(Ever woke up, feeling this way?)

Because it is so prevalent these days, it is important to understand the signs and how to combat it so that your health and wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of those close to you is not negatively affected.

Now, maybe it isn’t you that is so stressed, but a colleague who is feeling the pressure.

It could be that their unhappiness or negativity from stress is beginning to impact your work performance or your general willingness to work where you are.

What would you say to someone who felt this bad?

You’ve seen some of these signs:

• They have become critical or slightly cynical at work.
• Their productivity is lower than it used to be, they aren’t as motivated.
• They have expressed disappointment about their job or the company.
• They talk about having trouble getting started at their job.
• They are having difficulty with the work/life balance.
• Getting to work is a drag.

Their attitude is far from the best these days and while it may not be obviously affecting co-workers yet, it will eventually have an impact on the workplace environment, let alone their own personal wellbeing.

You don’t really like to see anyone losing in life, right?

If it is someone close to you, they may have also mentioned problems in the way of

• financial difficulties
• relationship upsets
• dissatisfaction with the way their life is.

Who hasn’t run into one or more of these at some point in their life?  Add to the mix, work stresses, and things can really affect health and happiness, can’t they?

As their friend you want to help. You may have already tried, only to have hit a brick wall.

What do you tell them that really will make a difference?

How can they do something about it?

Now, just as importantly, if after reading the above, any of this has hit home as being the way you feel or something you do, then you need to look at what is best for your health and wellbeing.

You need to take charge of any stress in your workplace as well as your life and you need to make it your priority.

As much as you may be able to think of several reasons not to.

Workplace stress doesn’t usually fully disappear when someone walks through their front door after a long day of it.

Sadly, it can impact their home life too.

It can also contribute to problems such as headaches, sleep disturbances, concentration difficulties and a myriad of health conditions.

Workplace Stress Management

Workplace stress is on the rise in New Zealand.*

General workload and increasing change at work have been found to be significant factors.  If you were to do a search of work stress internationally, you would find no shortage of reports and articles on this situation worldwide.

With the apparently increasing pace of change in the workplace, and in life in general, you couldn’t go wrong to make yourself savvy to the signs of workplace stress and what to do about it.

As daily disruptions and changes occur, demand on you can increase.

In the case of new systems or routines put into place, any confusion brought about can stress even the sanest employee.

In moments like these it pays off to be able to recognise when to exercise more patience, to understand how to keep communication smooth amongst everyone and what to do to rise above any exhaustion brought on by changes, people in general and the need to do something new.