Stress on the Job

People don’t realize that stress on the job can influence your health. The added stress in the workplace can lead to conditions like insomnia, high blood pressure and heart disease, among others. Among the lowest stress jobs are those in healthcare. They include jobs like audiologists, chiropractors, occupational therapies, speech pathologists, dental hygienists and dieticians, all who have

little competition in their workplace and have low pressure on the job. The physical demands are low and the emotional toll is minimal when compared to high stress jobs. In fact, more than half of the ten least stressful occupations are in the field of healthcare.

Other jobs can be much more stressful, including jobs in media. These include public relations executives, who deal with demanding people all day long. A commercial air pilot has the highest risk of health problems as a result of job stress.

The economy isn’t helping any. In a tough economy, you are stuck with the job you have because other job prospects are limited and the demands of the workplace are higher. Believe it or not, seniority, salary level and exact occupation within a field don’t play a role in who gets stressed out and who doesn’t.

Excessive stress can also interfere with productivity on the job. You need to reduce that stress through making changes in the things you can make changes in and most of the time that change begins with you.

In a workplace filled with words like “budget cuts” and “layoffs”, it is time to change your attitude and continue a high level of competence in the work you do. You can learn how to manage stress on the job in any environment and can reduce your risk of stress related illnesses. Here are some ways you can reduce the stress on the job: You can take responsibility for your own emotional and physical wellbeing. This means eating right and getting enough exercise. You need to avoid the knee jerk habits and bad attitudes that come with stress and feed on stress. You can learn better skills in communication so that you can improve your relationships with coworkers and the management team.

Know the warning signs of workplace stress. This includes becoming withdrawn or irritable and losing your confidence on the job. Ignoring the signs can lead to even bigger problems, including chronic stress or stress that interferes with your ability to actually work at all. Spend time becoming acquainted with those you work with. The camaraderie will help reduce stress. Know what you can do and what you can’t do and do what you can do as well as you can.

Finally, know how much stress you can take and choose a career that fits with your personality and the stress level you desire.