Unfortunately, now you can hear less and less: “I’m going to work as if it’s a holiday!” and more and more often phrases like: “My work is sheer stress!” And it's not just that a lot of people are engaged in unloved activities for themselves. Even those who have chosen a field to their liking and consider their work a vocation are subject to professional stress. Still would! Indeed, in an era of economic instability and high competition in business, there are a great many factors that increase mental stress in the workplace.
Facts about stress
- Stress, according to the concept of the physiologist G. Selye (the researcher of this phenomenon and the developer of the concept), has three stages of development:
1 - stage of alarm: there is an impact of an unfavorable factor, anxiety, fear arise, mental stress increases;
2 - stage of resistance: the body begins to respond to this adverse effect (there is a struggle with stress, getting used to it or further immersion in stress);
3 - stage of exhaustion: if the impact is too strong or no measures are taken to eliminate the source of tension and the stress becomes chronic, then the body's resources are depleted. Serious health problems may arise.
- Stress always takes over both the "soul" and the body. Under its influence, physiological reactions, emotions, thoughts and behavior simultaneously change. This, of course, is a big minus. But the plus is that you can get rid of stress in different ways: by influencing the body, and with the help of psychological techniques.
- Exposure to stress is always associated with individual characteristics. For some, even a little criticism against them will be an ordeal, while for others, a serious conflict is a common thing. In this case, the term "stress resistance" is used. And the good news is that this trait can be developed even if you are naturally anxious and fearful.
Causes of stress in the workplace
Factors that increase mental stress are called stressors. Consider the main stressors in professional activity.
- Interaction with people. This factor can include both communication with the team within the organization, and contacts with strangers if the work is related to the provision of services or the establishment of partnerships with other companies.
- Collective. It's like a second family. It is good where they support, help, treat kindly, do not envy and do not gossip behind their backs. But often in the work team you can meet people who, for some reason, you do not like or treat you unfriendly (ridicule, pressure, criticize, quarrel, etc.) In most cases, this leads to stress in professional activities.
- Management . Someone is lucky, and they come across understanding and democratic leaders. But there are those who are convinced that subordinates need to be kept under stress in order for them to work effectively. Of course, there will be an effect, but it is emotionally difficult to be in such an environment all the time.
- Subordinates. The need to manage people, find an approach to everyone, motivate, set tasks, monitor their implementation, monitor discipline is far from the whole list of manager's functions. And communication with "difficult" subordinates even more inflames the situation.
- Clients. The “person-to-person” sphere is considered one of the most stressful, because in it, in addition to the basic skills associated with doing work, you also need to have a number of important personal characteristics that improve the process of communicating with others. The ability to convince, evoke sympathy and trust, be polite and competently defend one's position are the qualities necessary for working with people. You are dependent on the position of "Pleasing the client", otherwise he may go to competitors and not play in the best way on the company's image.
- Partners . Establishing mutually beneficial cooperation with another organization requires considerable effort and negotiation skills. Why not stress?
- Lack of self-realization. If the activity is not to your liking, then it will not be performed with maximum dedication and enthusiasm. For many, this is very depressing and makes you think about changing jobs. Mismatch between organizational goals and human values can also lead to stress. For example, if a person is not close to the sphere of sales or he generally considers it an “unkind” deed, then he is unlikely to be able to achieve success in it.
- Dissatisfaction with performance. Here, either the employee makes little effort, or makes very high demands on himself, or does not appreciate enough what he has already achieved. Or perhaps he wants to get a result too soon. Be sure to understand the reason.
- Lack of time. Time management trainings are becoming more and more popular, aimed at teaching employees to correctly prioritize tasks and use time more efficiently. For many, staying late at work is becoming the norm. Although this in most cases adversely affects relationships in the family.
- High responsibility. For many, work involves responsibility for their own lives or the lives of others, as well as high financial risks. As a rule, this leads to significant stress.
- Low earnings. The purpose of any work activity is to earn money. Pay dissatisfaction often affects self-esteem and mood. Especially in men.
- Insufficient understanding of professional tasks. Here we are faced with either a fuzzy formulation of these tasks, or a lack of skills to perform the work. Most often, such a stress factor occurs at the beginning of a career or when changing professional activities.
- Working conditions. An uncomfortable workplace, insufficient lighting in the room, lack of fresh air, unpleasant odors, noise, prolonged exposure to the computer, etc., do not have the best effect on health. The inconvenient location of the enterprise (being far from home or in an industrial area) is also stressful for some people.
- Intensive labor. A high load leads to the depletion of the body's strength. Sooner or later, resources run out and rest is required. It is important to understand this before the critical point arrives.
- Monotonous work or, conversely, the need to constantly switch from one task to another. Here everything is individual. Some do not tolerate routine activities, others find it difficult to be flexible and work in conditions of multitasking.
Types of occupational stress
- information stress(associated with high mental load);
- communicative(arises due to difficulties in communicating with other people, inability to find an approach to them and resist other people's influence);
- emotional(associated with the inability to adapt to working conditions, dissatisfaction with the results of professional activity, also arises as a result of conflict situations).
Is stress always bad?
Some people claim to work more efficiently under stress. Is it so?
At the first stage, stress can really “encourage”, shake up and spur you to work. It is important that its impact be situational, not regular. Constant stress is definitely detrimental to health.
The Positive Meaning of Stress in the Workplace
- Stress manifests itself as a protective reaction of the body to excessive stress.
He seems to be saying: "It's time to stop, we need to rest" or "Something needs to be changed." That is, stress is designed to protect a person from a nervous breakdown. This is its warning value. - At the initial stage, stress can induce action, helps to mobilize forces to overcome difficult situations.
If a person is faced with a professional task and he does not know how to solve it, then at first he feels confusion, anxiety, then he gathers his thoughts and starts a creative search. This gives the employee the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, to gain the necessary experience.
The negative impact of occupational stress
- Stress drains the body's resources and impairs health.
Under its influence, immunity decreases, the activity of the digestive system worsens, and cardiovascular diseases appear. - Stress often triggers an inhibitory response.
In a person in a state of tension, muscles usually contract, breathing stops. At the level of the psyche, the same thing happens: there are fluctuations in decision-making, there is no desire to act, faith in one's own strength is lost.
