Workplace Safety - Stress Management
Stress seems to be an unavoidable reality in modern-day life, but one can find ways to deal with it. The awareness that you’re in control of your life is the very basis of stress management. Controlling stress requires becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and the influence of your day to day life on the way you deal with issues.
Stress is a general psychological and physical reaction to the ever-increasing demands of life. Experts suggest many way-outs to help us ensure a stress-free life, both at home and at workplaces.
Unhealthy and unproductive strategies generally do little to minimize your stress. Such strategies frequently involve immoderate worrying or eluding of stress inducing situations.
Healthy and effective strategies basically involve some element of problem-solving to assist you better to manage your stress. It is a natural, human reaction to cope with stress in ways such as smoking, drinking too much, overeating or under eating.
Here is a list of the most common causes that lead to workplace stress −
Fear of being removed from the job
Excessive workloads with unrealistic deadlines
Insufficient workloads which make people feel that their skills are not used properly
Conspicuous absence of interpersonal communication and poor working relationship which leads to a sense of isolation among the employees
Inefficient and irresponsive management that overlooks or turn a deaf year to employees’ grievances and seldom meets their demands
Poor physical working environment
Failure to keep employees informed about significant changes to business
How to Limit Unnecessary Stress?
Some stress just can’t be passed over, and it’s never a good plan to avoid an issue which needs to be talked to. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can get rid of.
Learn how to say no − Both on a professional and personal ground. You should never take on more than you can manage as this will be a definite recipe for stress. Cut down your to-do list. Examine your schedule and plan out your tasks by level of importance.
Limit the amount of time you spend with people who stress you out − If someone normally causes stress in your life, limit the amount of time you spend with that person and be more conscious of your reaction to them. Your reaction is thankfully something you can handle.
Take control of the situation − Spot how you can limit stress in a specific situation. If driving to work stresses you out find a less busy route or cycle.
Don’t over-commit yourself − Take those and that much of work or tasks you can manage effectively well. Don’t make commitment beyond your limit and ability. Over-commitment leads you to a state of stressfulness.
Prioritize Tasks − Give due importance to time and effectiveness of each work assigned to you. Complete those task first which need your immediate attention.
How to Alter the Situation from Stress?
If you can’t restrict stress of a specific situation, try to alter it. Spell out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future.
Make your feelings known instead of covering them up − If something or someone is disturbing you, transmit your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, bitterness can build and the situation will probably remain the same.
Be Confident − Don’t take a second-string in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to foresee and protect them. If a client in work gives you an impractical deadline be honest and strong with them and say you will need more time in order to sufficiently complete the work.
Improve your time management skills − Poor time management can cause a lot of needless stress. When you’re running behind on tasks it’s tough to remain restful and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t wear out yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.
How to Adapt to the Stressors?
If it’s not possible to alter the situation, try changing yourself. You can modify to stressful situations and recover your sense of control by changing your belief and attitude.
Re-evaluate problems − Try to view stressful situations from a more affirmative point of view. Rather than steaming up about a traffic jam, look at it as a chance to relax and enjoy some uninterrupted time.
Look at the bigger picture − Take view of the stressful situation. Ask yourself in the impressive scheme of things how important is this issue? Will you remember it in a week or months’ time? If the answer is no, then emphasis your energy on important things.
Adjust your expectations − Idealism is a major source of avoiding stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
Focus on the positive − When stress is getting you down, take a moment to impact on all the things you love in your life, including your own affirmative qualities and gifts. This simple scheme can help you keep things in view.
Accept Things Which You Can't Change
Some sources of stress are compulsory. You can’t avoid or change certain stressful events such as a death of a loved one or a serious illness. In these cases, the best coping mechanism is approval or acceptance of the situation.
Don’t try to manage the unmanageable − Many things in life are beyond our control specifically the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, emphasize on the things you can control such as the way you desire to react to problems.
Look for the positives − As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When coping up with major challenges, try to look at them as chances for personal growth. If your own poor choices given to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
Open up − Talk to a trusted friend face to face or make an appointment with an analyst. The simple act of communicating what you’re going through can be very healing, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
Make room for acceptance − Acceptance doesn’t mean you have to love it, like it, or want it but it is about making room for defect rather than always fighting against it. Let go off anger and indignation. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.
Make Time for Fun and Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
Beyond taking a forceful approach coupled with an affirmative attitude, you can also minimize and enhance your power to stress by raising yourself and strengthening your physical health. Raising yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.
Set aside relaxation time − Include rest and relaxation in your day to day schedule and do something you enjoy every day such as playing an instrument, playing with your pet or getting absorbed in a good book.
Keep your sense of humor − This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. Be cheerful and smiling even in the face of any problem or difficulty. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress.
Exercise regularly − Physical activity plays a main role in minimizing and protecting the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise.
Consume a healthy diet − Healthy body is an abode of a healthy mind. Healthy and fitting bodies are better prepared to cope with stress; so be watchful of what you eat.
Get enough sleep − Try to have between 7 and 8 hours sleep per night which helps to keep fit both body and mind. Feeling tired will only enhance your stress levels as it may cause you to think illogically.
