Are You Depressed Because of Workplace Stress?

If you're reading this article, chances are you are experiencing workplace stress, right?  There's also a good chance that your workplace stress have reached a certain level where you sometimes (if not all the time) feel depressed.

You are not alone.  All of us, at one time or another, have experienced workplace stress.  But how do you know that you are stressed?  More importantly, how do you know that you are depressed?


Aft.org have listed down physical and psychological signs that workplace stress (and other stressors) are getting to you:

Physical warning signs are:

• "headaches
• stomach problems
• over/undereating
• sleep disturbances
• muscle aches and pains
• skin rashes
• teeth grinding"*

Sound familiar?  Here's more:

Psychological warning signs include:

• "forgetfulness
• anger
• frustration
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• feeling powerless"*

Are you starting to see...you?

 Well, now let's see how serious your workplace stress is.  Is your workplace stress serious enough to cause depression?  How do you know that you are already a candidate for depression?

• Are you demotivated?  Do you hate waking up in the morning to go to work?  Do you have to force yourself, push yourself to get dressed and go to the office?  Are you losing interest on things you used to enjoy?
• Have you lost energy?  Are you tired most of the time?  Do you feel weak as if fatigue have taken over you? Don't you have energy, even if you just woke up?
• Have you become unproductive?  Is your to-do list getting longer and longer and you feel you have not accomplished anything at the end of each day?
• Do you procrastinate?  Do you find yourself putting off important tasks at an increasing rate?
• Are you feeling less and less confident about yourself?  Even feeling worthless at times?
• Do you withdraw from people?  Do you avoid relationships, wanting to be "alone" most of the time?

Workplace stress is one of life's realities.  Everyone get's stressed, especially at work.  It's either the demands are too much or your expectations are not being met.  Either way, if left unchecked, workplace stress can cause depression.  Start managing your workplace stress by acknowledging how stressed you are.  Then, start doing something about it before you get really depressed.
   
Sources:
* http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1137195340877175320#editor/target=post;postID=3832277600063123055
**http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/mental_health/articles/how_to_keep_depression_from_wrecking_work.aspx

Workplace Stress: Is it time to Quit?

I used to complain a lot about workplace stress.  And then I realized - what part of life is not susceptible to stress?  Even children get stressed!  Dogs, too.  So, why not you?

Workplace stress is, therefore, inevitable.  And you shouldn't expect somebody else to deal with workplace stress for you.  It's your stress, deal with it.

But that's not the issue right now.  The issue is that you've tried overcoming workplace stress and yet the signals to "throw-in the towel" are getting way beyond workplace stress management.

What are the signals?  The article, "Is it Time to Quit Your Job?", got some points to a "T": your health is at stake, your "boss" wants to get rid of you, it's a dead-end job, everything else has risen except your salary, you have a better option and your workplace stress is also taking its toll on your family.

Let's talk about your health.  Are you absolutely sure that your aches and pains are caused by work? Are you eating the right kind of food?  Do you have some form of exercise? Is your posture correct?  Is your bedroom conducive for sleeping?  While I agree that workplace stress can reach such heights that you will experience perennial headaches and suffer from insomnia, this is not always the case.  Is your work making you sick?  Or are you sick that's why your work suffers?

The "boss", of course, is a different matter altogether.  Although I believe that there are ways to manage your "boss", there are, indeed, situations where no amount of managing can help.  If you're part of the management team, this is workplace stress in its ultimate form.  Everyone in the office may want to get rid of you.  So what? If you're "boss" is backing you up? But when you're being left out, not given any assignments, treated like a non-entity, then it's probably time to look for other options.

A dead-end job and no pay increase are two issues you must learn to accept.  Unemployment is on the rise.  People who have jobs are lucky to still have one.  What's a dead-end job anyway.? For now, at least, while the economy is on a slump, just consider yourself blessed that you have some work to rush to in the morning and a paycheck to look forward to once or twice a month.  

If you feel you're not growing in your job, well, "grow" yourself.  Go back to school.  Take short courses.  Read books. Use the internet to update yourself.  Make your job more challenging by giving yourself higher expectations about the quality of your work.  When you get into a dead-end street, you don't leave your car do you?

People are losing jobs or getting pay cuts. If money is not expanding, it's time to look into lifestyle.  How are you spending your money?  What expenses can be reduced?  What things can you let go of? When you're having workplace stress that seems to be taking over your life, having savings is very important.  You never know if workplace stress will eventually turn out to be no-work stress. 