Consequences of occupational stress
Stress can cause various diseases, cause problems in the emotional sphere and human behavior.
Health effects:
- increased risk of cardiovascular disease;
- disturbances in the work of the nervous system, deterioration of memory and attention;
- decreased immunity;
- sleep problems;
- deterioration of the digestive system;
- headache;
- deterioration of the skin, hair;
- weight problems.
The effects of stress on the emotional sphere and behavior:
- Irritability, irascibility;
- distraction;
- Apathy;
- Depression;
- Dissatisfaction with yourself and your work;
- Conflicts in the family, deterioration of relations with others;
- Loss of purpose and life orientation.
Try to prevent the harmful effects of stress before you notice even one of these effects.
How to deal with stress at work
- Pay attention to your condition and acknowledge that you are stressed. This is important in order to take action and prevent irreversible consequences.
- It is important to identify the source of stress in order to understand how to deal with it. And is it even worth fighting? Perhaps you should just get used to it?
- Be aware of your feelings and say them to yourself, for example: “I am confused”, “I am afraid that ...”, “I am annoyed when ...”, “I am annoyed ...”, etc. Do not run from your feelings accept them, you have the right to experience them.
- Analyze the pros and cons of the current situation. Yes, sometimes even in a not very pleasant situation there are advantages.
- Develop an action plan to reduce stress and deal with a difficult situation. It would be better if you write it down in a notepad. So you can regularly look into it and summarize the results of the tasks performed.
- Prioritize your work. According to the Eisenhower Matrix, it is always important to do things first. important and urgent affairs. Then the list should be important but not urgent tasks. After them - urgent but not important. And the last to be executed unimportant and non-urgent things, as long as there is time for them.
The more calmly you learn to work, the less stress will be.
- Delegate authority to subordinates (if your position allows it) and do not hesitate to ask colleagues for help at some points. Often the problem lies in the inability to trust others. Learn to do it. But be sure to control any transfer of cases.
- Do not be intimidated by global projects and goals that you need to implement at work. Break them down into several small tasks, for which you develop a step-by-step action plan.
- Be punctual, come to work on time or a little earlier. So you will have the opportunity to collect your thoughts and smoothly start the working day. By being late for work, you create additional stress by hurrying and fearing to provoke the wrath of your superiors.
You may have to rethink your daily routine and wake up earlier. So you can calmly pack up and increase the margin of time on the road to work.
- Take small breaks from work that will allow you to relax a little and relieve stress. It is best if at this time you take a walk, drink a cup of fresh tea or just chat with colleagues.
- It is often useful to put things in order in the surrounding space: sort out working documents, tidy up the table, throw away everything unnecessary. This is a good way to release negative thoughts and feelings and bring in fresh ideas.
- Use breathing techniques to relax your tense body and calm your emotions at the time of the stressor. There are many such exercises, but the simplest one that can be performed in a limited working space is a slow inhalation, holding the breath for 3-4 seconds, and a slow exhalation.
- If you are emotionally hard, talk to colleagues, ask for advice, joke, laugh. Humor often helps to look at the situation from the other side, and the stress may not seem so serious.
- Self-hypnosis is a good way to control emotions. “I am calm”, “I can handle the situation”, “I have enough strength to overcome stress” are phrases that will help you resist negative external influences.
- Keep a diary with life-affirming phrases in the style: “Today is my day”, “Every day I develop and become more confident in myself”, “I am a successful person”, etc. and look into it when you feel a lack of strength and energy.
How to manage stress outside the workplace
Here everyone has their most preferred ways of how to relieve stress. Let's take a look at the most effective ones.
- Relaxation exercises (relaxation): performed in a calm environment, with eyes closed. The greatest effect is achieved when you imagine pleasant images at the same time (how you swing on the waves, lie on the sea sand, etc.)
- Regular walks, outdoor recreation. It is necessary to constantly enrich the brain with oxygen. This has a positive effect on health, improves mood and gives an influx of fresh ideas.
- Sports, exercise, dancing. And for the figure are useful, and provide an adrenaline rush.
- Hobby, creativity. Be sure to regularly make time for your favorite activity. This is what inspires you, charges you with positive energy and allows you to relax after work.
- Music. Listening to music and singing improve mood and give a powerful energy boost.
- Your favorite book or movie for a while allows you to completely disconnect from everyday worries and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of an exciting story.
- Visiting concerts, performances, exhibitions.
- Providing help, support and attention to loved ones. A small gift or a few kind words will please them and make you feel happier.
Let's look at the percentage of the quietest workers.
Prevention of stress at work
- Be attentive to yourself, try to note any changes in your condition. Are you feeling excessively tired? Have you become more irritable lately? Is there apathy towards work or something else?
- Try not to take on too much responsibility. Don't overload yourself with too many tasks if possible. Start a new task only after completing the previous one.
- Get more rest. Try not to take work home, do not think about it on the weekend.
- Getting enough sleep is one of the keys to avoiding stress. Good sleep restores the body's strength and helps to process the negative impressions received during the day. But if you regularly lack sleep, then you are even more immersed in stress and deplete the body's resources.
- If you don’t like the job, still think about whether it’s worth changing the professional field? Listen to your inner voice and your desires.
- Don't focus on work. Devote more time to yourself and your family. It is important to feel happy in all areas of life. Then the difficulties at work will be perceived as something ordinary and solvable.
- Believe in yourself and try to be an optimist in everything. Strength of character, a positive attitude and attentiveness to yourself will always help to cope with stress. A positively charged person is much more difficult to break than a pessimist.
Troubles at work, troubles in the family, unfavorable ecology, frantic pace of life lead to stress, which subsequently leads to nervous exhaustion of the body.
Why does stress occur?
Psychologists distinguish two types of stress - external and internal. The appearance of stress occurs under the influence of aggressive ecology and bad habits, workloads, emotional experiences (divorce or parting with a partner). The stress factors that arise under the influence of internal causes include allergic reactions (more often - food), malnutrition, the beginning of a sexual life.
