Got Workplace Stress?

New evidence suggests that workplace stress impacts us at home as well. "When people are stressed at work, when their supervisors are really not supportive around work-life issues, we are seeing more negative health behaviors in the sense of poor food choices, lower levels of exercise, poor sleep hygiene," says Leslie Hammer, Ph.D., professor, psychology, Portland State University, and director, Center for Work.

Read more about this study and its findings at:
Medline Plus: Healthday


What can you do about workplace stress?

• Recognize warning signs of excessive stress at work: 
• feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed
• loss of interest in work
• problems sleeping
• fatigue
• trouble concentrating
• muscle tension or headaches
• stomach problems
• social withdrawal
• loss of sex drive
• using alcohol or drugs.
• Reduce job stress by taking care of yourself: 
• get moving with regular exercise
• make food choices that give you energy and keep you feeling good
• drink alcohol in moderation and avoid nicotine
• get enough sleep.
• Reduce job stress by prioritizing and organizing: 
• manage your time wisely (create a balanced schedule, don't over-commit yourself, try to leave earlier in the morning plan regular breaks)
• manage your tasks (prioritize tasks, break projects into small steps, delegate responsibility, be willing to compromise).
• Reduce job stress by improving emotional intelligence: 
• realize when you're stressed
• stay connected to your internal emotional experience
• recognize and effectively use nonverbal cues and body language
• develop the capacity to meet challenges with humor
• resolve conflict positively.
• Reduce job stress by breaking bad habits: 
• resist perfectionism
• clean up your act
• flip your negative thinking
• don't try to control the uncontrollable.