on goals.

The problem arises when stress reaches a certain level that it becomes unmanageable and seemingly out of control. This kind of stress does not only cause emotional issues. It can lead to psychological damage as well as physical symptoms of ill health.

The kind of stress that some people experience are usually caused by family concerns, issues about their relationships and other problems regarding their social connections. But for many others, work and the factors involving their work provide a great deal of stress. If unmanaged, this kind of stress could cause serious illnesses like heart diseases.

A recent study shows that people who have returned to work after a first heart attack may have a recurrence due to the effect of stressful work.

The Journal of American Medical Association reported that the study involved 972 subjects whose ages ranged between 35 and 59 years old. These individuals experienced a heart attack or myocardial infarction, and then reported back to work. They were followed for about 10 years, and were interviewed about their jobs a few weeks after they went back to work

The participants of the study were asked about job stress that were based on 2 parameters. First was psychological demands and second was decision latitude. High job strain was defined as high psychological demands and low decision latitude.

The results of the study show that 206 patients experienced the "composite outcomes of fatal CHD (coronary heart disease) nonfatal heart attack or unstable angina.

The outcomes of the study strongly suggests that interventions be focused on reducing stressful work so as to prevent further complications of people who intent to resume work after experiencing a heart attack.

Previous studies have zoomed in mostly on medical factor and personal characteristics including lifestyle of people who had a heart attack. This study recommends taking into account the work environment and in finding means to reduce stressful work, especially for those who have had a heart attack and would want to go back to their normal routine at work.

So what could be the signs of stress in the work place? Here are a few:

-Changes in behavior
-Unusual irritability or increased aggression
-Reduced performance
-Erosion of self-confidence
-Relationship problems

The person may also demonstrate the following symptoms:

-Anxiety
-Depression
-Boredom
-Panic attacks
-Physical signs like headaches, raised blood pressure, indigestion, increased heart rate, muscle tension

Work colleagues and managers should be on the look out for these signals. Then, they can help the person experiencing stress. So how do we deal with job-related tension?

-Talk it out. One of the best tools is to air-out tension building inside. Unloading our burden is an excellent way to release steam and reduce stress. Also, talking about your concerns allows you to listen to yourself. Issues could be seen from different perspectives. The listener could help by giving suggestions, and importantly a certain degree of empathy that could be very comforting.

-Put things in perspective. If the job is immensely taking its toll on you and things seem unrealistic, then it is time for you to reassess your personal and career goals. Your family may need your time and you might want to focus on them more. Try to consider finding a different position or a totally new job.

-Get more organized. Take time to keep your desk and workplace orderly. Do away with clutter. Being organized allows one to feel in control also.

-Cultivate allies at work. Find people who can be your support system when things go very rough for you and to heavy to handle. Just be sure that these people are really willing to assist you in times of stress, and find ways to reciprocate their efforts.

-Be positive and use humor. It helps a lot if someone has a very pleasant disposition. Things would feel positive for everyone. Negativity sucks energy. Learn to lighten up and when you can laugh at yourself.

-Be realistic. Remember that you can only do so much. It is all right to come up with good expectations, but don't imagine that you have super powers. Having unrealistic expectations just lead to increased stress.

-Get time away. Take a breather if you need that tension is building up. Take a few minutes to walk around the block, or up and down a few flight of steps. Stay in a quiet corner, close your eyes and take a little reflective moment.

Sources:
http://today.reuters.com
http://www.phobias-help.com/forum
www.quintcareers.com