Stress and Well-Being: Balancing Work in Modern Living

Until recently, work was seen as an obligation which came with an innate risk of stress – so if you felt the pressure in your professional life, you had to grin and bear it.

Thankfully, we’re seeing this backwards way of looking at our jobs falling out of favour, with the increased focus on employee well-being and mental health causing a seismic shift in expectations.

That said, there are still plenty of scenarios in which work can overburden your brain and threaten your health.

Here’s a look at how to pinpoint ballooning stress before it bursts, and what to do to deflate it safely.

Signs That It’s More Than Just a Bad Day

woman stressed at work with her hand on the deak

The distinction between a singular bad day and ongoing stress can be subtle, but recognizing the signs early can make all the difference. Given that 83% of employees still find their jobs stressful, and 1 million people take time off due to this issue daily, it’s no small fry concern.

Here are key indicators that your work-related stress has transcended the ordinary and may need intervention:

Persistent Fatigue: You’re not just tired after a long day, but rather faced with a constant state of exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest.
Irritability or Mood Swings: Minor issues at work make you unusually frustrated or upset.
Decreased Job Satisfaction: You’ve started to feel disconnected or disillusioned with your role, even if it once sparked passion.
Physical Symptoms: Headaches, muscle tension, or stomach problems that seem to have ties with your work schedule.
Cognitive Difficulties: Trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering important information.

If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s essential to take them seriously as they are unsustainable in the long term.

How to Take Positive Action

Once you’ve identified the signs of undue stress, the next phase is to implement strategies to mitigate these pressures.

Here’s how you can start shaping a more balanced work life:

Set Clear Boundaries: Define strict limits for work hours and stick to them. Ensure your downtime is truly yours by disconnecting from work-related communications during off-hours.
Prioritise Tasks: Use tools like the Eisenhower Box to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. This helps manage workload and prevents everything from feeling like a priority.
Communicate Openly: Have honest discussions with your manager or HR about the stressors. Solutions could be as simple as delegating tasks or redefining roles.
Incorporate Breaks: Regular short breaks throughout the day can reduce mental fatigue. Try methods like the Pomodoro Technique to divide work into manageable segments with interspersed rest periods.
Seek Professional Help: If stress is overwhelming, talking to a mental health professional can provide tailored strategies for coping. The same goes for stress that’s associated with encountering hazards and risks in the workplace – in which case it’s not the help of a therapist or counsellor that you require, but rather an expert in employment law.

Cultural Changes to Implement

High Angle Shot of a Stressed Office Woman Working on the Documents on her Table, Scratching her Head

A healthy work environment is a must for managing stress – and in fact the cost to the economy associated with subpar company cultures which cause stress is at least $500 billion annually.

Here’s how you can advocate for change, promoting well-being not only for yourself but also for your colleagues:

Advocate for Flexibility: Flexible working is good for productivity and job satisfaction, with 40% of prospective employees listing it as a selling point of any employer. Embracing it could include options like remote work days or flexible starting hours to accommodate different life circumstances.
Encourage Regular Feedback: Support a culture where feedback flows freely and constructively. It should go both ways – from employees to management and vice versa. Also be wary of over-scrutinising team members, since only 14% of people feel motivated to up their game following performance reviews, according to Gallup.
Be Community-Focused: Organise regular team-building activities that aren’t necessarily work-related. These can be simple, such as group lunches or wellness workshops. They can also be more engaging and involved – such as the case study highlighted by McKinsey of a manufacturing firm that used outdoor team-building activities to squeeze into 45 minutes of campfire strategising what would have taken 30 hours to conclude in the office.
Implement Wellness Programs: Recommend the introduction of wellness programs that address physical, mental, and emotional health, such as yoga sessions or mindfulness training. Studies show that this can drop employee turnover from 15% to 9% on average. You can also Introduce an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service that gives your staff a myriad of mental wellbeing tools and 24/7 counselling access.
Lead by Example: Be the change you wish to see. Show commitment to balanced work practices, which can encourage others to follow suit, and benefit from reduced stress levels just as you are.

Final Thoughts

Even following all these steps might not solve your workplace stress issues, so you need to be prepared to listen to your body and live your life according to what it tells you. This also means asking for help when you need it, whether that’s with mental health or legal issues.

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