Conquering stress can lead to a better work life
Q: Thankfully, I have been employed for the last couple of years and, along with my colleagues, have adjusted to working remotely. We are now being asked to return to the office, and I feel stressed about going back. I feel like my routine is going well, and now another upset on top of everything else that is going on. I would quit, but now is not the time. Am I the only one feeling stressed by all the changes?
A: Dealing with pressure in today’s workplace seems to be a common theme, and you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed. A 2022 mental health study conducted by Ramsey Solutions of more than 3,000 full-time employees offers a snapshot of people’s concerns right now.
Nearly half of the employees, 46%, stated that their mental health had impacted their ability to do their job to the best of their ability in the last year. To be more specific, last month, 66% felt stressed. 56% were burned out, 57% were overwhelmed, and 44% were angry at work. The stress you are feeling seems to be what half of your colleagues are experiencing.
While stress has been around since the beginning of time, the types of stress people are experiencing today is different than in the past. For example, employees are bombarded daily with stress from social media, conducting work in a global workplace with multiple time zones, and putting in long work hours to keep up the pace. Living and thriving in a 24/7 connected marketplace adds up over time, and your ability to manage stress will take its toll if you do not have a plan.
Mental health professional Dr. John Delony, author, and host of The Dr. John Delony Show, shared some insight into managing stress effectively by looking at it in a different light. Instead of viewing stress as something to run from, “Look at stress as a sign of awareness into those areas of your life that need attention.
Life does not have to be fireworks and laser beams. Rather, we need to seek less stressful interactions such as enjoying the moment and being with friends by building relationships outside of work. Work is not your life.”
As many continue to do in the “great resignation,” the desire to quit your job can reflect exhaustion. According to Dr. Delony, “People get exhausted, our souls are exhausted, carrying around a low-level sense of questioning: Why am I doing this? Why am I here working at this job? What am I doing this for?”
An excellent place to start regaining a sense of control is by recognizing stress as an attention signal. Dr. Delony suggests beginning by writing your thoughts down. Carry a journal with you and when you get an important idea, jot it down. Keeping track of your thoughts helps you create a distance from a stressful situation and helps give you a different perspective. You make better decisions, such as changing jobs, when you have clarity over your stress.