If you've been offered another job, good for you.  But I'd be careful.  Of course you've heard of the proverbial "from the frying pan into the fire". No one will guarantee that moving from one office to another will free you from workplace stress.  The only guarantee you'll have is, for sure, there will also be workplace stress.  And always remember, you meet the same kind of people, encounter the same kind of problems, until you've learned to deal with them.

Remember, you have a family to think about.  And when work is interfering with family, what then?  Ever heard of time management? Of prioritizing?  Of making sure you do your work right so you don't have to spend any time at the office anymore than you should?  Ever heard of vacation leaves?  And of making sure that when you're with family, you are with them and not half-way with work?

It's probably obvious by now I am not encouraging anyone to quit.  When workplace stress hits, find time to take a break, think things through and pray for God's guidance.  It's also time to look for other options.  

If workplace stress is getting the better of you, you don't really need to get boxed in your office cubicle.  You can get a job, working at home.  If you're thinking of quitting, don't quit yet.  Explore the idea of working at home.  Here are some links to help you get started:

How To Become a Virtual Assistant : http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4268349

Virtual Assistant Online Workshop: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4268351
On-line mentoring club: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4272657
Social Mentoring Club: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4278581
Online Wealth Breaktrough Seminar: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4274270

MANAGING STRESS AT THE WORKPLACE

Managing stress at the workplace
indianexpress Express News Service , The New Indian Express
Updated Jun 04, 2011 at 08:03am IST

We all need some pressure in our working lives --- it makes our work satisfying and helps us to meet deadlines. But too much pressure, without the chance to recover, causes stress.

In a 2006 Health and Safety Executive survey, one in six working people in the UK reported that their job was very or extremely stressful. Work-related stress is one of the biggest causes of sick leave. Workplace stress is different for everyone --- what is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another. It can depend on your personality type and how you have learned to respond to pressure.

Often there is no single cause of work-related stress. Although it can be triggered by sudden, unexpected pressures, it’s often the result of a combination of stressful factors that build up over time.

Symptoms

Work-related stress can cause both physical and emotional health problems. In addition to the obvious emotional symptoms, it can cause you to be more prone to physical symptoms like headaches, muscular tension, backache or neckache, tiredness and sleep problems, digestive problems, a raised heart rate, skin rashes, sweating and blurred vision. Chronic (long-term) stress can also contribute to anxiety and depression, and can even increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Sort things out

Prioritise tasks, delegate where you can and make sure you don’t take on more work than you can handle. Take regular breaks at work and try to finish one task before starting another. Make sure your work environment is comfortable. If it isn’t, ask for help from your organisation’s health and safety officer. If possible, don’t work long hours --- sometimes projects need extra time, but working long hours over many weeks or months doesn’t generally lead to more or better results at work. Take a look at your relationships with your colleagues --- do you treat each other with respect and consideration? If not, try to find a way to improve relationships with your colleagues.

Talk to your manager

It’s important to talk directly to your manager about work-related stress. He or she has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem. If you find talking about your concerns difficult, it may help to make notes during your discussion. Ask your human resources department how to challenge these policies and make sure you know what support there is for you if you decide to do this.

At home

There are things you can do outside of work to help reduce your stress levels. Try to exercise every day if possible. Exercise helps to use up the stress hormones that cause your symptoms, giving you a sense of well-being and helping your muscles to relax. Even a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day will combat stress.

MY THOUGHTS

In most cases, we are the ones who cause our workplace stress.  Stress triggers will always be there-at home and at work.  The difference between stressed people and people who seem to be always relaxed is the ability to manage the stressors.

BE COOL UNDER PRESSURE

How to Train Yourself to Be Cool Under Pressure
By Jessica Stillman | May 10, 2011

Last weekend after giving the okay for special forces soldiers to raid a compound where the world’s most wanted man was believed to be hiding, President Obama straightened his bow tie and went off to roast Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Funny and unruffled, the President gave no indication he was feeling the strain of his momentous decision. He was, in short, a pretty cool customer.

It was an impressive display of calm under pressure and inspires the question — how does he do it? Is the ability to handle stress an innate characteristic like height or eye color, or is it something us mere mortals can learn to do too? According to Justin Menkes, the author of new book Better Under Pressure, the answer is very much the latter. “Attributes have a range of genetic influence and the ability to deal with pressure is on the far side of the continuum in terms of preparation versus genetics. Your ability to deal with stress is overwhelmingly about preparation,” he told Entry-Level Rebel in an interview.

Obama-level coolness is within all of our reach, says Menkes, who reminds young people not to be overawed by cool performances from those in senior positions: “It is indisputable that they can do those highly pressured, extraordinary things that they see the masters do. The masters have been preparing for 40-45 years. Excellent, expert preparation got them there. They weren’t born a star.”

