More and more people talk about stress when asked about their work, although there are many people for which work gives meaning to life and contributes positively to the development of their identity, there are others who see their work as a set of unpleasant obligations. qualified as irrelevant, monotonous and very demanding, making them victims of work stress.
In addition to the preferences each has at the professional level, stress can occur both on certain occasions and on others, resulting in an impact on health: especially if stress is continuous or with very strong intensity spikes.
- “What human beings need is not to live without tensions.
- But to feel and respond with energy to the call of this work that awaits us in order to realize.
- -Victor E.
- Frankl-.
Not everyone has the same ability to adapt to stressful circumstances, this ability is conditioned by different genetic factors, personality traits and physical and mental conditions of each of us.
Stress in the work environment can be defined as the set of emotional, cognitive, physiological and behavioral responses related to certain negative aspects of the business, content or work environment, a condition characterized by high levels of arousal and anxiety and a frequent feeling of not being able to cope.
One factor that deserves more and more importance and attention is the imbalance between expectations of what work should be and the realities of the world of work; Sometimes there is a great gap between the beliefs or ideals represented and the reality. Therefore, the more unattainable or less realistic the aspirations, the greater the chances of being disappointed and vulnerable to the harmful effects of stress.
The most common symptoms that indicate that a person may be experiencing work stress include:
To reduce our stress levels it is important to practice some basic strategies, such as the ones that we will outline below, if the situation persists over time and we cannot or cannot face it, it is best to consult a professional, so that with their help we can overcome our problem.
The treatment of work stress is mainly determined according to the symptoms and discomfort presented by the person, as well as its intensity, so it will adapt individually, favoring its evolution if the start of treatment is early. group and corporate treatments.
Typically, the interventions used are characterized by cognitive behavioral, such as stress management, cognitive restructuring, rational emotional therapy and behavioral testing. From a cognitive point of view, the focus will be on working the wrong cognitions, unrealistic expectations and false hopes.
Techniques and programs to combat stress at work include adaptation control strategies or problem-based strategies, problem-solving training, self-affirmation training, and time management training.
This will improve protection or resilience resources at the individual level to optimize the way we deal with the stresses typical of the work environment and improve the perception of control, self-esteem and level of personal effectiveness.
Here are some tips for reducing high levels of stress in your professional environment: