Canadians are under an increasing amount of pressure at work these days. According to a June 2016 survey from Willis Towers Watson, 85 percent of employers cited "stress" as their top health and productivity concern. People are working longer hours, taking on more responsibilities and often struggle to separate work from their downtime. Thanks to technological advancements like mobile phones and tablets, people are a lot more tempted to check on the status of work projects after hours or respond to nonessential business emails on the weekends. As a result, they start to feel like they never really get a break.
But taking a break is crucial if you want to stay productive and healthy. For National Mental Health Week, take some time to look at your workload and schedule and find ways to de-stress - it will be better for you in the long run.
How work stress manifests
Not all stress is inherently harmful. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada reported that there are essentially two kinds of stress:
- Short bursts of stress can be energizing and motivating. The pressure of a tight deadline can help some people focus more closely on what they're doing and produce a good final product as a result.
- Extended bouts of stress can be draining and cause anxiety. This is the kind of stress that can cause physical symptoms and makes it harder to concentrate as a result of worry and exhaustion. Constantly feeling on edge and like your work is never done no matter how many hours you put in are examples of negative stress.
The UFCW Canada stated that there are several common causes of stress in the workplace, such as long hours, a lack of control over the work you do, the overall workload itself and fear that underperforming any of your tasks could cause you to lose your job.
The WTW survey revealed that the top three reported causes of employee stress were understaffing, which causes workload imbalances or a lack of support, low pay and excessive changes throughout an organization.
Leave work at work - let yourself rest rather than checking emails all night long.
Signs of being too stressed
How can you tell if your stress levels are unhealthy? It will vary from person to person, but the Mood Disorder Society of Canada reported on four categories of stress symptoms:
- Physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, grinding teeth, headaches, poor sleep quality, elevated heart rate and stomach problems.
- Emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, depression and irritability.
- Social symptoms, such as withdrawing from interactions with others, lashing out or being intolerable of others.
- Mental symptoms, such as forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, being unable to stop thinking about work and always feeling tired, no matter how much rest you get.
Many of these signs are interconnected. If you're unable to stop thinking about work, it can make your sleep more restless, which can leave you feeling fatigued in the morning, which can lead to headaches, which can make you more irritable and lash out at your coworkers or loved ones. So it's important to take stress seriously and understand that it's not healthy or typical to feel tense and worried about work all the time.
Whether you spend a week lounging on a tropical beach, exploring the sites of a new city or just quietly relaxing at home, taking a vacation is essential for your health.
Treating work stress
Ignoring work stress will not make the problems go away. You have to identify and confront the issue so you can see positive results.
If you have an activity in your life that allows you to decompress and forget about work for awhile, whether it's being a member of an adult sports league, hitting the gym after work each day, playing video games, having a night out with your friends or just binge-watching your favorite TV show, that can be a great way to relieve stress. Taking a break from your tasks, and from just thinking about your tasks, is good for your brain.
"You'll be more useful to your company when you're rested."
A vacation can also be a huge help. According to ADP Canada, more than 31 million vacation days went unused by Canadian employees last year. People are too worried to leave work and take the time off they've earned.
To make the most out of your vacation and let it be a relaxing experience, you need to plan ahead. Make sure you keep the week clear of any important meetings or deadlines. Finish up projects before you leave, or get a jump on things you'll need to focus on when you get back. Tell your clients and coworkers that you'll be gone well in advance so they can prepare for your absence. By setting everything up ahead of time, you'll be able to sign off and leave town for a few days to recharge and come back with a new focus on your work. Just be sure you actually take time off - no checking in to see how things are going while you're gone, answering emails or doing paperwork. You'll be more useful to your company when you're rested.
If you're too worried about work to truly unwind with an activity or vacation, you should consider talking to your doctor or reaching out to a counsellor. A medical or mental health professional can help you find healthy ways to cope with stress, and identify if an underlying cause like an anxiety or depressive disorder is making it harder for you to handle everyday stressors.
Your work will suffer if you try to push past your limits. Rather than force yourself to work through stress and produce rushed, potentially sloppy work as a result of the disruptions to your concentration, take the time to have a break and tackle your projects renewed, refreshed and focused.