Coping with workplace stress

The daily grind of projects, deadlines and pressures at work can be stressful. Amanda Briick, LCPC, Behavioral Health Clinical Liaison at the University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital, shares tips on how to recognize and resolve excessive stress in the workplace.

What causes stress in the workplace?

Some of the most common causes are challenges in maintaining an overall work-life balance, increasing work demands, meeting deadlines, growing performance expectations and a lack of social support or minimal sense of community among co-workers.

What are the signs of too much stress in the workplace?

Stress manifests itself physically, mentally and emotionally.

Physically, stress may present in frequent headaches, body aches and chronic pain, muscle tension, digestive issues, appetite changes, changes in sleep, recurring illness and overall fatigue.

Mentally and emotionally, symptoms of too much stress in the workplace could present as increased irritability or agitation, feeling tense and on edge, isolating yourself from co-workers, withdrawing from social interactions, feeling overwhelmed, struggling to concentrate or becoming more distracted, frequent tardiness, experiencing a loss of interest in your work, anxiety, panic attacks or feelings of depression.

What happens if you don’t address the stress?

In instances where stress goes unmanaged, people can develop prolonged stress. Prolonged stress can develop into anxiety disorders, decreased immunity, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, heart disease, insomnia, weight gain, heart attack and strokes.

What are some tips to try to alleviate work-related stress?

Life and work can be unpredictable, everyone has to deal with stress at one point or another. It is essential to not let stress go unchecked. Maintaining mindfulness of the changes happening in your life, at your job and within your body is helpful. The more a person can be aware of stressors impacting their life, the sooner they can take control and use stress management strategies to help maintain a balance to stay happy and healthy.

Five common techniques to help manage stress effectively and in a healthy way are:

1. Exercise: Being active and getting your body moving for at least 10 to 15 minutes per day can be an effective and healthy way to improve your mood and combat stress.
2. Relaxation techniques: Learning to use deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation as a means of coping with stress is invaluable.
3. Take breaks: Taking your breaks, walking away from your desk and not engaging in a “working lunch” can be ways that you decompress from stress throughout your workday.
4. Develop hobbies: Doing something that you enjoy outside of work and on your personal time can help you separate your personal life from your work life, helping to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
5. Seek support: Whether you seek support from family and friends, formal support with therapy or social support groups, or engage in self-support with something like journaling, processing through your stressors is an effective way of not allowing stress to weigh you down.

How can employers help employees?

Employers can work to be in tune with the needs of their staff and be sensitive to stressors. Ensure that staff are knowledgeable about the benefits that are provided to employees to help them prevent or manage stress effectively, both directly and indirectly. It is essential to create a space in the workplace where employees feel safe to communicate honestly about their stressors and where employers can be a supportive force in employees’ efforts for work-life balance.

For more information on behavioral health services, or to schedule a complimentary behavioral health assessment, please call 708-915-8600.

Amanda Briick, LCPC

Amanda Briick is a clinical liaison and therapist at University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital. She has been working in the social services field since 2008. She has a strong passion for advocating for mental health, de-stigmatizing the idea of going to therapy, and using her enthusiasm to educate incoming mental health professionals. She has worked in residential, inpatient and outpatient settings as well as taught psychology at a local university to students majoring in the field.