Too much stress takes its toll on our health. If we are unable to deal effectively with it, we can find ourselves in a situation where we feel overwhelmed and unable to cope.

Stress in the Workplace

Most people will experience stressful periods at work. Both employees and management will often find themselves in situations where they are confronted with unrealistic deadlines and what appears to be impossible goals.

A typical result of being in this type of work-related situation is to lose motivation, procrastinate, and avoid even trying to do what you deem impossible.

Obviously, non-action is counterproductive to the goals of both the company you work for and your own career.

Communication is key to every relationship, including those in the workplace.

Rather than letting resentment, inaction, and stress build-up, try discussing your objections and concerns with your manager and co-workers.

It is in the best interest of all involved, to brainstorm a more effective timetable and reasonable project deadline so that the tasks at hand can be completed.

Don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel that unrealistic demands are being placed upon you and causing you undue stress.

If your manager is not willing to hear your concerns, and this issue is recurring, it might not be the best job for you.

Although it is not an easy or ideal situation, you might find it to be in your best interest to find another job.

Source: Online PhD Degrees

Stress in Your Personal Life

There are so many stressful events in our lives that are impossible to avoid.

If we don’t learn to deal and cope with events we have no control over, we are opening ourselves up to serious mental and physical health conditions.

Some examples of life stresses are:

• Losing a job
• Divorce
• Injury or chronic illness
• Financial issues
• Traumatic event
• Relationship issues
• Death of a loved one
• Being a caregiver to a loved one

One very common physical symptom resulting from stress is digestive health issues that are often successfully treated with probiotics.

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Take a Break

Although this might seem obvious, many people don’t realize that even a short break can do wonders for your mental and physical state.

If you think you can’t escape a looming work deadline or another important task, you are wrong.

Even a 15-20 minute break from a stressor can be helpful. Take a short walk, call a friend, or listen to some music.

By permitting yourself to take that break, you can change your perspective, feel less overwhelmed, and realize that you do have control over your life.

Don’t worry. The bills will wait for you, and the short break you take from a work project won’t push your deadline out any appreciable amount of time.

Take Advantage of Your Support System

If you keep your fears, concerns, and feelings inside, they will fester and have a negative impact on your life.

Having a support system of people around you who care about you and your well-being will bring you comfort.

It can also give you an outside perspective of your situation from those whose opinions you trust.

It is often difficult to see things clearly from your own perspective.

This is why talking to your support system is so important. You might get some ideas or solutions that you were unable to come up with yourself.

Sometimes just talking about how you are feeling is helpful in and of itself by releasing some of your inner tension.

If you are not fortunate enough to have good friends or family members to turn to, you might want to consult a mental health professional.

Learn Good Time Management Skills

It is human nature to feel overwhelmed when we have too many things to do at the same time.

The reality is that you can’t do more than one thing at a time, so you need to accept this as a fact and learn how to manage your time better.

Start by prioritizing your to-do list by order of what is most important.

If something on your list can be handled by someone else either at work or at home, you should ask that person to help.

Go down your list in order as time allows, and realize that you have control over your time.

This acknowledgement alone is empowering and can reduce your stress levels.

There will be many times when you need to deal immediately with stress such as when you are stuck in traffic, in a stressful work meeting, or arguing with your partner.

The best thing to do under these circumstances is to take a long, deep breath, count to ten, and think of something you like or that makes you laugh.

Everyone reacts differently to stress. It’s how you deal with it that will have a lasting impact on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Originally published 9/9/2018; updated 12/31/21 to the infographic. Updated again 10/04/22 to add additional infographic.