The effects of stress
As a result of stress in the human body, the following changes occur, which are reflected on the physical level:
increased heart rate associated with the need to strengthen the nutrition of the body due to the release of additional energy. Rapid pulse provokes chest breathing (rapid);
blood vessels expand, the flow of oxygen and nutrients increases;
blood clotting increases, since at the physiological level the body is ready for physical pain;
pupils dilate, vision becomes sharper;
muscles increase glucose consumption in case you have to use physical force;
within a couple of weeks there is a sharp decrease or increase in body weight.
due to the weakening of the digestive processes, energy is released for the muscles and the brain.
Psychologists say that short-term stress, lasting no more than a few hours, is good for a person. This type of stress speeds up the metabolism in the body, which has a positive effect on the well-being of a person.
The reaction of the human body to stress is as follows: "resist or run away." A person who is constantly in a state of combat anxiety experiences emotional and bodily discomfort. This reaction can be compared to the simultaneous pressing of the brake and gas pedals at full speed in a car.
Stress can and should be dealt with, otherwise it can lead to serious diseases, such as chronic hypertension. A direct link between chronic stress, cancer and diabetes has also been proven.
Effective ways to deal with stress
In order to overcome the manifestations of stress, identify its root cause. First, observe your feelings. Since stress is directly related to the occurrence of anxiety, it is important to monitor its manifestations. When does anxiety peak? What events preceded the onset of anxiety? the services of a qualified psychologist. However, if there is neither time nor financial opportunity to turn to a professional, you can try to put into practice the following techniques:
Help people around. Feeling sorry for himself, a person forgets that there are a large number of people who are much worse than him. Helping others in a difficult life situation, a person not only distracts from his problems, but also learns to appreciate every moment of life.
Settle the number of important cases. You can reduce the burden on the body by reducing urgent matters. A person feels most comfortable with a measured lifestyle. Learn to plan your time by scheduling tasks by day, week and month. Psychologists say that people who know how to plan their time are more resistant to stress than their unorganized comrades.
"Switch!". In a difficult period, when thoughts are busy searching for a solution to a problem, it is impossible to think about something else. By training the body, a person learns to “turn off” his head from external problems. Start practicing Pilates and yoga, which helps not only to cope with the effects of stress, but also to prevent them. Sports can be replaced by crosswords, puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or logical tasks.
Release negative energy! To achieve the maximum effect, you can use the following psychological technique: go out the door, slam it loudly and imagine that the problem remains with her. It is even better to go with such a thought through several doors.
Control your emotions. The fact is that the brain does not ask how serious our problems are, and produces stress hormones in response to any emotional outbursts. You can listen to relaxing music, take a bath with herbs or aroma oils.
Smile! Smiling and laughing triggers the release of joyful hormones that suppress stress. Everything in the body is interconnected: when a person is in a good mood, he smiles. The same works in reverse as well.
Start exercising every day. At least half an hour a day should be allocated for physical exercise. According to doctors, of all sports, walking is the best stress fighter. Working muscles will burn off excess adrenaline. Just its accumulation has a negative effect on the body.
Aggression must find a way out. Everyone knows the method of the Japanese, who love to beat the effigy of their boss from the bottom of their hearts. You can tell the offender everything that you think about him in a letter, but, of course, you don’t need to send it. The letter can be torn into many small pieces, scattered in the wind, or burned.
Add vitamins and minerals to your diet. Vitamin E increases resistance to stress. Therefore, it is worth introducing foods such as soybeans, carrots, potatoes, walnuts, blackberries, corn into the diet.
Treat yourself! Stress eating is not worth it, but you can reward yourself for quickly overcoming excitement by eating a piece of dark chocolate or making a long-awaited purchase in a clothing store.
Tea and coffee are prohibited! In a stressful state, it is better to exclude coffee and tea from drinking. You can replace your favorite drinks with herbal infusions, fruit drinks, freshly squeezed juices.
Change your diet. Nutritionists say that among the products, real stress fighters are sandwiches with hard grain bread, salmon pate. , spinach in salads, sunflower seeds, will also benefit the body. In turn, it is recommended to exclude sugar, white bread, and pastries from the diet, which provoke the release of insulin into the blood.
How to deal with anxiety?
It's easy to say, "Calm down! Get a hold of yourself". There are moments when emotions literally overwhelm, and no advice helps. We'll have to deal with them, affecting the body physically.
When trembling in the voice, you need to take the thumb of one hand and massage it properly, then do the same with the thumb of the other hand. Through the finger there is an impact on the speech center.
If the voice is intercepted, or the words are confused, stuttering appears, you need to take a deep breath and mentally say as you exhale: “I speak calmly.” And so several times. You can take water in your mouth and mentally pronounce the same phrase with each sip.
At the moment of strong excitement, you need to seize the moment, retire, then relax the muscles of the face. After a few seconds, make faces and relax them again. So do it several times. Now the same can be done with the muscles of the limbs and trunk, alternately tensing and relaxing them.
Mentally roll the problem into a ball and throw it away. The latter can be done with snow on the street. Even better, throw a problem snowball at a blank wall so that it breaks into small pieces.
Stand up straight, join your hands behind your back in the lock. Taking them back, bring the shoulder blades together and freeze in this position for 5 seconds. Repeat several times and lower the relaxed arms along the body.
Ask a colleague or any acquaintance who is nearby to massage the head, especially the occipital region. If no one is around, do it yourself.
Rub your earlobes with your fingers.
Rub the palms of your hands until they are hot. Apply them to closed eyes and hold until they cool.
Tip: another effective way to overcome stress
According to American scientists, there is a win-win way to deal with stress, called "love." Hugging and kissing a loved one releases the hormone oxytocin. Such a hormone lowers the feeling of anxiety, suppresses stress. Surrounding yourself with people who give you a sense of self-confidence helps you deal with your anxiety.
Psychologist help in dealing with stress
If you can’t cope with stress on your own, you can seek help from a psychologist. A body-oriented psychologist or psychotherapist will help eliminate the effects of stress, identify the main causes that led to its occurrence.
December 28, 2013, 04:51 PMNo one can avoid stress at work. Stressful situations happen with different frequency in any field of activity. But, if stress becomes a constant companion of a person at work, this leads to negative consequences. What to do in such cases? Let's look at how dangerous this condition is and what to do about it.
Why is stress at work dangerous?
It should be noted that the state of stress is sometimes beneficial to a person. The fact is that in this state, the entire potential of the brain is activated, energy is produced and the body is mobilized to quickly solve the problem. But, if such a condition passes into a chronic phase, there will only be harm from stress.
First, concentration will deteriorate. When a person is nervous, irritated, worried, his attention is maximally focused not on work, but on the source of stress.
Secondly, because of chronic stress at work, productivity decreases. A person cannot be effective when he is overwhelmed by emotions that he cannot cope with.
Stress is considered one of the main causes of professional burnout and loss of interest in work.
Prolonged stress leads to emotional and physical exhaustion, negatively affects the health and immunity of a person.
What to do?
Of course, this situation cannot be tolerated. If the source of stress is not eliminated, a person will be overtaken by all the negative consequences that are listed above. Therefore, you need to start fighting for your emotional and physical health, as well as for comfort at work. Consider what can be done in such a situation.
What are the causes of stress at work?
In order to quickly normalize your mental state, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the source of stress. There may be many of them, then it will be more difficult to solve the problem. Below are some of the most common causes of stress at work.
Unhealthy team atmosphere. Problems in relationships with colleagues can manifest themselves for various reasons, but when things get so complicated that it turns into a state of "cold war", being in a team becomes a source of stress. It is possible to cope with such a situation, although it takes effort.
Incorrect distribution of duties, overload of most employees is a common situation for modern offices. While some are being made redundant, others are taking over their duties, although they are barely doing their jobs. If work has become a source of stress as a result of overload, it is worth discussing with your superiors about the possible redistribution of workload.
Focus on career achievement. Career growth is good, no one will argue. But, sometimes people become obsessed with career advancement ideas. They are ready to pay any price just to get the desired position. Only few people think that a career built at the expense of their health will not bring any joy. Solving the problem is easy - you need to reconsider your priorities, and understand that health and comfort in life are much more important.
Wrong organization of the work process and time. It often happens like this - there is no stability at work, working time does not belong to you because of the abundance of unforeseen problems that fall out of nowhere like snow on your head. The constant expectation of new troubles or force majeure keeps a person in a state of stress and nervous tension. It may also be that the employee himself distributes his time incorrectly and does not take care to organize the labor process properly. The problem can be solved with careful planning and mastering time management skills.
Toxic bosses and colleagues. This problem is much more difficult to deal with than all the previous ones. If relationships with colleagues and superiors are toxic, this can cause extreme stress and completely exhaust a person. In some cases, the problem can be solved by taking the right position and building a psychological defense against toxic employees. But, discomfort is still unavoidable. If the situation only worsens, you should think about changing jobs or switching to freelancing.
You need rest!
Sometimes the reason that work has become a source of stress is a simple lack of rest. If stress overcomes, and you can’t help yourself, don’t wait for the condition to worsen - go to your superiors and ask for an extraordinary vacation, even at your own expense. Understanding bosses will definitely sign your application, because in this state you will be of little use at work.
Try to make the most of this time so that you can return to work refreshed and rested. Do not load yourself with housework, trips to the country and the fulfillment of any other obligations. Always remember that the first person you owe the most to is you!
Get enough sleep daily. Due to lack of sleep, the body becomes more sensitive to any stimuli. Chronic lack of sleep will inevitably lead to a state of chronic stress, increased irritability and disrupt emotional health.
Eat well, make sure that your diet contains foods rich in minerals and vitamins. Good nutrition will allow your body to recover faster from stress reactions and make it more resilient.
Drink less coffee and strong tea. The caffeine in these drinks stimulates the nervous system, making you more responsive to stressful situations.
Carry a bottle of water or weak tea made from lemon balm, mint, chamomile. When you feel like you are losing your temper, drink as much liquid as possible. Due to the intake of fluid in the body, the concentration of stress hormones decreases and you can endure such conditions calmly and without harm to health.
In some cases, the only solution to the problem may be to change jobs. If nothing helps, there is no point in torturing yourself and bringing yourself to exhaustion. You can always find a quieter place to work, or to do business.
Modern man is used to being in a tense state. The rhythm of life has an influence, the flow of information piles up on a person every day. And it seems that stress is inevitable, it was even classified as a disease of the 21st century. So that stressful conditions do not spill over into depression, they must be dealt with.
Living conditions change, progress does not stand still, and it is difficult for people to change and adapt to new conditions. With constant tension, a person feels changes, they relate to the psychological and physiological state.
From the physiological side, the following symptoms appear:
- Headaches reaching migraine;
- Increases blood pressure;
- There are problems with the heart and blood vessels;
- A person does not get enough sleep, private insomnia exhausts the body;
- There are problems with the skin, gastrointestinal tract.
Along with an unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy diet, stress also worsens the psychological state of a person. Psychological symptoms are manifested in the following:
- The person becomes irritable;
- Loss of appetite;
- Reduces interest in communication;
- Memory worsens;
- It becomes difficult to concentrate;
- Optimism disappears, unnecessary thoughts come to mind.
Many find such symptoms in themselves, but do not associate this with the onset of depression. It seems that you just need to rest for a couple of days, sleep, and everything will pass. The seriousness of the situation lies in the fact that stressful conditions are tightening every day. Learn how to deal with stress in this article.
Bad habits aggravate a serious condition; a person turns to them to relieve psychological stress. These are cigarettes, alcohol, the Internet, they allow you to get away from unwanted reality for a while. Temporary oblivion aggravates the situation, and the body suffers even more. Therefore, it is worth finding ways to deal with the disease that will not cause addiction. To do this, you need to understand what stress is, causes, stages. Stress and its impact on a person always have a negative impact not only on morale, but also on physical health.
Three stages of stress
People are exposed to a nervous state regardless of their place of work, financial and social status, gender, age. The stages of the course are the same, a person goes through 3 stages of stress:
- Anxiety;
- Resistance;
- Exhaustion.
1 stage
At the initial stage, changes occur in the body: pressure rises, the heart begins to beat more often, appetite disappears or increases, digestive problems appear, and sexual desire decreases. Anxiety reduces the body's immunity, and a person becomes defenseless against diseases.
