Dealing with Work Stress
- Nirdeshika Jain
- Jul 10, 2023
- 5 min read

Stress is the people response to events that threaten or challenge them, whether it is an exam deadline or a family problem, life is full of circumstances and events known as stressors that produce threats to our well being. All of us face stress in our lives. Some of the health psychologist believe that daily life actually involves a series of repeated sequences of perceiving a threat, considering ways to cope with it, and ultimately adapting to the threat with greater or lesser success. Although adaptation is often minor and occurs without our awareness, adaptation requires a major effort when stress is more severe or long lasting.
Stress can produce both biological and psychological consequences. Often the most immediate reaction to stress is biological. Exposure to stressors generate a rise in hormone secretion by the adrenal glands, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. In the short-term, these responses may be adaptive because they produce an emergency reaction in which body prepares to defend itself through activation of the sympathetic nervous system. However, continued exposure to stress results in a decline in the body’s overall level of biological functioning because of the constant secretion of the stress related hormones.
Another thing we need to realize about stress is that it doesn’t do a good job of rectifying or classifying problems. When our brain shouts “Fear!”, our body can’t differentiate between whether the threat is real or imagined. As soon as that fear signal goes off, our bodies prepare us to fight or flee or sometimes to freeze. If we launch into this high alert fear state too often, all of our stress hormones start to send us downhill, affecting our immune system, our sleep and our ability to heal.

Work stress is a relatively prevalent source of stress in people's lives. Everyone who has ever worked in a professional setting has experienced the weight of work-related stress at some point in their career. Even though individuals like their jobs, they may find it tough at times. People may feel pushed to achieve a deadline or accomplish a challenging activity in the shorter term. Some common sources of work related stress are: low salaries, excessive workloads, few opportunities for growth or advancement, work that isn’t engaging or challenging, lack of social support, not having enough control over job-related decisions, conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations, etc.
Yet studies show that being able to successfully deal with intermittent stressors such as managing that big work project or moving to a new house to approach them head on, like those trees standing up to the wind, contributes to better health, along with greater feelings of accomplishments and well being.
Our bodies respond to work stress in very different ways. Consider for a moment that your boss has sent you an email reminding you of an incomplete project (a stressor). Our bodies and minds react instantaneously, triggering a physical reaction known as the fight-or-flight response. Our pulse rate increases, our breathing becomes more rapid, and our muscles stiffen. Simultaneously, we may tell ourselves, "I'm going to get fired if I don't finish this." In order to control our worry and negative self-talk, we may work late into the night to complete the assignment. Humans evolved this coordinated fear response to defend against hazards in our surroundings over the course of our evolutionary history. A quicker heart rate and tight muscles, for example, might aid in our escape from predators. Fear still serves an essential purpose in the current world. After all, the fight-or-flight reaction can offer the energy required to pull an all-nighter while still keeping your job.

But what happens if you encounter stressful experiences at work every day? Chronic work stress can lead to a psychological syndrome known as burnout. Warning signs of burnout are overwhelming exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of inefficacy. Certain work-related stressors are closely linked with burnout. Examples include having too much or too little autonomy, insufficient income, a lack of community among employees, injustice or contempt, and a mismatch between job and personal ideals.
Work-related stress does not go away when individuals leave for the day. When stress is prolonged, it can have a negative impact on our health and well-being. A stressful work atmosphere can cause headaches, stomach-aches, sleep disruptions, irritability, and difficulty focusing. It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity, and heart disease.
Some healthy ways to cope with work stress are:
Setting limits and trying not to take up more than what you can manage to do: Set expectations for others and inform them of your limitations. This will save you from becoming overly anxious and doing more than you should. In this manner, you may simply manage work and do it pleasantly and without worry.

Being assertive: Learn to say "NO" when you are already overburdened with tasks or are in a hurry. Do not believe that refusing to take on extra work will let people down. Taking on more than you are capable of might diminish your potential and prevent you from giving your all in what you accomplish. If you take on more than you can handle, you may get stressed and unable to manage everything at once and produce everything on time.
Involve in relaxation activities and have some leisure time: It is critical to make time for leisure. You may relax by doing things like meditation, yoga, muscular relaxation, and breathing techniques. You may also take some "me time." All of this can help you recharge and feel rejuvenated and energized again, allowing you to perform much better following this rest.

Welcome Positive Changes in Life: Begin to see changes as wonderful challenges. Change is vital because it allows you to develop, broaden your vision, and progress. Accepting change is difficult, but don't give up; instead, take risks and continue to learn from the lovely changes in your life. Change enables people to progress in life and achieve the success they have always sought.
Plan ahead to stay organized: Even if you're inherently disorganized, planning ahead to keep organized may significantly reduce your workplace stress. Being organized with your time means hurrying less in the morning to prevent being late and hustling less at the end of the day.
Choose chunking over multitasking: Do one thing at a time. Multitasking can often lead to stress and negative things.
References
American Psychological Association. (2018). Coping with stress at work.
Feldman S. Robert. (2011). Understanding psychology. McGraw Hill Education
Scott Elizabeth. (2022). 9 Ways to Cope With Work Stress and Avoid Burnout. Verywell mind.
Shetty, J. (2020). Think like a monk. Simon & Schuster 2020
Disclaimer: This blog post is meant for awareness/entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice and one must refrain from self-diagnosing. It is in no way a substitute for therapy with a mental health professional and it is not meant to be clinical. To consult with a psychotherapist on our team, you can contact us on fettle.counselling@gmail.com.
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