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Stress in the Workplace by Bonnie Lloyd

The workplace has got to be the biggest cause of stress for most people. As employees we are being expected to do more for less money and work longer hours than ever before. Most people work 40 hours per week! We no longer have the job security that was expected 10 years ago. As a result, many people agree to stay that extra hour, or half kill themselves trying to make a deadline in order to keep their jobs.

Absenteeism from work as a direct of stress is becoming alarmingly common. To their credit, some employers are starting to take responsibility for this problem. Many offices in London have people like me going into the workplace as a stress reduction measure. Though this is great, for a lot of employees, the long-term damage is already done. How many people in your office suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Ulcers? Acid indigestion and heartburn? These are all serious problems within themselves and either are or can lead to permanent damage. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is second only to back pain as a cause of lost working hours. This is a stress related disorder and approx 1 in 4 people suffer with it.

When the mind and body is constantly struggling to meet demands, a feeling of apathy and helplessness can prevail. We feel as though we are under threat and the primitive 'fight or flight' response is activated. This is the response that can predispose us to the kind of illnesses we mentioned earlier.

Stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are released in the body to prepare us for the anticipated conflict. These hormones dissipate when the threat has gone. However, they continue to be reprocessed when we are under constant stress. Those who are constantly under stress will eventually have a tendency towards high blood pressure, muscular pains and other chronic conditions. This compounds the situation and reduces performance levels at work.

Emotional symptoms of stress result in negative coping strategies. These can include:

• Anger
• Confusion
• Loss of confidence
• Low self esteem
• Depression
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Burnout

Persistent stress leads us onto a downward spiral until our ability to function effectively is completely eroded. So as you can tell, stress is not a trend that will die a natural death. It is a very real problem.

So now that we know what it does, what can we do about it? One of the first things we can do is to look at the demands we have in our lives. Which ones do we have control over? Can we make changes in our lives to make things easier for ourselves? Look at situations which are made stressful by expectations which we have of ourselves. Are these expectations realistic or do they need to be reassessed?

It is important to remember that we always have a choice. Sometimes we have to weigh up our demands against our personal well being (and sanity!) This is not always easy but is the difference between working to live and living to work! If you are suffering a stressful working environment, talk to a supervisor or manager about it. They may be able to work out some ways to reduce stress in the office. Many employers are having to look at reducing stress and would welcome feedback. For those who don't work in such an accommodating environment, check to see if there is a union. If not, find out if there are any official guidelines in your field of work.

Another way of combating stress is a technique called Reframing. Instead of viewing something in a negative way, turn it into a positive experience in your mind. For instance, you've just been given a deadline. Instead of thinking 'How the hell am I going to meet this one? What on earth do they think they're playing at?' Try seeing it as a challenge. A chance to see what you can do. Try viewing things as a game. When the heat is on and everyone around you is ripping their hair out, laugh! Don't take things so seriously! The calmer you stay, the more likely you are to get the task done, on time, without killing anyone!

If you're office permits it, bring in some personal items to have on your desk. This can make you feel more relaxed because it is something familiar. Another good thing to have at your desk is one of those 'little books.' There are loads of different ones available. Little Book of Calm is really good. If you want one that is funny and have a similar sense of humour to my own, then get Little Book of Stress! This can be a good distraction if you are feeling overwhelmed by any given task. Take a few minutes away from it. This will give you a chance to get a better perspective. The worst thing you can do in that situation is to sit there trying to do it! Do anything else for just a few moments and if possible, move away from your workspace while you do this.

Have an essential oil blend in your drawer. All essential oils have a positive effect on the mind. Any citrus oil is reputed to be uplifting. Rosemary and Peppermint aids concentration and induces mental clarity. Lemon oil can reduce mistakes by up to 20%! Place a few drops onto a tissue and inhale whenever needed. A lot of people use my Anti-Grump blend for this purpose!

With the increase of technological advances and fully computerised offices, we find more and more people suffering from Techno Stress. A desk without a computer is a rare sight indeed! We have computers, E-Mail, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners, printers, mobile phones, the list is endless. Sometimes it can feel as though you need a degree in technology to get the things to work! How many times has one of these machines not done what you have wanted it to do, resulting in you wanting to throw it out of a window?

We all have to deal with modern technology the best way we can. Whether you are a complete technophobe, who breaks into a cold sweat at the mere sight of a computer, or a total whiz on the keyboard, they sometimes do things that you don't want them to do! Have you ever noticed how it only does that at the worst possible moment?

A more serious version of this is VDU Stress. This is effects anyone who spends a great deal of their time working on a computer. It is caused by low level radiation emitted from the computer and is aggravated by spending more than 2 hours in front of the computer without a break. Symptoms of this include:

• Headache
• Eyestrain
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Muscular aches and pains
• General feeling of unwellness

So, what can we do about this? The first things to ensure is that you take regular breaks! Bad news for all you workaholics out there! You should at least take a moment to stop what you are doing, let your mind focus on something else and where possible, physically move around. This helps to relax the mind and allows you to resume working with a renewed clarity of thought.

When working on a computer for most of the day, look away from the screen every few minutes. This will force the eyes to change focus and can reduce the chances of headaches and eyestrain. Make sure that all your equipment is the correct height and distance away from you. This will reduce neck and back injuries as well as helping to avoid Repetitive Strain Injury.

Know your equipment. If you are expected to use a piece of equipment then you should have access to a manual. Read the manual (or at least the troubleshooting guide) Alternatively find the office expert (there always is one!) Get them to explain to you in layman's terms how to operate it. Make notes on this to refer back to. Share your 'cheat sheets' with others.

When accepting a deadline, manage your time. Work out how long it should realistically take you and build in a margin for technology failure.

Last but not least, DON'T PANIC! As any techno guru will tell you, computers only do what you tell it to do. For this reason, randomly hitting buttons in a moment of complete terror will probably not help. Stay calm and grab the office expert.