The emotional state negatively affects primarily the stomach. A person refuses to eat, as they say, “a piece does not fit into the throat,” or stress and anxiety begin to seize. In both cases, the gastrointestinal tract suffers, which leads to a malfunction, an increase in load, the production of excess enzymes, they corrode the walls of the stomach and intestines.
From a psychological point of view, a person notes increased aggressiveness and irritability, sleep disappears, and a sleepy state pursues during the day, changes in body weight are possible. If the source of stress disappears, the first stage ends by itself. If the tension continues, there are changes in the psyche. There comes a stage of resistance.
2 stage
Resistance (resistance) is an attempt by the body to adapt to the present conditions. There is an increase in strength, the body throws them to continue a full life. But human possibilities are not unlimited. The body cannot constantly veil psychological stress, although outwardly the person's condition looks like normal.
The duration of the stage depends on the internal reserves of the human body. If nothing is done to eliminate the causes of stress, then gradually the forces will run out and the third stage will come - exhaustion. This is a dangerous moment, it is not worth bringing to it.
3 stage
The signs of exhaustion are similar to the initial stage of stress. The difference lies in the fact that the body's forces are exhausted, there is nothing to mobilize. This leads to the development of diseases:
- Somatic character (up to psychological disorder);
- Decompensation (depressive state);
- Nervous breakdown.
The danger is that this stage is defined by doctors as irreversible. Changes occurring in the body lead to death. A person is not able to get out of this state on his own, medication is required under the supervision of a specialist. Treatment consists of taking medicinal sedatives and regular sessions with a psychologist.
It is important to learn how to deal with stress at an early stage.
A person spends most of his life at work. Stressful situations in the process of work have an active influence on a person. These include factors that are directly related to work and external factors:
- Social component;
- Economic and financial changes.
An unsatisfactory financial situation leads to constant stress. A person finds a part-time job, time for family and rest is reduced, which aggravates the situation and results in three stages of stress.
Group factors also influence, they include:
- In an unfriendly team, the participant feels uncomfortable. The reasons lie in relation to management or colleagues;
- Inside the collective squabbles, conflicts are associated with the incompatibility of the characters of the group members, personal goals, values.
The factors that bring psychological discomfort include personal reasons related to work and working conditions - high temperature in the room, the presence of increased noise, and features of the design of the workplace.
The psychological mood and factors associated with the direct performance of duties influence:
- Uncertainty about keeping a job as the only source of income, self-doubt;
- The impossibility of self-expression in the workplace, the performance of mechanical or monotonous work;
- Complex or specific nature of work, lack of independence in decision-making;
- Difficulties in communicating with colleagues, role ambiguity, uncertainty in relationships;
- Aggressive management style of the organization, dual leadership, increased pressure from managers and directors;
- Shift or rotating work schedule that disrupts the normal rhythm of life.
These working conditions increase the stress component in a person's life and at work. The degree of influence depends on the person himself, his stress resistance and sensitivity.
Psychological advice for dealing with stress at work
The experience of people and psychologists suggests that stress at work can be dealt with. In difficult situations, when it is impossible to find a way out, it is worth thinking about changing jobs. Sometimes this is the right move. If a person does not believe that drastic measures are possible, the issue must be resolved on the spot. How to relieve stress:
- Effectively switching to other areas of life. Helps self-development, sports, morning jogging.
- You can indulge yourself with pleasant little things, watch your favorite show, eat delicious, but you should not get carried away.
- Learn to relax. There are many practices (auto-training, meditation), they are easy to master on your own.
- A magic phrase works well, an affirmation that will cheer you up and support you in a difficult period.
- Refusal of self-flagellation, the words "must", "should". Life doesn't end at work. You should be able not only to responsibly fulfill your duties, but also to relax.
- How to deal with stress with humor. The mood depends on the person, and no one has canceled a sense of humor. Everyone decides how to relate to a particular moment of his life.
Prevention of stress - how to avoid stressful situations?
It is easier and more effective to avoid the occurrence of stressful situations than to deal with the consequences of their impact. The struggle should begin from the first stage, when the “first bells” appear that indicate a problem.
- Daily schedule planning. This simple but effective method allows you to organize a person's life. Constantly there are many ideas, urgent matters and plans for the day, week, month, which by the end of the day form a mess in my head. A few minutes spent drawing up a plan will pay off handsomely.
Advice! Keeping a diary helps, for starters, a notebook or notebook is suitable.
- Healthy lifestyle and balance of diet, sleep and physical activity. It has been noticed that people who go in for sports endure psychological difficulties more easily.
- The ability to relax. These skills will come in handy in life. People who know how to relax, leave worries and problems outside the house, are easier to adapt to change.
- The ability to conduct introspection, a sober assessment of the causes of nervous tension and the occurrence of stressful situations helps. You should not blame yourself, you need to analyze the strengths that will help you avoid stress or minimize the consequences.
- Interests, hobbies, passion. Work should be fun. A person needs a hobby, a “stress pill” that brings moral satisfaction. This will help relieve nervous tension.
A good mood, a sense of humor, relationships with others based on mutual respect, the ability to find pleasure in small things and everyday affairs will bring peace and create a favorable atmosphere for a stress-free life.
Today, stress at work is a constant part of work, and therefore it is very important to exercise effective mood management. If you control emotional stress at work, then you can perform quality activities.
What is the most stressful job? To your possible surprise, this is not the profession of a miner, racing driver or policeman. The results of the survey, in which about 2670 specialists of firms operating in Russia - users of the HH.ru website, expressed their opinion, showed that working under stress is what insurance specialists do. About 79% of insurers noted that stressful situations in relation to them are the norm, not the exception.
Specialists in what industries also experience constant work stress? The results of the study showed that marketers and HR specialists, accountants and employees of firms involved in purchasing receive stress at work. The statement about the supposedly "dustless work of sorting through pieces of paper" turned out to be erroneous. Working with people is stressful. Listening to people, their complaints, finding an approach to each person is just as difficult, and perhaps even more difficult, than investigating criminal cases.
