Stress at work: the invisible enemy of our well-being

Who among us hasn't felt tired, irritable or had trouble sleeping? Individually, these symptoms can be brushed off, but together they can be signs of chronic stress. This problem is particularly acute at work, where we spend a large part of our lives.

Stress at work is more than just an unpleasant feeling, it's a serious problem that can have major consequences for our physical and mental health, as well as our productivity. What causes stress at work and how can we combat it?

Causes of stress

The causes of stress at work are divided into external and internal. External causes may include too much workload, unrealistic deadlines, unclear tasks, conflicts with colleagues, an unfavourable work environment, and personal problems at home.

Internal causes may relate to your internal health, hormonal phase, psychological characteristics, attitude to what is happening, and mistakes. Often, we create stress for ourselves by setting the bar too high and making unreasonable demands.

Symptoms of stress

It's not always easy to recognise stress, as its manifestations can be very individual. However, there are some common symptoms that can help you determine whether you are stressed. These can include emotional and intellectual symptoms (fatigue, irritability, anxiety, apathy, memory problems, concentration difficulties) as well as physical symptoms (headaches, insomnia, fatigue, appetite problems).

Chronic stress at work and the risk of burnout

You may suffer from chronic stress due to your work. This is one of the most common sources of stress. It is often a consequence of overwork and can lead to burnout (a syndrome of professional exhaustion). For example, if you feel an imbalance between the workload and the means you have to complete a task over a long period, you may accumulate stress. To understand if you suffer from burnout, read our article.

Consequences of stress

Ignoring your symptoms can lead to severe consequences. Chronic stress increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and can also cause depression and other mental health issues.

How to manage stress?

The good news is that stress can be controlled. There are many ways to reduce stress levels and increase your resistance to stressful situations. If you feel that you cannot cope independently, it is better to seek help from specialists.

Where to start to change the amount of stress in your life?

Look at your lifestyle: Do you eat well enough? When was the last time you studied current nutritional recommendations and introduced them into your diet? After all, we are what we eat, and a balanced diet gives our body a lot of energy. Is there enough physical activity in your life? A simple action like taking the stairs at work can add to your daily steps.

Sleep has a major impact on our perception of the world. You can consult the latest sleep recommendations at this link: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf.

Once you've tackled issues related to sleep and nutrition, you can organise the rest of your time by planning and prioritising your tasks. Task planning, delegation and the ability to say no will help you avoid work overload. You can read more about how to maintain a work-life balance in our article.

In the past, the use of relaxation techniques may have been seen as an esoteric or even eccentric practice, but this is no longer the case today: practices such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, nailing, hypnotherapy, art therapy, phototherapy and retreats are excellent ways of releasing tension and calming yourself down.

Do not neglect the professional help of a psychologist or psychotherapist if you feel you can't manage stress on your own.

The role of the employer

It is important to understand that we and employers share the responsibility for creating a healthy work environment. Companies that care about the well-being of their employees create conditions for reducing stress levels, conduct stress management training, and offer employee support programs.