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Stressed
Out? It May Be Your Job
Dream Career News
Newsletter
by Kent Johnson
http://www.careeradrenaline.com
Issue:
August 5, 2005
Number of Subscribers: 1120
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Stressed
Out? It May Be Your Job
“I’m stressed out.” If
you find yourself thinking--or saying--this on a regular basis, you
might have a real problem on your hands. Job and career
related stress has been on the rise in recent years, as occupations
become more complex, and workers are taking on more and more
responsibility. In fact, workplace stress is now
considered an occupational illness. Many employees undergo stress as a normal part of their
jobs, but some experience it more severely than others, to the point that they need time away
from work. According to a survey by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, extreme occupational stress is classified as a “neurotic reaction
to stress.” There were 3,418 such illness cases reported in 1997.
The median absence from work for these cases was 23 days, more than four times the level of all nonfatal occupational
injuries and illnesses. And more than two-fifths of the cases resulted in 31 or more lost workdays,
compared to one-fifth for all injury and illness cases.
Not
surprisingly, the level of workplace stress seems to be tied
directly to the worker's occupation. In fact, just four
industries accounted for the bulk of occupational stress cases: Services (35 percent),
manufacturing (21 percent), retail trade (14 percent), and finance, insurance, and real estate
(12 percent).
In general, white-collar occupations had a higher proportion of stress cases than both
blue-collar and service occupations combined. Managerial and professional occupations,
with 16 percent of the cases, and technical, sales, and administrative support occupations
with 48 percent, had higher proportions
of occupational stress cases than they did of
all occupational injury and illness cases involving days away from work, 5 and 15 percent,
respectively. In 1997, the index for occupational
stress ranged from 0.6 for managerial and professional occupations to 1.6 for
technical, sales, and administrative support occupations. And
there appears to be a correlation between stress and a worker's
sex. For each stress-related illness involving a
female, two cases involved a male.
If
you're stressed out, you need to look at ways to reduce that stress
before it has a negative effect on your health. High levels of
stress, over time, can lead to sleeping disorders, high blood
pressure, and other physical problems. If you think
your work environment is too stressful, bring the subject up with
your boss or supervisor. See if there isn't some way of reducing
your workload, or taking away a few responsibilities so that you
don't feel overwhelmed on the job. If you feel yourself getting
stressed out at work, try relaxing and breathing slowly and
deeply for a few minutes and see if this doesn't calm you
down. Away from work, exercise is a great
stress reducer. For many people, a brisk walk in the evening is
enough to unwind them after a tough day on the job. I've found
that yoga works wonders for me after a tense work day. After a half
an hour doing yoga poses and breathing exercises, I feel refreshed,
and I sleep much better at night. Other people relax by playing
sports, or socializing with friends, or playing with their
kids. No matter how you relieve stress, just do
it. You'll feel a lot better, both physically and mentally. And if
you can't find a way to manage your stress levels at work, you may
need to think about finding another job.
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Copyright (c) 2005 by Kent Johnson
Author, publisher, career coach
"Helping people realize their dreams one career at a time."
Searching for your dream career? Visit the popular
http://www.careeradrenaline.com for more info
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