Respondents noted that employees of the security sector feel the most relaxed at work - only 52% of respondents are stressed, as well as people working in fitness centers and beauty salons (53%) and counseling specialists (55%). In this case, their position, of course, should be indicated not by sociologists, but by psychologists. Each person has their own threshold of sensitivity. It is impossible to call the spiritual organization of all people thin. In a situation where the marketer starts crying, the policeman will laugh. And this is not about courage, cynicism or "icy" calmness, but about professional experience and skills, the habit of constantly experiencing stress at work. If a person cannot withstand stress at work, it is reasonable to change the scope of activity in order to save nerve cells.
What causes stress at work
Stress at work and at home is a frequent occurrence, fraught with consequences. In one UN report, stress at work was labeled as the "plague of the 21st century". Experts have repeatedly conducted numerous assessments and studies, the results of which have shown that at the moment the vast majority of people have mental disorders that have appeared as a result of acute or chronic psychological stress. Such conditions can develop into an epidemic and become one of the main social problems in modern society.
Economists believe that the treatment of diseases caused by stress costs millions and billions of rubles. We are talking about direct treatment, compensation for employees, losses associated with absences and changes in personnel.
Consider the main causes of stress at work and the impact of stress on work.
Physical and hygienic working conditions:
- increased or decreased ambient temperature;
- increased or decreased illumination;
- polluted air containing foreign substances;
- increased noise or vibration;
- high density in the workplace, excessive crowding;
- isolated workplaces;
- conditions of activity that go against the biological rhythms in the body (failures in eating, sleep lead to stress);
- monotonous work or, on the contrary, constant stress at work and “races”;
- lack of breaks for rest (recuperation is essential).
Emotional factors:
- increased responsibility;
- high expectations from the employee;
- dangerous working conditions under which a person risks life and health.
Information factors:
- indefinite job responsibilities;
- fuzzy and unclear algorithms of activity;
- heuristic activity;
- lack of a learning process for acquiring proper skills and managing tools.
Communication factors:
- working with stress in a high position;
- "poisonous" and critical management style of the authorities;
- lack of opportunities to communicate with employees.
Work stress in numbers
1,000,000 layoffs were stress-related.
27% of respondents - employees of different companies noted that they began to experience stress in connection with work.
45% of respondents noted that work-related stress is either very high or excessively high.
One-third of those surveyed wanted to leave work only due to stress.
70% said that work-related stress lowered their mental and physical health.
What can cause stress at work
circulatory system. There is some evidence of how the psychological state affects the occurrence of diseases in the cardiovascular system. Constant worries, fears, irritation lead to heart diseases. As a result of stress, additional hormones are released, due to which the heart begins to contract more often, blood pressure rises, and vasoconstriction occurs. All of the above causes the development of stroke and heart attack.
Musculoskeletal system. Stress, as well as the syndromes associated with flight or fight, lead to the fact that the muscles tense up. It doesn't matter if the threat is real or imagined. Due to the pressure exerted by the muscles, the ligaments, joints and tendons are loaded, which leads to pain. In addition, there is a gradual weakening and fatigue of the muscles, which leads to headaches. Joints, back, neck, shoulder blades begin to hurt.
Digestive system. Severe stress at work and in life is accompanied by a cessation of salivation by the salivary glands. Often, on the contrary, there is increased salivation. There is an increase in the secretion of acids in the stomach. The level of acidity begins to exceed the permissible norm, which leads to heartburn, nausea, and then - a gastric ulcer. Another option that can be caused by stress is the appearance of diarrhea.
The immune system. Stress associated with work and life situations negatively affects the immune system. Various infections can freely enter the body. So, British scientists conducted research, the results of which became clear: cancer and severe emotional stress at work and in life (mainly fear) are closely related.
Respiratory system. Situations are common when, as a result of severe stress (scandal with the customer, reprimand of the boss, quarrels with employees), asthmatic attacks appeared.
We can say that the stresses associated with work and not only, in themselves rarely become the causes of serious diseases. Due to stress, the weakest parts in the body are vulnerable. Unfortunately, damage to weakened organs caused by stress is irreversible.
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How do employees respond to stress at work and at home?
Each person has their own stress response. Each reaction, according to experts, is physiological and psychological.
Physiological responses are
- Anxiety. It can be called complex bodily and biochemical changes, reflecting the body's attempts to restore normal functioning. Anxious individuals report fever, joint and muscle pain, decreased appetite, and fatigue;
- Resistance. In this case, there is a disappearance of anxiety symptoms and an increase in physiological resistance relative to the norm in order to overcome prolonged stress associated with work. At the same time, there is an increase in the secretion of various glands and a decrease in resistance to infectious diseases.
- A stage called exhaustion. Occurs when stress is prolonged. The body no longer has the strength to release an increased number of hormones and adapt to a prolonged stressful situation. Anxiety appears, expressed even more clearly. Often, exhaustion causes emotional devastation, depersonalization, and a sense of failure. People in this state feel tired both in working conditions and in periods free from it.
How we react to stressful situations largely depends on our perception of the world around us. Pessimists perceive work-related stresses more sharply than people who are optimistic. Usually, certain unconscious reactions automatically appear in stressful situations, which can turn on one or another protective mechanism.
- Suppression. In this case, a person clears his mind, excluding unacceptable ideas and experiences.
- Negation. Here, the subject perceives threatening objects as harmless.
- Fixation. A certain type of reward continues to be relevant after the completion of the stage where it was appropriate.
- Regression. The person returns to a behavioral model that corresponded to an earlier period in development.
- Rationalization. The person justifies unacceptable behavior by finding "convincing" arguments.
- Intellectualization. Anxiety is reduced due to the fact that a person emotionally and aloofly analyzes the situation.
- Projection. In this case, our unacceptable ideas and experiences are attributed to other people.
- Transfer. There is a direction of threatening ideas or impulses to a number of less threatening objects.
- Sublimation. Socially unacceptable impulses are translated into behavioral types that are more acceptable.
- Reaction. Feelings of anxiety or unpleasant tension are reduced by the fact that a person expresses his emotions openly.
- Formation of reactions. A person develops conscious experiences and behavioral patterns that are the opposite of the unconscious and can cause anxiety.
