The 8 effects of work stress

Work stress is one of the most widespread mental health problems of our time; It is considered that about 45% of workers in Spain currently suffer from it.

Although stress can be a positive biological phenomenon in a wide variety of situations by putting us on alert and helping us to avoid dangers and overcome crisis situations successfully, This can also become a real health problem, both physically and psychologically, if it overwhelms us and we don't know it. manage.

For this reason, when we talk about stress, we are not referring to the punctual stress experienced by millions of workers in their daily lives, but to a state of intense and sustained stress that may endanger the physical or emotional balance of the person, in addition to leading them to adopt patterns of behavior that are counterproductive both for oneself and for the organization.

To find out in depth about this common phenomenon and with the aim of creating a guide with which to identify whether or not we suffer from this problem, below We will review the main effects of work stress.

• Related article: "Types of stress and its triggers"

The most common effects of work stress

These are the usual consequences that work stress has on the mental health and behavior of workers.

1. decreased productivity

One of the main effects that work stress has on the worker is the decrease in productivity, something that jeopardizes both the achievement of the objectives in the company and the preservation of the job itself by the employee.

This decrease in productivity is almost always progressive and becomes more severe the older it is. the level of stress of the employee, something that occurs gradually, but constantly as the time passes time.

• You may be interested in: "How to be more productive? 12 tips to perform more"

2. Greater propensity to suffer other psychological alterations

As in any type of stress, the psychological effects are those that the person experiences first and since they are not we are all the same, these can be varied and lived differently depending on the characteristics of each one.

Some of the main psychological alterations that people with work stress may experience are cases of phobias, depression, the development of addictive behaviors, OCD or eating disorders.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

3. physical symptoms

As with psychological disorders, there are many physical or biological symptoms that can develop the people with work stress over time and these depend on the constitution of the individual and also on their characteristics psychological.

The main physical symptoms caused by work stress are sleep disturbances and insomnia, increased heart rate, breathing problems, headache, increased blood pressure, muscle pain and fatigue.

• You may be interested in: "Somatization: what is it and what symptoms does it produce?"

4. Lack of organization

As we have commented, when a person experiences work stress, he may jointly harbor physical symptoms and psychological that significantly affects their performance at work and also their abilities and aptitudes of all kinds.

This prevents the person from being able to organize themselves correctly on many occasions.. Sometimes due to excessive work, and the impossibility of putting into practice an effective work method. And others, to an inability to discriminate between those tasks that are more important and those that are less so.

Even the most diligent and orderly workers can find that a case of severe stress in their workplace block and prevent them from putting into practice all those professional performance skills that they could previously perform without problem some.

• Related article: "Psychology of work and organizations: a profession with a future"

5. work absenteeism

Work absenteeism is one of the classic effects in cases of severe work stress and occurs when the employee is already unable to go to his place of work due to multiple causes or deficitssuch as agoraphobia outbreaks.

This problem supposes a great prejudice both for the worker and for the company or organization for which he works, since compromises corporate objectives, and the calendar that all members of the organization must adhere to in the short or long term term.

• You may be interested in: "Work absenteeism: what it is, types, characteristics and how to prevent it"

6. Cognitive alterations

Some workers who experience work stress may also end up experiencing a series of cognitive alterations that can affect their work abilities and job performance. It is a transitory phenomenon and it usually does not leave sequelae, so as soon as the excess stress disappears, these symptoms usually do as well.

Some of these alterations can be memory loss, difficulties concentrating or problems remembering aspects linked to short-term memory or working memory.

7. relationship difficulties

Relationship difficulties are also common in cases of work stress, since relationship skills both in the field of work and in the social environment can be seriously diminished.

The relationship problems of a person with work stress can affect the way in which he relates and communicates with his co-workers and also with his superiors.

8. Burnout syndrome

He Burnout syndrome or burnout worker syndrome is a psychological disorder that some people develop when a case of work stress becomes chronic.

This is the highest and most serious stage of this type of stress at work and is characterized by a progressive wear and tear on the person both physically and psychologically. until reaching problematic levels or endangering the integrity of the person at all levels.

The burnout syndrome is ostensibly more serious than work stress and manifests itself in the worker in a excessive exhaustion and various psychological disorders that affect the personality and self-esteem of the person who suffers from it.

To do?

These are some general tips to keep in mind to deal with work stress:

• Practice controlled diaphragmatic breathing
• Practice Mindfulness
• Make sure you have a well-organized workspace
• Always keep your schedule and agenda updated
• Put the shortest and easiest tasks at the beginning of your workday
• Provide short rest breaks for at least 10 minutes every 50 minutes.
• Practice assertiveness and prevent misunderstandings from being generated
• Communicate the errors in the workflow that you detect in your team or department
• If you realize that you cannot handle everything, it is advisable to delegate certain tasks to other colleagues or collaborators.
• Consider other job options that better fit your skills
• go to psychotherapy

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