How To Handle Unrelenting Stress At Work via
@Forbes
It’s understandable that Americans are stressed out at work. We are continually dealing with toxic politics, managers hovering over you, high inflation, surging costs, and concerns over AI taking over jobs.
There’s chaos related to tariffs, and worries about a potential recession. Unrelenting stress in the workplace has become a pervasive problem.
Workers have to deal with demanding schedules, deadlines, and the fear of holding onto their jobs, as many companies have announced layoffs. These and other factors wear people down.
Stress takes a toll on our mental and physical health. Chronic stress is a prolonged state of emotional or physical tension. It persists over weeks, months, or years. It’s often triggered by persistent pressures that feel like tidal waves overwhelming you. This varies from minor problems such as missing a deadline.
Chronic stress builds over time and can lead to serious health issues. According to the Mayo Clinic, “long-term activation of the stress response system and too much exposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all the body's processes.” This puts you at higher risk of many health problems.
The impact includes depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension, heart attack, high blood pressure, sleep problems, weight gain, and problems with memory and focus.
A 2024 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that 40% of U.S. workers describe their jobs as “very or extremely stressful.”
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