Coping with Stress at Work: The Right First Aid
If a tense situation arises, certain actions can be taken. Let things wait for you. Leave the room, wash with cool water. You can drink water. Switch to minor things - the view from the window, count the trees, the pedestrians, take a look at the traffic. Try to do physical exercises. Such "first aid" will be optimal.
Of course, life and work without stress is unrealistic. That is why experts in the field of psychology advise you to start forming a positive “policy” for yourself, which you can use in difficult life situations.
1. As your life rule, you should use an ancient prayer, the meaning of which is to turn to the Lord to give reason and peace, to accept what you cannot change, the courage to change what you can, and the wisdom to distinguish the first from the second. Such a life credo can be used by both believers and non-believers.
Often, striving for the impossible, people find themselves in situations that cause a lot of stress at work. Perhaps you should re-evaluate the goals, give them objectivity, practicality. If you're dealing with an impossible task, dealing with work stress and those tasks becomes pointless.
2. Develop the ability to find real problems and effective solutions. Some people on a subconscious level do not notice the difficulties surrounding them. Examples include personal illnesses, conflicts in teams, low wages, boring work. Learn honesty - there is no use in self-deception. Any problem must be acknowledged. Voice it, accept it, trust a loved one. It is necessary to solve problems with the least losses. Do not put off the process until tomorrow - deal with solving problems right now.
3. Fulfill your obligations conscientiously. Do not try to be a teacher for the team and all employees in it. Get rid of constant thoughts about a possible failure, disagreement of employees, and so on. All this will serve as a kind of brakes on your activity. Do what you must, and there - it will be as it will be.
4. Live today without looking into tomorrow. Try to avoid worrying about the future. This time has not yet come and it is not clear what will happen tomorrow. There is no need to worry about the past either - it has passed and will not return.
5. Accepting yourself as you are is very important. Maybe your photo will never grace the cover of a fashion magazine, you will not become the owner of the Nobel Prize and you will not hear the applause of the stadiums. But you are a unique person who has your own, unique virtues. Do not yearn for the impracticable, it is better to develop your abilities.
6. In addition to accepting yourself, acceptance of others is important. Remember, you can't change people. If a person in close proximity to you causes stress at work, irritation, whether it be a hairdresser of a beauty salon, an accountant or another employee, try to understand - is he really so unpleasant to you? Does this person have merit that you can appreciate. If it is becoming more and more difficult to deal with irritation, it is certainly wiser to take measures to dismiss or resolve the conflict than to endure a difficult situation.
If you are unsettled by a negative workplace environment, consider: is the situation a threat to your health, does it cause you stress at work, irritation, is it intolerable? If the answers to all these questions are yes, stop the activity. If she crosses out moments of joy from life, even the largest income cannot fully replace all the negativity.
7. With each new day, we have a lot of new opportunities. No need to remember past grievances, feelings and frustrations, negative experiences. Sometimes you have to be spontaneous - react to everything that happens in a different way, look at situations from a new perspective.
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Workplace Stress Relief Techniques
Vladimir Puzyrev, psychotherapist, director of the Useful Adventures Company
1. Positive thinking. Look for the set of lessons, positives, and secondary benefits in any situation. Try to find the merit of your opponent.
2. Breathe evenly. Control your breathing. In a calm state, breathing is slow and deep; in a tense state, it is frequent and shallow. When you change your breathing technique in the first minutes of stress, you will have the opportunity to make changes in your emotional mood. After 5-7 minutes, your condition will return to normal, and you will feel noticeably freer.
3. Responding. Show a momentary reaction - the one that you think is necessary and the one that comes from the heart (the main thing is not to harm yourself and others). You can read, cry, write down or draw the situation, make a complaint. After a few minutes, you will feel better.
4. Switching. Switch to something that can really take your mind off your stress. If you are at work, you can drink coffee, eat sweets, turn on the music quietly, chat with employees or call loved ones.
5. Distancing. Give stress some time. Let it be 6 minutes. Follow the clock. Write stress on paper, replacing all pronouns with "I". Read it over and over, make adjustments, and throw it out.
Prevention of stress at work
There are certain methods and ways to deal with stress at work. The use of these methods can be both organizational and individual. Most of the methods are widely known.
With regard to individual methods, we are talking about:
- regular active rest;
- relaxation (yoga, meditation, auto-training);
- training to develop skills that help control behavior;
- time planning;
- sufficient and long sleep;
- cognitive therapy.
Foreign companies often use effective methods, thanks to which the prevention of stress at work is successful. For example, an employee's social package includes payment for visits to the pool and gym. Some organizations are striving to ensure that employees are aware of simple methods that help overcome constant stress at work. For example, the BBC published an expensive booklet that contained information for staff on how to properly sit in a chair, fold paper airplanes, inhale the scent of lavender and other ways to deal with stress at work. In other words, the 57-page brochure contained information about reducing stress in many ways. The booklet contained useful and valuable information to help deal with difficult situations.
But to apply all these measures does not mean to ensure the proper result. The solution to the problem must be comprehensive, so that employees not only know how to deal with stress at work and what follows such situations, but also know how to prevent them.
There are also organizational methods:
General prevention. Dealing with stress, preventing stressful situations is, for example, regular physical activity. Sports activities help relieve stress, increase immunity, and develop resistance to difficult situations. Yoga remains relevant to this day, as well as a number of techniques and breathing techniques aimed at finding and revealing internal resources and maintaining balance.
All methods that allow you to feel yourself not at the workplace contribute to the restoration of the body and unloading of the nervous system. Here we can talk about any activity related to the search for new pleasant experiences, replenishment of strength for life (in corporate practice, they often use team-building trainings in the fresh air, sports days), creative activities, hobbies, reading, walking, etc.
Behavior analysis. This method of dealing with a stressful situation is the most effective. Stress arises precisely in connection with what is of personal value to the employee. Through correct and competent analysis, the value can be reduced by overcoming the problem. In order to correctly analyze the state of affairs, it is worth using the help of specialists - these can be both psychologists and coaches. Turning to them, you can quickly solve problems, talk about the situation and understand how constant stress is formed at work.
