Related Articles

Workplace Stress

We spend most of our days at work, so it is no surprise that our jobs often contribute to stress. A recent Canadian Mental Health Survey indicates a significant increase—from 39 percent in 1997 to 51 percent in 2001—in the number of workers who indicate work as a major reason for serious stress.

Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response to a conflict between job demands and the worker’s ability to meet those demands. While we can physically adjust to a certain amount of stress, extreme, prolonged levels of stress can develop into serious medical conditions. A host of disturbing health effects, including severe depression, chest pains, stomach problems, teeth grinding and withdrawal, are just a few ways we respond to unmanageable doses of stress.

Try these easy stress busters and make them part of your daily routine:

• Learn to relax; allow yourself time for deep breathing and stretching
• Meditate
• Exercise—In the Canadian Mental Health Survey, workers identified meditation and exercise as extremely effective
• Set realistic goals and organize each day
• Laugh—See humor in life, as opposed to letting it get you down

Beat workplace stress before it beats you!

Source: The Canadian Center for Occupational Safety and Health

Download
Safety Poster

June 2004 IBEW Journal