According to numerous surveys and studies, 65% of employees feel extremely stressful at work, while 25% of the employees think that their jobs are the major stressor in their lives. The workplace stress can be felt emotionally, physically and mentally.

Analyzing the warning signs of work stress correctly can sometimes be very difficult and then figuring out how to manage it is another big challenge. In this post, I’ll cover both aspects – the signs and the tips to combat the work stress.

Here is the list of a few common factors that can contribute to your daily workplace stress:

• Continuously thinking and worrying about tasks, deadlines and performance reports
• Pressure to perform better and low or no job satisfaction
• Complaints and frequent ego issues and clashes with the management
• Anxiety and depression due to downsizing and management changes
• More working hours which ultimately reduces time to socialize and deal with the workplace stress.
• Increased workload, i.e. the never-ending task list that deters employees to effectively perform any tasks as they start stressing about the number of tasks to be performed.
• Providing facility for working from home is not the solution, it means managing tasks from home after a hectic workday. This contributes to increased stress and only a few can cope with it.

If you have experienced any of these signs, chances are you are definitively suffering from stress at work. There are some common signs that you need to spot when it comes to workplace stress.

Warning Signs of Work Stress

1. Putting On Weight

Different studies have shown that an unpleasant work environment steals the energy you required to make safe dietary choices and to exercise.

After completing a long hectic day at work, you are more likely to go for a movie with junk choices to refresh your mind rather than opting for safe choices, i.e. go for a walk or meditate.

2. Feeling Degraded

Workplace stress comes from the state of being undervalued and feeling bad about yourself.

If you work hard to meet your deadlines, you are appreciated at work for your efforts you make for the company’s success, then there is less or no chances to become stressed.

On the other hand, if your boss always degrades and never recognizes your efforts, it will make you feel frustrated, depressed and undervalued.

3. Losing interest in Your Spouse

One of the worst things about workplace stress is that it spoils your personal life. According to a study, people who hate their jobs and are not recognized at work have a less satisfying relationship with their spouse.

4. Taking a Sick Day

If you have not sufficient energy or interest to face a long, tiring day at work, then it is a big red flag. Workers experiencing job stress are often late for work, frequently call in sick, procrastinate and fail to meet deadlines.

5. Prone to Insomnia

Employees who are not satisfied with their jobs often find it difficult to fall asleep and even don’t sleep.

The frustrated workday tends to follow them and the stress of meeting the deadlines keep going through their minds even when they try to sleep. Insomnia – the lack of sleep is bad for your health as it is important for your body and mind to restore energy to perform well.

6. Losing Your Temper

Do you easily get annoyed instead of solving the problem? Are you experiencing passive aggressive behavior most often?

This type of behavior can easily ruin your career and personal life. Unresolved anger will affect your emotional health and needs to be carefully addressed.

7. Work-life Balance is Out

Research has shown that employees who are more passionate about their job are at greater risk for quick burnout.

According to a study, workers who are obsessively passionate about their work are more likely to burn out and have issues in their social and personal life. Job dedication is somehow a good thing, but if you want to avoid exhaustion and emotional distress, it is better to find a perfect work-life balance.

All in all, stressful work situations are associated with health complaints than any other life stressor. It can not only badly affect your health but also decreases your productivity and morale, resulting in career failure. Therefore, it is necessary to cope with it by finding the ways to improve the situation.