Job stress is a fall out of the industrial revolution. It has produced a work culture where people are forever struggling to stay ahead of others.
This has created a situation of continuous exertion and stress a situation that poses a threat to the physical and mental well being of an individual.
Burnouts are common among employees, as also breakdowns. The pressure of day to day work is simply too high for many.
The signs and symptoms of job stress vary among individuals. They are governed by the duration of stress and the nature of stress. Office goers who are suffering from chronic stress are more prone to health hazards and mental anxiety than others.
Stress can be caused due to physical, mental, emotional and verbal abuses and tensions. Studies show that women suffer more than men on these counts. They are also victims of sexual harassment at times, which adds to their stress.
There has been a constant increase in the number of people complaining of job stress over the years. This is because the work pressure is increasing constantly.
Earlier top models and actors, business executives and politically active people who were constantly under the public eye suffered from job stress.
Today job stress encompasses people from all fields of work like medicine, engineering, fashion, media, schools, and business setups.
Lack of security is a major reason for stress. You need to prove your skills in order to keep your post and perform better than others to get a promotion or a salary hike.
This puts an employee under continuous stress and strain. With the increase in the workload, there is an increase in the number of hours of work also.
One can never be on a holiday. Emails, pagers and mobile phones keep you connected to work always. Even a fresher has no respite. A work place is a completely new environment with its own set of rules and regulations.
You often compete with your colleagues which can lead to differences. Office politics is another reason for stress. Personal problems at home also add to job stress because they bring down your performance.
The symptoms of job stress can be mild like sleeplessness, frustrations, anxiety and anger. Often suppressed emotions and stress can lead to the development of chronic stress and related disorders. These include absenteeism, lack of focus, and depression.
It is difficult to avoid job stress. The best you can do is to reduce job-related stress by choosing a profession that interests you the most.
This will keep you focused and motivated. The support of family and friends can also help you cope with minor stress-related problems.
You should try to blend into the workplace and learn to work with everybody in a casual manner. A good idea is to take up a hobby or join a fitness program to stay mentally and physically fit.
You should also encourage yourself by applauding the small things you have achieved.
If you are completely stressed out then you need to take the help of a psychiatrist or counselor.
