Feeling stressed at work

SOME people spend their entire youth striving to land their dream job. And once they have, the pressure can be intense. They want to be the best they can, make the best decisions, grab every opportunity.

“I have been observing for some time that many people are exerting incredible pressure on themselves, especially younger individuals,” says Madeleine Leitner, a career counsellor and psychologist.

“It starts with making a career choice, and continues with constant comparison to your colleagues.”

One reason for this phenomenon is the wide variety of opportunities available to today's workers. “People want to take full advantage of these options,” Leitner says.

The problem is that they are often unaware how much pressure they are putting on themselves, she adds. “They only realise it when insomnia, tinnitus, fear of failure, or some other typical stress symptom emerges,” Leitner says.

Instead of constantly trying to be the best, they need to learn to let go, she believes.

Try asking yourself the following questions: What will happen if I don't do this task perfectly? How bad will it be? Can I undo decisions I have made?

“The conscious questioning of one's own thoughts and beliefs is the first step,” Leitner explains. Only then can you develop a realistic attitude towards a given situation – and become more relaxed.

And that, in turn, will boost your success: “Under pressure, many people become less efficient. They are much more blocked than laid back people.” – dpa