So how do you go about building up nerves of steel? Very much like you would go about building up abs of steel, says Menkes, who recommends a progressive increase in strain for those who want to toughen up. But be warned, like with physical exercise, strengthening your nerve isn’t necessarily comfortable:

    There’s no simple A, B, C. You can’t just read books — it’s not like that. It’s not ‘OK, I put a little post-it on my desk for a daily mantra “Remember you’re terrific!”‘ That’s useless. You have to build inside your brain, your consciousness and your stomach a knowing that you can handle it.

    You have to put yourself in situations that elevate your sense of stretch, whether it’s a presentation, public speaking or a task that causes you fear like taking lead in a Monday morning meeting. Take initiative on something, but not something that is over your head because what is essential is that your experiences along the way are positive.

    If you put yourself in situations that are just so extreme, then the probabilities are you aren’t ready and it can go badly. Then your memory attaches negative experiences to pressure and that doesn’t help. We want you to associate elevated pressure with a confidence that you can handle it, and you do that by elevating the situations of stress where there’s a risk of failure but you’re well enough prepared for it that odds are it’s going to go well. You put yourself in several of those and then you have that internal memory of ‘I can handle pressure.’ And then you keep elevating it.

It may sound like a less than pleasant process, but Menkes insists that becoming a cool customer is key for business leaders of the future. “The biggest distinction in the 21st century is an ongoing elevation of pressure and complexity,” he warns. “That’s not going to go away, so you have to find a way to find it invigorating. The people that will thrive it are those who understand it, accept it and take advantage of it.” Better get practicing then.

MY THOUGHTS

Love.  If you want to stretch your patience to limits you cannot even imagine just love.  Love your job.  Love your boss.  Love the people you work with and for.  Love Jesus and pray that He will help you love like He did.  You can't love this way without Jesus.  Your love os self wirll always fight its way into your desire to be calm under pressure.

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMPLOYEE FUN DAY

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMPLOYEE FUN DAY

from the article “Employee Fun Day” Won’t Create Job Satisfaction
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | August 25, 2010

http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/-8220employee-fun-day-8221-won-8217t-create-job-satisfaction/131?tag=content;drawer-container

"Over the last year, we surveyed thousands of respondents on their experience of happiness and meaning — both at work and outside of work.  While many of our findings were consistent with our expectations, one was a surprise.

We asked respondents to note the percentage of time they spent on activities that produced high amounts of short-term gratification (or happiness) but low amounts of long-term benefit (or meaning). We classified these activities — things like gossiping and watching TV — under the category “stimulating.” Then we conducted an analysis, comparing the number of hours respondents spent on the “stimulating” activities to their overall satisfaction with life at work and at home.

Companies that invest in activities that are supposed to be “fun” but are also meaningless are probably squandering their money and their employees’ time. “Employee fun day” may well be a waste — it only leads to increased cynicism. Most professionals are extremely busy. They don’t need to go to work to be entertained. They can do that at home."

"While a little fun time is great, a lot of it can do more harm than good. Rather than watching another TV show, it might be good if we challenged ourselves by finding ways to help other people in need. Finding meaning can be more important than finding amusement.

As always, we would love to get your thoughts on this topic.  What is meaningful for you?  How does your own search for meaning lead to higher overall satisfaction with your life?"

MY THOUGHTS

Yes, a little fun won't hurt.  A day away from work can do some wonders.  Short term.  If the bigger issues are not handled, employee fun day becomes meaningless.

SPOT A DYSFUNCTIONAL MANAGER

How to Spot a Dysfunctional Manager
By Steve Tobak | December 28, 2009

Does your boss act out and throw tantrums like a spoiled child? Are you afraid to bring up certain hot-button issues in meetings for fear of being humiliated? Does your company’s strategy change weekly? Daily?

These are all signs of a dysfunctional workplace, but you know what? Workplaces don’t become dysfunctional by themselves. People make them that way. More specifically, management people: CEOs, VPs, middle managers, your boss. Know how to spot them? Here’s a handy guide, but there’s a surprise at the end.

20 Ways to Spot a Dysfunctional Manager

1.Rants like a raving lunatic.

2.Tells you to do something you don’t want to do, blames you when it goes south.

3.Freaks out over nothing, but when disaster strikes, becomes eerily calm.

4.Says she wants you to take responsibility, then publicly overrides your decisions.

5.Intimidates with aggressive words and posture, backs down like a wimp when confronted by a bigger bully.

6.Spends more time covering his ass than he does sitting on it.

7.Verbally approves new requisitions, later denies doing it, aka selective memory.

