Partner with the right Inner Clarity therapist for you to manage workplace stress in three simple ways.
Our jobs are where we spend countless hours of our lives. They’re often what we’ve trained or studied to be able to do, and labor can be a source of continuous fulfillment. Yet, stress has increasingly pervaded employees’ well-being and productivity in today's fast-paced work environment. This means more and more people are leaving important trades, struggling to advance in careers they’re capable of excelling in, and ultimately dread clocking into work when they deserve to start each shift with a stable sense of mental health.
Consider this Inner Clarity guide on how to spot the signs of workplace stress, effectively manage its causes, and why meeting with a virtual therapist who is right for your needs can enable you to thrive in any role, any vocation.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, workplace stress is “the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.” In practice, this may look like excessive workloads, tight deadlines, and conflicting expectations, causing employees to burn out and suffer from mental or physiological maladies even after completing that day’s tasks.
Take stock if you’ve been experiencing muscular tension, heart palpitations, an inability to concentrate, increased irritability, or just general, sustained anxiety or depression. If you grapple with those symptoms arising from your work, know you’re not alone. Forty-four percent of respondents to a 2022 survey reported being stressed at work the day before, the World Economic Forum recorded, a three-year-in-a-row increase across the globe that may be caused by recent disruptions to what workplaces look like given the mass shuttering of office spaces.
Though the workplace may be a common source of consternation, there are numerous ways to successfully regain control over what’s causing stress. Review these three strategies and how you might apply them in your environment.
Productivity is a key measure of a good employee. Yet setting unrealistic goals or trying to progress too many assignments simultaneously will only undermine the quality of your efforts and heap unnecessary stress onto your plate.
Say you’re grappling with a big project. Try breaking it down into smaller, more manageable deadlines and categorizing the items into different priorities, focusing on the most critical parts first. You might notice momentum build as completing one thing motivates you to tackle another. Of course, procrastinating can still be tempting when bogged down by a particularly challenging task. In that case, set a timer to work on what’s causing you stress for a short time. Then set a timer for a short break. Rinse and repeat, and you’ll be ticking off your to-do list in no time.
The rise of job-related stress may be caused by more widely available remote jobs disrupting the balance between workers’ home and work lives. Without a clear division between when the workday ends and when relaxation can begin, employees are prone to burnout, making it difficult to keep up with other familial responsibilities and spill over into more stress.
But you don’t have to be engaged in a remote job to understand that setting boundaries between work and personal life is crucial to mental well-being. To obtain a healthy equilibrium, create a reasonable schedule that corresponds to your supervisor’s expectations. When assigned needless overtime, advocate for your needs and dedicate time to self-care. You deserve to enjoy adequate rest and relaxation to become the creative and high-energy worker your workplace is sure to benefit from.
While there are specific coping skills you can wield to navigate workplace stress better, understand that you don’t have to develop a plan all on your own. Counseling services provided by your employer or an outside mental health professional can help you identify the root cause of your worries and move forward with addressing them in a healthy manner.
Notably, virtual therapy allows you to engage in mental health support from the comfort and privacy of your own home, making it easier than ever to fit stress relief into your busy calendar. Online therapy also offers an opportunity to connect with trained providers from all over the world – a key advantage if you happen to live in one of the United States’ countless areas where local mental health providers are in short supply.
To find a virtual therapist best suited to your unique circumstances, it’s a good idea to get a hold of mental health providers who are committed to your priorities. That’s to say, Inner Clarity boasts a roster of trained therapists who are all interested in incorporating a holistic approach to wellness. Perhaps you’d be most comfortable meeting with a therapist who understands your cultural background or has experience treating patients navigating trauma. Inner Clarity counselors specialize in a variety of treatment styles and are capable of helping you thrive inside the workplace and out.
A job well done is one of the most rewarding things you can do. But rising stress levels in the workplace, from breakdowns in the usual professional-personal life balance and other sources, too often cause stress that bubbles up into physical and mental health challenges. By employing effective time management, setting hard boundaries to protect your home life, and meeting with a virtual therapist, you can alleviate the symptoms of workplace stress. Request an appointment today with Inner Clarity to meet with a provider specializing in the individual treatment styles you need for a clearer and healthier life.
Being a first responder is no easy job. If you are a first responder, or know someone who is, you know exactly what I am talking about. The average person’s worst day is considered just another day on the job for a first responder. First responders witness some of the most horrific things.
Being a first responder is no easy job. If you are a first responder, or know someone who is, you know exactly what I am talking about. The average person’s worst day is considered just another day on the job for a first responder. First responders witness some of the most horrific things and are expected to carry on with their lives as if nothing happened. The first responder culture is a unique one. They have a special bond to one another that “outsiders” may not completely understand since it is hard for them to fully grasp what a first responder goes through daily. First responders are made up of all different job titles and duties, including: firemen, law enforcement personal, paramedics, EMT, search and rescue, and even 911 operators. However, they all tend to say the same thing when responding to a tragedy – “I was just doing my job”. Although a heroic statement, this mindset can create a burden on a first responders mental health and overall wellbeing as it normalizes the trauma they experience. It is estimated that 30 percent of first responders develop behavioral health conditions during their time of service, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as compared with 20 percent in the general population as sited in the SAMSHA research bulletin (Abbot et al., 2015). Additionally, trauma is not the only hardship a first responder is known to endure. First responders are known to have the highest level of workplace burnout due to the stress relating to their job, as well as always being in a first responder role even when they are not working. First responders work long, difficult hours including holidays, causing them to be away from their families and loved ones. This contributes to burn out and feeling isolated or alone.
On a positive note, the culture surrounding first responders has been changing. In the past, many first responders would not seek mental health treatment due to the strong stigma of being considered “weak” if they seek out help to treat their trauma, or even talk to someone about what they have witnessed. In the past, many first responders were told to “suck it up” when faced with emotional hardship as it is just part of the job they signed up for. Fortunately, we are moving toward a more accepting world in which first responders feel more comfortable seeking treatment due to trusting mental health providers. Mental health providers have a natural ability to create a calm, open, and nonjudgmental environment for clients to share in. This is especially important for first responders. Many first responders may feel judged or untrustworthy toward a mental health provider as they are an “outsider” looking into their world. This trust is built on mental health providers becoming more educated about the life and culture of a first responder, and truly understanding why first responders partake in this line of work.
First responders benefit from mental health treatment as it gives them the opportunity to process what they have witnessed, as well as learn about how trauma affects their work, family life, health, and overall well-being. Mental health providers can provide first responders with the tools they need to process and cope with their trauma. In doing so, they become more knowledgeable regarding burnout and the importance of self-care to improve their mental health, allowing them to do their job to the best of their ability. Recently, more first responders are seeking treatment but sometimes lack encouragement and support. Encouraging a first responder to seek therapy and normalizing the need for treatment is extremely important. Support is the first step a first responder needs, leading to the confidence to seek treatment and improve their mental health and overall well-being.
