A stressful work environment can have a wide range of detrimental effects on a person. It can negatively affect their productivity and well-being at work as well as outside of it. This is why it is so important to manage work-related stress.
At some point in everyone’s life, they will experience stress related to their jobs, and sometimes that tension comes directly from the workplace. When it comes to work-related stress, there are ways in which you can fix it.
In this article, we’ll examine seven of the causes of work stress and how to deal with stressful work environment.
Read: Financial Stress
1. Messy or unorganized work environments
Our work situation may cause us to feel stressed because it is disorganized or messy. We all know what it’s like to spend hours looking for a vital piece of paper that has been lost because a desk is messy or unorganized.
The first way clutter causes stress is that it adds clutter to our surroundings and our minds. If we have a messy workspace, our heads will be cluttered as well, which is not conducive to being productive.
Stress can also be contributed by unorganized desks because it may seem like the end is never in sight. In most cases, you can finish your work and watch your desk slowly become clear of clutter. That’s nearly impossible with a messy desk.
So, what is the solution? I would recommend clearing everything off of your desk and even emptying your drawers. Even though it will take some time and effort to get yourself organized, if you can stick with it, the rewards will be well worth it.
It can change the way you treat your desk and everything on it if you ask for more organizational tools like file folders, monitor stands, pen holders, and even document trays. If your company is unwilling to help out, then you may want to consider purchasing the items yourself.
Organizing your desk will help you to have time to relax during the day and you won’t be buried in paperwork all day.
Read: Work Depression
2. Bullying or harassment at work
Bullying and harassment are often thought to end after grade school, but unfortunately, these childish ways often follow people into adulthood. When it comes to a stressful work environment, bullying and harassment causes of stress in the workplace. The purpose of work is not to be picked on or ridiculed.
It is possible to be bullied or harassed at work by anyone, and you may not even realize it. Depending on your position within the office, it could come from coworkers, the boss, or even a member of the administrative team.
There are many types of harassment. The people could be those who speak negatively about you behind your back or those who speak down to you. It is also possible for people to intentionally do you harm by telling you something wrong.
When you deal with bullies, you will experience stress, but you will also suffer mental harm. It is possible to feel anxious at work, awaiting the unexpected. If you stay home on the weekends, you may feel sluggish and depressed and dread going back to work on Monday.
Are bullying and harassment in the workplace easy to fix? HR can help you if you are the victim of harassment or bullying at work; it can be difficult to address.
Don’t forget to keep a record of everything you’re experiencing that contributes to your stressful working environment. It is also helpful to keep a copy of any emails or communications.
Related: Effects of Bullying on Mental Health
3. Overloaded at work
Stress can also be brought on by too much work and not much help to get it done by a set deadline. It can be challenging to find a balance between having just enough work and too much at every job because there is always a typical workload.
You can ask yourself a few questions to determine if you are overloaded at work. When you’re completing tasks on time, do you skip lunch or stay late? Do you continue to work diligently with no sign of an end in sight?
An employer who knows the difference between overburdening workers and keeping them unmotivated will know which category they fall into. Your manager can assist you if you feel overburdened with work.
It may appear that adding more employees is the easiest way to solve this problem, but it isn’t always the case. When a company grows, the workload increases so does the number of employees.
Perhaps you should start posting job ads and interviewing new employees if this describes your business. It will be appreciated by everyone on your team when a new person joins you.
Your office’s productivity and motivation will increase significantly once you begin using these techniques. This will enable your team to complete all of its tasks within the set deadline confidently since they won’t feel overloaded or stressed.
Read: Depressive Episodes
4. Bad environment
Are you aware that your workplace can be a stressful work environment and affect your motivation and productivity? How productive you are in a day is heavily influenced by factors like noise, air quality, lighting levels, and even temperature inside your office.
Opening a window will not always allow more light and air into your office, but this can still be a great help if you can.
It’s great to have an open office space that promotes teamwork and collaboration, but what happens when you need to get something done on your own? The best way to eliminate office noise that can make it difficult to concentrate is to invest in some earplugs or to use headphones.
It is also possible to add a plant to your desk, which can not only bring you a bit of joy every day but also help to improve the air quality in your workplace. Anxiety sufferers can benefit from good air quality.
Additionally, the temperature at your workplace may be a factor that adds to stress. Make sure you dress for the weather in the office if you cannot control the temperature.
If your workplace is generally warm, wear short sleeves. It’s okay to wear longer tops in colder months. Don’t forget to bring an extra sweater in case the temperature drops.
Related: Stressful Life Events
5. Communication problems
Communication is another important factor that can contribute to stress in your environment when it comes to getting the job done. Everyday life revolves around communication, especially in the workplace.
Stress at work can be caused by a lack of communication for many reasons. The situation will be even worse if significant changes are taking place and employees are unaware of them. They will become stress when the changes are made and they are blindsided.
People who don’t respond to emails or aren’t sure what they want are also extremely difficult to work with. When you are waiting for a decision, an email, or a task for a long period of time, it can cause a lot of stress, leaving you with no time to do your job.
When it comes to improving communication, you can do a number of things. Start by simply communicating with the person. They should try a little harder, say you.
Communication skills must be constantly improved. You may see improvement in them if you raise it with them and let them know that it is something they should improve. The more time passes, the less stress you will experience.
Be sure to work with companies that value communication just as much as you do! Choosing a company with excellent communication skills can also reduce your stress levels.
Recommended: 12 Easiest Ways To Reduce Stress
6. Long work hours
No breaks during long work hours can add a lot of stress to an individual’s workday. You probably know how stressful it can be to skip lunch breaks constantly or even short breaks throughout the day.
Your body and mind require a chance to rest and recharge during the lunch break. Most workers eat and work through their lunch breaks, so they’re not taking a break.
If you are taking a lunch break, go outside and walk for about 10 minutes. If you stretch your legs before returning to work and exercise, you will be able to stay focused on your work when you return to work.
You put more strain on your shoulders when you keep working through your lunch break. Breaks are given by companies for a reason. Taking a break allows you to recharge and rest your mind so that you can focus when you return to work.
Utilize your breaks as much as you can so that you are less stressed at work.
Read: Stress Management Techniques
7. Boring or unfulfilling work
Lastly, the opposite of what we have already discussed could also be contributing to your stressful work environment, and that is your feeling bored or unfulfilled at work. Perhaps you complete your tasks too quickly, or they have no value to you even when you accomplish them.
It should not be stressful to be bored at work, according to most people. You might not realize just how stressful work environment it is if you spend eight hours wishing that you were somewhere else each day.
However, you may still find your work mundane or unsatisfying. If you do not find the work challenging, it could be because you can accomplish it with your eyes closed.
Exactly how do you deal with a workday filled with dull, unfulfilling tasks? I recommend that you speak with your manager and tell them you are interested in doing more.
It could be beneficial to your manager to have you on their list for promotion if you let them know you’re available for more work. It is even possible that they will give you extra work to train you for a higher position. You can use this approach to do more throughout the day.
Read: Episodic Acute Stress
Fix your stressful work environments
If you want to improve your ability to get your work done, you should sit down and think about what is affecting you.
There could be many reasons behind stressful work environments.
When you can pinpoint what’s causing your stressful work environment, you are much more likely to be able to fix it. Ensure you document everything and speak to appropriate people so you can work on a stress-relieving plan.
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