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Stress Management in the Workplace

workplace stress managementWe know that stress is very commonly found in the workplace, due to heavy workloads, broken relationships with co-workers and unrealistic expectations. But what can be done about this unwanted stress? Ongoing stress has been found to cause serious mental and physical health problems; a good reason to learn how to stay one step ahead of it. If you are serious about managing your workplace stress, the best thing you can do for yourself is learn how to balance your wants and needs with your responsibilities, and cope with your decisions.
Coming to terms with your responsibilities in the workplace is the first step to managing your stress. If your workload is reasonable, but you approach it with an unwilling attitude, you are setting yourself up for unneeded stress. There will be basic performance standards expected in any workplace you are a part of, and if you try to avoid your responsibilities, you will become overwhelmed with negativity from co-workers, backlogged work and threatened job security. Instead, you should embrace your responsibilities by meeting them head on, and if they cause you stress, think of healthy ways to deal with it. For example, make time for yoga, exercise and nature walks, or stock up on soothing herbal teas. If there is a conflict in your workplace, address it immediately in a rational, respectful manner.
However, this is not to say that you should tolerate a toxic work environment. The key to managing stress is not trying to meditate away a workplace that is unhealthy beyond repair. It is true that you are responsible for managing some stress, but it is also true that you have a right to enforce your wants and needs. If you feel you are being mistreated at work, speak up about it to a supervisor or a human resources department. If you feel your worker’s rights have been violated, address it with someone who can influence the decision making in your workplace. And if you come to realize that the problem will not change, or that you are simply too dissatisfied with the workplace, move on and find a position elsewhere that fulfills you.

Mental Health and Career Success

mental health career successHaving good mental health is a benefit in every area of life, and the workplace is no exception. What we do for work is meant to be the ultimate expression of our life’s purpose. This is an arena where a person’s mental health is going to be put to the test unlike any other. Executing a challenging purpose tests our coping skills, our focusing abilities, our decision making capabilities and our leadership abilities. Those who approach these challenges with sound mental health are going to see more success in them than those who are mentally unhealthy.

Good mental health simply gives a person the clarity they need to navigate the working world. When a mentally healthy person experiences a let down, they learn from it what to do differently in the future. When they are forced to deal with a difficult co-worker, they embrace the challenge of connecting with someone who is hard to connect with. Their willingness to learn from the world around them is the key to their confidence in their own ability to overcome trials and achieve success. On the other hand, a mentally unhealthy person becomes overwhelmed by the challenges they encounter and initiates negative thought patterns. When a mentally unhealthy person experiences a let down, they tend to take it personally and either beat themselves up or become spiteful. When met with a difficult co-worker, they become avoidant or confrontational. Their negative thought patterns repeatedly take them down the wrong roads, away from opportunities to change.

Those who are stuck in mentally unhealthy ways of thinking have the ability to change. Thought patterns are elusive and adjusting them requires a lot of work and critical thinking, but it can be done. Some people are able to teach themselves new ways of thinking, while others require the help of a mental health professional. Either way, the cognitive process of changing the way you approach the world, in order to achieve success in the workplace, relationships and the rest of life, is possible.

Addiction: A Bad Way to Cope with Workplace Stress

addiction and work stressHigh-profile individuals, such as attorneys, physicians and CEOs, leave school with incredible ambition to make a difference in the world. They take high-power positions which allow them to do just that – but at a cost. The amount of responsibility and pressure that falls on their shoulders can be overwhelming, especially if they have dependents or large financial commitments.

With no time to release stress in a healthy way, such as through exercise or meditation, working professionals often turn to escapism to find a few minutes of release. This is usually through an addictive substance or activity, such as alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex. What seems like a clever, manageable idea at first quickly becomes detrimental to the person’s well-being as they become more dependent on the substance or activity. Family, friends and co-workers begin to notice changed behavior, work performance suffers and health begins to decline. Soon there after, a severe addiction forms and nothing but the help of rehabilitation professionals can end the problem.

The best way to end addiction is to stop before you start. If you have been dabbling in addictive substances or activities, or have been considering it, recognize that you are playing with fire. Addiction takes lives in the hundreds of thousands, and destroys lives in the millions. Do not underestimate the likelihood that you will become dependent on a substance. Addiction in high-functioning individuals is more common than addiction within any other group, and requires addiction treatment for professionals.

If you are already addicted, find an addiction counselor now who can guide you through the process of recovery. Do not attempt to get rid of a severe addiction alone. Statistically, your chances of relapsing are very high when you do so. Instead, allow professionals to detox you, restrict you from your addiction, and help you reason your way out of it through careful cognitive behavioral counseling. You will benefit enormously from the mental health professionalism you will find at a quality rehabilitation center.