What is work stress?

Stress is a physiological and psychological response of our body to something that has happened, or that is going to happen, which makes us feel anxious, threatened, worried, or frustrated and which, in some way, disrupts our balance.

Our days fly by. Between the alarm clock that doesn't let us sleep the hours we should, the traffic to get to work, deadlines, meetings, presentations, children, household chores, the phone constantly ringing... little time is left to take care of ourselves. Many people cannot organize themselves to manage their time well, and others simply cannot keep up with everything they have to do.

The importance of everyday stress management is a topic that has been increasingly addressed. It is proven that constant stress reduces quality of life and increases the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases, among many others.

Work stress, in turn, is harmful to workers' health and ends up affecting the company's productivity.

According to APSEI (Portuguese Association of Safety), "an individual feels stress at work when they perceive that there is an imbalance between the demands imposed on them and the physical and mental resources they have to respond to them."

This phenomenon is positive up to a certain point. In an initial phase, stress is not harmful because it is our body's response to a stimulus. It is our way of dealing with new situations and telling us that we need to act. We all have occasional moments of stress at work - a job interview or an important presentation. The danger begins when these moments cease to be occasional and become very frequent and prolonged over time.

Data in the European Union says that about 50% of the population suffers from stress in the workplace. With the covid-19 pandemic and the consequent obligation of teleworking, Linkedin conducted a study that concludes this regime has made workers 62% more stressed and anxious. But how to recognize the causes? We give some examples:

• Authoritarian leadership and unclear regarding responsibilities;
• Low salary;
• Excess work;
• Unreachable goals;
• Career stagnation;
• Lack of collaboration and coordination;
• Constant changes in the company's structure;
• Harassment, intimidation or discrimination;
• Workplace transfer;
• Bad atmosphere within the team;
• Lack of communication;
• Constant pressure from superiors;
• Excessive competitiveness;

Work stress can have very different symptoms, varying from person to person. It is important to know what they are so we can identify them. Some of the physical symptoms are:

• Headaches;
• Muscle pain;
• High tension;
• Changes in the digestive system;
• Dizziness;
• Decreased immunity;
• Excessive fatigue;
• Chest pain;

At the emotional level, the symptoms are:

• Mood swings;
• Irritability;
• Anxiety;
• Difficulty relaxing and concentrating;
• Social isolation;
• Feeling of overload;

If you have any of the problems mentioned above, try to find out their causes. This is an important step towards resolving them. In the next article, we will give suggestions on how to deal with and combat stress at work. Stay tuned!

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