6 Major Causes of Workplace Stress

Stress simply has to do with how much pressure you can take. In yourwork situation, it would imply your response to pressures at work. Are you able to give the required responses to the pressures at work? Your ability to handle such pressures adequately will boost your productivity.
Sometimes you start off well by responding with enthusiasm and energy, but with time the pressure takes over and tries to subdue you. Simple issues you had dealt with before now seem to overwhelm you. What happened? What affected your natural ability to deal with such issues?
The secret lies in fortifying yourself, so you’ll always maintain your zeal and outlook to life, considering that not all stressors can be eliminated.


5 Common Stressors in the Workplace
1. Conflict
2. Meeting demanding deadlines/targets
3. Working long hours
4. Uncomfortable Workplace
5. Your personal Lifestyle

1. Conflict
In a mid-sector study in Australia (COMCARE 1996) conflict was identified as one of the key workplace stressors.
Is there any conflict management procedure in your organization?
Is there anyone to express your grievances to?
Is there any department or unit designated to receive complaints about your boss, colleagues or customers?
If yes, then use it.
If there is no means of expression or communication, then you are bound to be stressed and have uncoordinated or inappropriate outbursts. Maybe you should make this suggestion (if there is an avenue for this).
You’ll just have to rely on family and friends for succor. Not good enough since the situation doesn’t change, but at least you can change your outlook of the situation. Strive for excellence; concentrate on being the best you can rather than on what people say. Let your achievements speak for you!

2. Meeting Demanding Deadlines/Targets
This is another stressor you may not be able to totally eliminate. So what do you do?
· See the end from the beginning. See yourself meeting the target. Believe it or not, it works! Your picture of success will motivate you to take action steps in the right direction.
· Do it all on paper first. Set time out to write down thoughts and questions that may come to you on how to achieve your goal.
· Draw up a daily action plan that ensures your daily activities take you closer to your goal.
· Stick to your plan. Though you may have to change some of your methods still stick to the main plan.

• Meetings can be stressful!

3. Working Long Hours
It’s important to note that once physical or mental fatigue sets in your productivity drops.
Who says you have to work long hours to get the job done? You need “productive hours” not just lots of hours!
If your organization does not have a Work-life balance policy yet, the time has come for it to be considered.
Having flexible working arrangements will help. Frequent work breaks help in punctuating those long hours.
The truth is peak activity period for the brain is between two to four hours depending on your kind of work or capabilities. So productivity gradually drops as you work, but after a break it picks up again.
Breaks are also very necessary for those long board meetings. That’s why the people that come up with the “brightest idea” are those who seem to have drifted off sometime during the meeting!

4. An Uncomfortable Workspace
Check these to find out if your work space is the issue;
· Is it cramped? If it is then you have the culprit for accidents and injuries in your space. Start by clearing your table, please use the drawers! Consider re-arranging your furniture or even taking some out. Knocking down stuff should not be a regular occurrence.
· Is it noisy? Some people have a very high threshold for noise. Consider sharing office with those who have similar noise thresholds as you.
· Is it too hot? The accepted temperature for sedentary work is 20°C-22°C. So if it’s too hot you will get exhausted and tired easily. If it’s too cold you may become obsessed with keeping warm, so you don’t need another cup of tea, get your temperature right.
· Is there sufficient lighting? Daylight is still the best light there is. So get most of your work done in the day. It helps eliminate some of the stresses that come with working with artificial light. However, your office color scheme can aid or hinder the distribution of light.
· Is your posture right? Your seating arrangement should give adequate support to your spine (from neck to waist), arms and legs. Make it a habit of doing stretches regularly. Keeping a fixed posture can be stressful to your body. Stretch in the opposite posture you work in; don’t wait to feel the pain. Make sure your PC or visual display unit is at eye level if you have to work for long periods on it. If the aches and pains are persistent see your therapist.

5. Home Trouble
Your life outside the workplace will affect your effectiveness at work. Many times when there's turbulence at home you are bound to carry that "junk in your trunk" all the way to work. Outbursts at work sometimes are an offshoot of bottled up emotions from the home front; an impending separation or divorce, a sickly or wayward child or even obnoxious inlaws!
When domestic pressures are heavy on you, you need to wise up and quickly talk to someone, most suitably your health and wellness or occupational health manager. Don't underestimate the effects of having an unsettled home on your performance at work.

