The 3 Biggest Job Stressors
Category : Women Business, Women Health, Women Lifestyle, Women Personality
Workplace stress can drain you emotionally and physically. Here are strategies to help you cope with:
JOB STRESSOR NO. 1: Fear of Losing Your Job
Layoffs, a weak economy, an unpredictable stock market and corporate mergers are very real concerns and can mean pink slips for employees. There???s no permanent job security at all anymore.
What this can do to your body and spirit Many women have a profound fear of failure and panic about losing your job can inflame this fear. It can dampen your self-esteem and sense of self-worth, and trigger anxiety (financial or otherwise) that may show itself in physical symptoms such as panic attacks, chest tightness or gastrointestinal problems.
How you can reduce this stress
??? Make sure you boss knows your value. At pink-slip time, your manager will work hard to hold on to her best workers. But she won???t fight for you if she doesn???t know what you???re contributing. Most people make the assumption that their manager knows about everything that they are doing. But they often don???t. Meet with your manager monthly and update her on your objects and accomplishments. If it???s not possible to chat with your manager regularly, give her a written summary each month.
??? Don???t wait for a layoff to look for other opportunities. Make a few networking calls, keep your resume update, go on informational interviews, research companies you admire and have coffee with people who may be able to help you find another job. Then, if you are laid off, you won???t have to start from scratch with a job hunt. Plus, you won???t feel so ???stuck??? when you realize there are options out there. 
??? Even though it???s hard to find a new job in a slow economy, look anyway. If you have an attitude that there???s nothing out there, then that???s exactly what you???re going to find.
JOB STRESSOR NO. 2: Too Much Work, Too Little Time
Thanks to downsizing, the same amount of work is being distributed among fewer people. Technological advances like e-mail, voice mail, cellphones and laptop computers have made it possible to take our work anywhere. For many people, the only way to stay on top of the workload is to arrive early, stay late, work trough lunch and on weekends, and bring work home.
What this can do to your body and spirit Overwork can cause physiological damage such as insomnia (particularly if you drink a lot of coffee or cola), neck pain, headache and fatigue. It robs you of the time you might otherwise spend caring for your body with exercise and smart eating; plus, you don???t have time or energy for emotionally nurturing pursuits such as relaxing with friends and family, performing community service, meditating and cultivating your spirituality. When you spend all your time on work, your life gets seriously out of balance, that???s just not good for your mind or your body.
How you can reduce this stress
??? Question your boss. ???When your boss asks you to do something you don???t have time for, you need to say, ???This is what I???m doing right now. Which is more important to you? Should I drop what I???m doing and do this, or should I continue doing what I???m doing???? ???What happens is we just take it all on, we don???t question, and then we get frustrated and stressed.??? Asking your manager which task you should be focusing on will also provide you with sense of control over your workload.
??? Write down everything you do for an entire week, then inspect your list for potential time robbers. E-mails, phone calls, going trough the mail, interruptions from co-workers and meetings all can eat away at the time you need to perform the essential tasks of your job.
??? Consult with others to work smarter. One of the most useful things for reducing job stress is peer coaching. Get together with two or three co-workers who understand your job, and brainstorm ways to streamline work processes and save time.
JOB STRESSOR NO. 3: A Work Environment That Makes You Feel Insecure (or Unsafe)
Distressing events in the news, such as workplace shootings and terrorism, as well as more common occurrences like sexual harassment, irate customers, back-stabbing co-workers and incompetent or temperamental managers all can make you feel vulnerable and powerless.
What this can do to your body and spirit Fear about the safety of your work environment can cause increases in blood pressure, muscle tension and heart rate. Chronic fear anxiety can lead to emotional ailments such as irritability, depression, anxiety attacks and even post-traumatic stress disorder.
How you can reduce this stress
??? Evaluate your anxieties. Try to separate rational worries, such as concerns about an erratic boss, from fears about less-likely events such as bioterrorism. For example, if you work in customer service at a department store, facing irate members of the public is a more likely stressor than a terrorist attack. After you determine what worries are most grounded in reality, work with friends or a therapist to create strategies for coping with the situations most likely to occur.
??? Don???t isolate yourself. There???s a tremendous value in forming relationships at work. If you feel isolate and lonely, you???re going to fell more afraid.
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