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A much-talked-about issue across the world is workplace stress. People from almost every country across the world complain about it. It not only affects the physical and mental health of employees but also affects the productivity of organisations.
Work-related stress can arise due to different reasons including the demands of the job, events at the workplace, interpersonal relationships at work and many other things. Different people manage workplace stress differently. What one person considers as stressful may not seem to be a difficult situation for another.
Let’s understand more about workplace stress in Malaysia in this article.
Work-related stress can be defined as a harmful physical and emotional response to certain situations that arise at the workplace. In general, such situations arise from the high demands of a job and the low control that one has over a situation.
Stress at the workplace can originate from a single event or many events or occurrences. It can affect both the employee and the employer. In general, some amounts of stress are natural in a workplace, it is only when the stress becomes so much that you are unable to handle it or it manifests into physical or mental issues, that you should be concerned about it.
Many factors have been identified as potential stressors in workplaces, not only in Malaysia but across the globe. These common stressors include:
Well, most of us take stress as a normal part of our lives and hardly pay attention to it. However, our body has certain automatic responses to deal with stress. However, when the body is exposed to stress for a long period, it stays in the stress management mode all the time, which can lead to various physical and mental effects.
The common effects of stress on the body are:
Stress can have a severe effect on a person’s mental health. It can lead to:
Here are some effective stress management techniques that can help you manage workplace stress in a better way so that it doesn’t affect your physical and mental wellbeing.
The first step to managing stress is to identify what’s stressing you out. Do you have too much work and not enough time in the day to finish it? Is there any workplace relationship that’s causing the stress? Are there a lot of changes in your workplace or is there any uncertainty looming on you? Is there a lack of supportive work culture? Finding the source of your stress can help you carve out the path of what you need to do about it.
Once you are aware of what’s causing the stress it will be easier for you to identify what you can change and what you cannot. For example, if the source of your stress is not enough time to complete all your responsibilities, then you may not be able to change your working hours or responsibilities, but you may be able to speak to your manager to find a solution to maintain your work-life balance.
Most of the responsibility for managing stress lies with us. You may feel stress in two ways – at the moment when an incident occurs or in the long term which results in persistent stress.
In a moment of anxiousness, our muscles tense up, our heart beats faster and our breathing changes. Take three slow and long deep breaths while focussing on your stomach expanding and contracting. This kind of breathing helps bring your heart rate back to normal and calms you down. It is ideal for situations which make us feel anxious, nervous or panicked.
Talking to someone known or unknown about your stress can help you deal with it in a better way. If your manager is approachable or you have a friend in a colleague, you can talk to them. They can give suggestions that can help you deal with the situation or improve the situation that’s causing the stress.
If you don’t want to talk to someone you know, you can approach a psychological counsellor who can provide an unbiased view of things. They can teach you stress management techniques which can improve your response to stressful situations.
Visiting a counsellor while balancing your busy schedule may be difficult. You can seek online counselling instead from an app or website which provides such an option. TrueCare2U enlists leading counsellors in Malaysia to help you deal with workplace stress in Malaysia. You can book an appointment at your convenient time.
Yes, we do know that workplace stress is not the issue of the employees only, even the employers should be concerned about it. However, taking care of ourselves is our responsibility and this is what this article aims to do. Being aware of the causes and impact of stress can improve our awareness about this issue and take steps for effective management of stress.
Don’t take stress in the workplace lightly. If you are feeling anxious, try to deal with it instead of ignoring it. The right steps at the right time can help you avoid future physical and mental issues.
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