Stress levels have consistently been rising in the United States, research conducted by the American Psychological Association shows. The most common sources? You'll probably know from personal experience, and if you're anything like most people, "money", "work", and "the economy" — all of which are intricately connected — are the top three.
Other common stressors, including relationships, family responsibilities, your health and that of your loved ones, and concerns over personal safety, are lower down the list of frequent stressors. At the bottom of the top 10 most common stressors, you'll once again find those related to your work in some way; job stability and and housing costs.
Yet, the fact that people's jobs are such a huge cause of stress remains discussed far too little.
How can job-related stress impact your mental and physical health?
Stress that begins at work can have an impact on your entire mental state, as your concerns and worries don't stop when you clock off. An increasingly growing body of evidence, published in peer-reviewed journals, show what kind of impact work-related stress can have. One study shockingly revealed that the majority of people who develop work-related disabilities — 58 percent — are dealing with psychological, rather than physical, disabilities that prevent them from continuing to work.
On a mental health level, job-related stress can:
- Cause clinical depression, such as major depressive disorder or adjustment disorders.
- Lead to anxiety disorders.
- Cause PTSD. In some occupations, a major risk of post-traumatic stress disorder is also present. Careers in law enforcement, health care, and the military are obvious suspects, but even people working in high-stress corporate environments or retail may develop PTSD symptoms following workplace bullying, robberies, or other traumatic events.
- Increase the risk of substance use disorders, like alcohol abuse and drug abuse, which, yes, are classified as mental illnesses.
Not all symptoms of work related stress neatly come together into an established diagnosis, however. High levels of job-related stress combined with low job satisfaction can also, more simply, feel draining, demotivating, lead to chronic feelings of anger and hopelessness, and generally make you feel like you are merely existing, rather than living your life. In the most extreme cases, job-related stress can even lead to suicidal thoughts.
Physically, chronic job-related stress has been found to increase your risk of:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Cardiovascular diseases.
- Digestive problems.
Here, we're not even counting acute problems like tummy and muscle aches, sleep deprivation, and changes in appetite.
Why should employers make work-related stress a priority?
As a worker, you share the same goal as anyone else — you want to work to live, and not live to work, unless you're one of a lucky few who has truly made their passion their job. Just why should employers actively care about their employees' mental wellbeing, though? More than a few compelling reasons make a convincing case:
- High stress levels lead to decrease productivity.
- High-stress work environments are associated with a high staff turnover, which creates significant costs as employers constantly have to train new workers.
- Stressed workers are more likely to make costly errors.
As more and more employers recognize the importance of mental health in the workforce, policies are being put in place — but in many cases, much more can still be done.
What are the most stressful situations in your typical workplace?
One important study, published in 2010, compiled data showing precisely what people tend to find most stressful about their jobs. Let's see how many you can tick off:
- Dealing with "difficult bosses" was the number one cause of stress at work, and superiors who expect employees to multitask and perform duties that are not part of their job description, as well as those who expect unreasonable amounts of work to be delivered way too quickly are among the most stressful.
- Strained relationships with coworkers are another common source of stress at work.
- The fact that attempting to balance work and family responsibilities is the third leading cause of job-related stress shows that work stress doesn't stay at work.
- Job insecurity — worrying about not having a job soon enough — is another major source of stress.
- Finally, it will come as no surprise that work-related bureaucracy is a very common stressor.
What can you do to improve your work-life balance?
What can you do if you, too, are feeling like your job is sucking the life blood right out of you? Some stress is inevitable, but when that stress becomes chronic, it begins taking over. The longer a high-stress situation continues, the more serious the mental and physical health consequences can become. There are healthy ways to cope with work-related stress, and unhealthy ones too.
The best thing you can do to improve difficult relationships with key players in your workplace are, research suggests, to have frank discussions that focus on finding solutions that work for everyone. That means, for instance, that when your boss expects you to do unpaid overtime while your coworker is taking the credit, letting the inevitable resentment build up is a bad idea for everyone involved. Make your needs clear, and try to engage in solution-focused conversations. Where necessary and possible, get HR involved.
Putting self-care higher on your priority list is another important step. Most Americans primarily focus on completing the responsibilities associated with their jobs and families, and only take time for themselves when they've done everything else. This untenable situation can end with a mental breakdown or with a trip to the ER. Don't let it get that far. You are as important as everyone else in your life. Make time for things you find enjoyable and relaxing. Don't feel guilty about that even if you are raising children; parental stress rubs off on them, in turn causing them to suffer many of the same problems you will. Your wellbeing improves your kids' mental health, too.
Where possible, try to remove the biggest source of stress. That may mean reducing your hours, working toward a promotion where you can engage in more meaningful work, or even switching to a new position entirely. If you feel like you can't take it anymore, seeking mental health counseling is not a luxury, but a necessity. For some people, prayer and meditation will help greatly.
That probably wasn't the step-by-step instruction manual you were hoping for if you are seriously stressed. You'll not get any "if your job is harming your mental health, just get a new job" here — it doesn't tend to be quite that easy, does it? Nonetheless, the simple act of recognizing that you are stressed, and that your job is the source, can help you redefine your personal goals. That is, ultimately, the beginning of working toward a better work-life balance.
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