8.Laughs uncomfortably at inappropriate times.

9.Makes hallway decisions that affect your group … when you’re not there.

10.A single data point sends him off in a completely new direction.

11.Gives in when pushed into a corner, then does what she wants anyway, aka passive aggressive.

12.Swoops into meetings and takes over.

13.Revels in the invention of creative curses for just the right occasion.

14.Gets way, way too personal.

15.Sticks you right in the middle of feuds with his peers.

16.Rides you mercilessly while pet employees can do no wrong.

17.Fanatically obsessive about minutia.

18.Always right: when confronted with mistakes, blames them on someone else.

19.Fiercely protective of dumb pet projects.

20.At the first sign of trouble throws allies under the bus.

Well, those are my 20, but I’m sure you’ve got a lot more of your own. Let’s hear ‘em.

Almost forgot, I promised you a surprise at the end. Well, you know how I know all this about dysfunctional managers? Well, not only have I observed all this behavior in others, but I’ve done half of this stuff myself! Top that for honesty.

MY THOUGHTS

Same here.  Same here.  Who hasn't done 1 or 2. Maybe 3.  But if you're doing all of them, time to make a turn - 90, 180, 360. 

Are you in danger of "Karo-shi"

Fight stress, stay healthy
By Lisa Hansen
Posted: 03/23/2011 11:30:46 AM PDT

http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/business/ci_17682522

The Japanese concept of "Karo-shi" can almost literally be translated as "death from overwork." The term first came into common usage in Japan during the 1980s after rising concern following the sudden death of several high-ranking business men who showed no signs of previous health issues. "Karo¯shi" has been attributed to a wide variety of stress-related medical issues, such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke, to name a few.

There have been extensive studies on the effects of stress on a workforce's overall health and well being. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 54% of workers are concerned about health problems due to stress. And, Express Employment Professionals' recent Hiring Trends survey showed that 88% of company leaders say their current work stress is as high or higher than last year. It's a serious problem that companies and their employees are being forced to address.

So, how do you reduce workplace stress? There are a wide variety of techniques and countless books about eliminating stress in your life. But, the first and most important step is to know the warning signs of stress, which can vary between individuals. In a recent APA study, some of the most common indicators of excessive stress included fatigue, irritability, lack of interest or motivation, head and stomach aches, and insomnia. So it's important to find a stress reducing activity that best fits your symptoms and lifestyle to help eliminate tension and keep you healthy and happy.

Take short breaks

The human body wasn't made to sit in one position and stare at a computer screen for eight hours a day. Make it a point to stand up and take a quick walk around the office every hour or two. Go grab a small, healthy snack. Say hello to a coworker. Or simply just stand up at your desk and stretch. Find a quick and simple activity you can do throughout the day to get your body moving and break up the monotony. Make simple lifestyle changes

Get some exercise

Exercise can do wonders for your stress and anxiety levels. Just a half-hour a day a few times a week can make a huge difference in your stress level. The important part is finding an activity you enjoy so you don't think of it as something you have to do. Whether it's as simple as a walk through a local park, swimming laps at the gym, or taking a yoga class, a little bit of activity can go a long way.

Use your vacation time

If you have vacation time, don't be afraid to use it. Taking a few days here and there to escape the daily grind of the work week is one of the best ways to recharge your mind and body. If you're a leader at your company, it's also important to keep a close eye on the overall stress levels of your employees. When you do notice a spike in stress, act quickly. There are a variety of tactics you can use to help ease some of the tension. You just need to be aware and understand what causes the build up in stress and then act accordingly.

Some examples of changes you can make on an organizational level to reduce stress could include:

- Redistribute employee workloads or hire new full-time or temporary workers to help take some of the burden off your current employees' shoulders.

- Provide opportunities for fun and bonding outside of work.

- Open the lines of communication to be sure your employees understand their jobs and why they are important.

- Allow your employees to participate in discussions and decision making that affect the business.

- Help your employees define development goals to help guide their careers in the right direction.

The impact of stress on health and well being can be profound and indiscriminate. Employees at all levels are prone to developing stress-related illnesses, and those who choose to deal with the issue head on are the ones who stand the best chance of overcoming it.

---------

Lisa Hansen is the owner of Express Employment Professionals, 243 S. Main St. in Red Bluff. The Red Bluff office, at 243 S. Main St., is taking applications. Businesses seeking employees may call 527-0727 or visit the Express website at www.expresspros.com.
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MY THOUGHTS

The trick is in recognizing the early signs of work stress and doing something about it immediately.  Work stress becomes harder and harder to deal with as it becomes more serious.