Work is an important aspect of most people’s life. Work can be beneficial to your mental health as it provides you with a daily routine, financial security, the chance to develop your useful skills, expand your knowledge and gain achievements. However, work can be a major source of stress and lead to work-related stress.
Work-related stress is stress that is caused by perceived or real work pressures such as a demanding workload, deadlines, work relationships dynamics, performance reviews.
Some of the common symptoms of work-related stress include:
- Inability to switch off (constant worry and anxious or racing thoughts)
- A sense of dread at the thought of going to work every day
- Feeling low, overwhelmed, or helpless
- Difficulty in sleeping, particularly on Sunday
- Irritability or Short Temper
- Procrastination
- Tiredness and physical exhaustion
- Loss of effectiveness at work
When to seek help
If stress is affecting your day-to-day functioning and your work life is important to seek help. If you are experiencing work-related stress, therapy/ counselling can help you identify the triggers and the causes, build an understanding of relevant contributing factors, and develop healthy strategies to manage your stress at work and improve your overall functioning at your work-place.
Dr Maria Pournara, Chartered Psychologist, has extensive experience in stress-management and offers therapy/ counselling online to for work-related stress.