6. Your Personal Lifestyle
· Develop healthy eating habits. Eating fruits and vegetables help boost your immune system. Also drink lots of water, it helps in the body cleansing process.
· Spend 10-15minutes everyday doing some exercise. If walking or jogging put you off, start from riding a stationary bike in the privacy of your home. You can consider using the stairs, just ensure you consult your physician.
· Sleep well. Joyce Walsen PhD has said that sleep and mood are regulated by the same brain chemicals. A study by the University of Chicago found that “inadequate shut-eye caused levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) to spike in the afternoon and evening”. I’m sure this is not news to you; we have all had unpleasant experiences from lack of sleep.

If you feel you have already lost a grip on yourself, talk to your Health and Wellbeing Manager, in house Psychologist or your Physician.
Live a stress free life!

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Stop Hurting Your Brain; 8 Good Habits to Adopt to Boost Brain Function

#WorkplaceBlues
Some "brains" may be "hurting" in the office, but these are eight good
habits you can imbibe to boost your brain's health:

1) Feed your brain with foods that have high levels of antioxidants
like nuts and blueberries (consider snacking on these at work).

2) Include fish, red wine, whole grain and fruits in your meals...this
boosts for brain's function.

3) SMILE! Make being happy a habit instead of being grumpy. Are you
the staff everyone wants to be around or the one who makes everyone
edgy? Psychologist, Shawn Achor has said smiling can retrain our
brains to look for possibilities. "Happiness leads to success and not
success to happiness"

4) Write down small tasks you need to get done. Some things don't need
to keep dangling in your brain, just get out your note pad and draft a
"to-do list". Then tick them as you accomplish them (yep it will feel
good). Experts say it boosts our dopamine levels ("Dopamine"is a
chemical substance that "turns on" the learning centres in our
brain...)

5) Praise yourself regularly for small accomplishments. Studies have
shown the "frequency" of success is more important than the "size" of
success.

• Laughter helps relieve workplace stress

B.J. Fogg of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University says you
should celebrate yourself daily...your brain doesn't know the
difference between progress and perceived progress.

6) Sit up!
A good upright sitting posture also helps boosts brain function.
Researchers say adopting a crouched position makes your brain prone to
thoughts of hopelessness and depression.

7) Be active!
How can you just sit at your desk all day? Beyond conventional
exercise and going to the gym... Move at work! Use the stairs instead
of the elevator. Take a stroll during your breaks at work.
Deliberately get up and move whenever you have the opportunity or just
create one.


8) Get a good night's sleep.
Our brains' cleansing system requires between six to eight hours of sleep.

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Workplace Stress: The Sex-starved Marriage

Most employers would like to leave a sign outside that says "leave your problems at home" but the truth is everyone actually brings "baggage" to work. It may be good or bad, make or mar , promote or impede productivity...It just happens.

The "Baggage" of a "Sex-starved Marriage:

"Sex is an extremely important part of marriage. When it's good, it offers couples opportunities to give and receive physical pleasure, to connect emotionally and spiritually. It builds closeness, intimacy and a sense of partnership. It defines their relationship as different from all others. In short, sex is a powerful tie that binds"- Michelle Weiner-Davis.

Except of Chapter One of  "The Sex-starved Marriage" by Michelle Weiner-Davis:

As with Debra and Tom, when one spouse isn't interested in sex, the touching, kissing, and other forms of physical affection and intimacy often drop out as well. Spouses distance from each other emotionally. They carry on their lives together in much the same way that two toddlers might engage in parallel play- involved in similar activities in close proximity, but without meaningful connection. Marriage becomes mechanical. Friendship often evaporates. Anger bubbles just below the surface. Misunderstandings abound. Emotional divorce becomes inevitable.


When they try to explain these feelings to their partners, their explanations are often flatly dismissed. "You don't have the need to feel closer to me, you're just a sex maniac," or "If you would have to go to work in the real world rather than be home with the kids, you would understand why I'm so tired all the time," or "If you weren't so controlling, you would just accept that I'm not as physical as you are and you would leave me alone,!" or "It's only sex, what's the big deal?"

However, to someone like Tom- the partner yearning for a better sexual relationship- being lovers is a big deal. It's much more than mere physical pleasure. It's connection, intimacy, closeness, and affection. It's about feeling attractive, feeling masculine/feminine, and feeling whole as a person. It's about being in love. It's about a feeling of oneness.

But since people with low sexual desire aren't hungering for a sexual connection, they're not overly empathetic to their spouses' feelings and do little to make significant changes in their relationships.