Working with coaches. When attracting them, the "anchor" technique is often used. Modeling emotionally significant situations, a person comes to anchoring, that is, a conditional tactile sign is superimposed on emotions. Thus, a certain object is attached to a particular sensation. In this regard, a person begins to experience similar emotions (for example, positive), which makes it possible to cope with stress.
introspection method. To positively solve the problem, you should look for the real cause of stress at work. It is equally important to be aware of the needs that cause a number of relevant responses. Using introspection, it is possible to learn about the existing state of affairs, to identify ways to solve the problem.
Exercise "Analysis of the causes of stress"
It is useful to ask yourself: “What emotions accompany me?”, “What occupies my thoughts?”, “How do I feel physically?”.
Ask yourself questions: “Why do I experience emotional stress at work?”, “What does this reaction mean?”, “Is it possible to benefit from these emotions?”. Answer and write down your thoughts. Next, ask yourself a series of these questions again to uncover why you are stressed at work.
It is necessary to learn about the benefit in relation to oneself: “What benefit will follow this situation?”, “What can I lose, are losses possible?”, “What do I really want to get from this situation, behavior?”.
Structural analysis of the process of stress at work. To better understand the course of the process, one should study a number of elements: behavior (learn about reactions to the situation), prerequisites and consequences (what causes the reaction), triggers (mechanisms that trigger the stressful process). It is necessary to create a table with a structural analysis of the stress process and start working with its components. You should find out why these triggers affect the launch of the process, whether you can look for workarounds or supportive resources to help overcome the consequences.
Dissociation. To reduce the subjective value of stress, you can use appropriate approaches: change the scope of the situation or temporary stressors at work. You should leave the situation, go beyond and look at it from a distance. Ask yourself: “What does this situation mean in the activity as a whole?”, “What can change if I do not solve the problem?”. Next, understand what will happen if you don't resolve the situation, what can change. A number of problems seem important and difficult only under the circumstances. With a global consideration of the issue, the level of value decreases.
How to Avoid the Stress Caused by a Quarrel with Clients
1. The employee must have self-confidence, not be arrogant, talk to customers without fawning.
2. You can talk about feelings with outraged customers. If the client has lost his temper, talk to him, saying that you understand his feelings and the position he is in. Say something like: "I understand your anger, you are outraged." Next, ask the person what exactly caused his indignation, suggest methods for solving the problem. In the end, come to an agreement and agree on the implementation of the chosen solution, or start looking for a compromise.
3. Do not forget about good manners and politeness. Always say "please", "thank you for your call" - this is the minimum set of phrases.
4. Be positive. Try not to use the particle "not" in speech.
5. Use a paraphrase. Active listening is useful when a specialist speaks with a client using the phrases “yes”, “correctly” and others, as well as a paraphrase in which the customer conveys information to the administrator, and the latter uses phrases such as: “You clarify that ...”, “Do you know…”, “Did I understand you correctly that…”. This technique allows you to achieve a positive result in communication. The client feels understood and heard, as he can agree with the phrase you said or give a reasoned refusal. If you ignore this item, you will not be able to demonstrate to the customer that you want to know his requirements, and you will miss the chance to make cooperation confidential.
6. Understand the client, listen to him, correctly ask logical questions.
7. Get effective customer feedback.
8. You must be able to adapt to the visitor. Speaking of tuning (rapport), we can draw an analogy with putting children to bed. The child listens to fairy tales, mom or dad catches his rhythms. When the child begins to go to sleep, the narrator slows down the pace and lowers the decibels of the voice. The use of rapport allows you to understand the client, gives him the opportunity to be heard, to include him in a single system, where there is a single rhythm and behavioral pattern. For example, during a telephone conversation, the administrator has the opportunity to catch the client's speech rate. If the latter speaks at a slow pace, the administrator should conduct the dialogue in the same format.
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Stress test
This stress tolerance test was developed by a psychologist at the University of Boston Medical Center. It is necessary to give answers to the questions, based on the correctness of these statements in relation to you. You need to give answers on all points, even if the thesis has nothing to do with you. So, in order to understand whether stress at work can touch you, you should pass the test as honestly as possible.
Are you subject to stress?
- You prefer at least one hot dish in your daily diet.
- You get 7-8 hours of sleep, at least 4 days a week.
- You feel warmth and love from the people around you and share these feelings with them.
- You have at least one person who can support you, and he lives no further than 50 km from you.
- You do intensive physical education or fitness at least 3 times in 7 days.
- You can smoke less than half a pack of cigarettes in a day.
- In a weekly period, you drink no more than 5 glasses of alcohol.
- Your height to weight ratio is normal.
- The level of your income allows you to talk about the satisfaction of basic needs.
- You rely on your faith.
- You like social or club activities, you are constantly engaged in it.
- You have friends and acquaintances in large numbers.
- You can rely on one or two friends and have absolute confidence in them.
- You have no health problems.
- You can easily be open about your anxiety by explaining why you experienced emotional stress at work or in life.
- You are constantly engaged in discussing problems with people with whom you live together.
- At least once every 7 days you do something for fun.
- You know how to organize your time effectively.
- You drink no more than 3 cups of coffee or other caffeinated drinks per day.
- You can dedicate time to yourself every day, at least a little.
Answer the questions and calculate your points.
- For the “almost always” option, add 1 point to yourself;
- "Often" - 2;
- "Sometimes" - 3;
- "Almost never" - 4;
- "Never" - 5.
Subtract 20 points from the total. If the resulting number is less than 10, congratulations! If you gave honest answers to questions, then you have excellent stress resistance, and there is no reason to worry.
If the score is above 30, work-related stress is affecting you quite a lot. You have not yet learned how to eradicate stress at work, you do not know how to deal with it.
If your score is more than 50 points, think about it: perhaps something should be changed? You are very vulnerable to stressful situations.
You can take another look at the test questions. If you answered a question with a score of 3 or more, think about your behavior in relation to that statement. Try to reduce the stress at work and your level of vulnerability to such situations. For example, if you counted 4 points for item 19, try to drink coffee per day in the amount of minus one cup of the usual amount.
Take a close look at yourself right now, and not later, when time is lost.
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