Eventually, feelings of rejection become increasingly difficult to manage. Sadness turns to anger. Those yearning for more physical closeness vacillate between being distant and unpleasant. And although these behaviors are merely symptoms of underlying hurt, people with low sexual desire don't perceive their spouses' behavior quite so benevolently. Empathy is in short supply. Arguments about sex, or the lack of it, become the norm. Blame-slinging disagreements add to the already icy distance between spouses. Then, like a runaway train, it's not long before their bitterness and animosity collide head-on with every other aspect of their relationship. Nothing seems right anymore...

Take the Sex-starved Marriage Quiz:

 Do you find yourself:

Going to bed earlier or later than your spouse just to avoid the possibility s/he might get amorous?

Lying in bed at night, careful not to stir for fear that s/he might start touching you?

Being sexual out of guilt rather than feeling desirous?

Arguing with your spouse about sex frequently.

Blaming each other.

Do you find yourself thinking or saying:

"By the end of the day, I'm just too tired and have no interest in sex."

"If you had to work as hard as me, maybe you'd understand why I have no interest in sex."

"How can we have sex? The kids are always around."

"If you were nicer to me maybe I'd be interested."

"Why do you always have to touch me in a sexual way?" 

"If you weren't such a sex fanatic, I'd probably want more sex."

"If you'd help more around the house, I'd want to be closer to you sexually."

"I just don't feel turned on anymore."

"I have a lot on my mind right now. Sex is just not all that important to me."

OR

Have you been feeling hurt, depressed, resentful or angry about your husband or wife?s lack of interest in sex?

As a result, do you find yourself being highly critical or bossy?

Out of anger, have you berated your spouse or been mean-spirited? 

Have your feelings of resentment about your married sex life prompted you to shut down emotionally and pull away from your spouse?

Do you wonder whether your spouse really loves you?

Do you question your attractiveness or masculinity/femininity?

Do you intentionally make plans that don't include your husband or wife?

Do you feel yourself building a wall around you to protect yourself from feelings of rejection?

Do you feel you've tried everything but your spouse simply doesn't understand how important sexuality is to you?

Are you feeling tempted to stray beyond your marriage to find companionship and sexual excitement? 

If you've answered "yes" to several of these questions, your marriage is at risk of becoming sex-starved. Here's what you need to do to get things on track now:

Read the First Chapter of The Sex-Starved Marriage

Take the Great American Sex Challenge

Talk to a Divorce Busting® Coach who is highly skilled in dealing with sexuality issues

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Work Stress Relievers: Getting a Foot Massage

Spending time at work involves assuming sitting and standing postures
for long periods and this most times results in muscle tension and
other stress-related symptoms.

If your job involves you walking or standing for long periods like
customer service staff and construction workers (to mention) a few
then you would definitely need regular foot massage.

It would amaze you that a brief 15 to 20 minutes foot massage can do the trick.

Your feet are one of the most sensitive parts of the body that seldom
get the required attention they deserve.

Even every day walking and standing can take their toll on your feet
as the feet and ankles bear a good part of your body weight.

With over 7000 nerves in the foot alone, getting a foot massage can be
extremely pleasurable and relaxing.

A foot massage will not only help relieve foot and ankle pain, but
will also relieve stress and tension in the entire body.

Here are other benefits of getting a foot massage:

1) A 20 minute session of foot massage and mobilization restores
balance and alignment especially in the elderly.

2) A 20 minute session of foot massage helps reduce the pain intensity
after a surgical operation.

3) Light pressure foot massage also helps to reduce lower limb oedema (swelling) in pregnancy.

4) A 10 minute session of daily foot massage for at least 2 weeks has
been shown to reduce the agitation in people suffering from dementia.

5) A good foot massage will improve blood circulation round the body.

6) Foot massage promotes good body posture.

7) Getting a foot massage will also help to boost your immune system.

8) Foot massages have also been known to improve concentration.

You may not always have the time to go to the spa to get one but you
can treat yourself to a "home made foot massage".

Although there's nothing like a massage given with human hands you can
still make use of a foot massager at home except you have a partner
that's willing to "volunteer".

There are tips here on how to give a foot massage.

Firstly, soak your feet in warm water after adding few drops of
lavender oil or any other essential oil.

There are two major types of foot massagers; the simple and the
therapeutic foot massager.

The therapeutic foot massager actually mimics reflexology.
Reflexology is a kind of massage that relieves tension and treats
illnesses by stimulating pressure points on the feet, hands and head.

All in all get a massager that's easy to use and try to read as much
reviews as possible.
There are mechanical foot massagers, water-based foot massagers, calf
and foot massagers et al.

Once you get a durable and effective foot massager you're guaranteed a first class "on the go" stress relieving therapy.

(photo-credit: www.zspaonline.com)

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