No doubt, we all need some level of pressure in our lives – it makes our work satisfying and helps us meet deadlines. But it’s all about striking the right balance. Too much pressure without having the chance to recover causes stress, which can be damaging to our health.
Workplace stress is different for everyone – what is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another. It can depend on your personality type and how you have learned to respond to pressure.
The typicality of the maritime sector makes all those who work there to be more prone to stress-induced challenges and tasks, Be it seafaring, stevedoring , haulage or pure administration, you stand the chance of being weighed down by the task, the work-place environment. Bellow are some of what to do, look out for or avoid. Its my hope that the maritime industry will continue to have a fit workforce.
Symptoms of work-related stress
Work-related stress can cause both physical and emotional health problems. It can cause you to be more prone to physical symptoms such as:
•headaches
•muscular tension
•backache and/or neckache
•tiredness and sleep problems
•digestive problems
•a raised heart rate
•skin rashes
•sweating
•blurred vision
The individual may also be prone to psychological symptoms such as:
•a lower sex drive (libido)
•feeling that you can’t cope
•irritability and mood swings
•disturbed eating patterns
•finding it hard to concentrate
•feeling less motivated
How do you know if you have work-related stress?
You may have already noticed some factors contributing to the way you feel. For example, you may feel that you:
•often rush about, trying to be in too many places at once
•miss breaks and take work home with you
•don’t have enough time for exercise, relaxation or spending time with your family
Studies have shown that almost a third of the working group say that the demands of their job interfere with their private life and nearly a quarter feel that their work has caused them to neglect their children.
Work-related stress is also one of the biggest causes of sick leave.
Causes
There are a number of factors that can make you feel stressed at work. These include, but not limited to:
•poor working conditions
•long working hours
•relationships with colleagues
•lack of job security
•difficult journeys to and from work
•the way the company is managed
•mismatch between the requirements of the job and your own capabilities and needs
•inflexible working hours
•too much or too little responsibility
However, often there is no single cause of work-related stress. Although it can be triggered by sudden, unexpected pressures, it’s often the result of a combination of stressful factors that build up over time.
One of the most important factors in reducing stress levels is managing your time more effectively. Prioritise tasks, delegate where you can and make sure you don’t take on more work than you can handle. Make sure you take regular breaks at work and try to finish one task before you begin another. Here are some other things that you can do yourself.
•Make sure your work environment is comfortable. If it isn’t, ask for help from your organisation’s health and safety officer.
•If possible, don’t work long hours – sometimes projects need extra time, but working long hours over many weeks or months does not generally lead to more or better results at work.
•Take a look at your relationships with your colleagues – do you treat each other with respect and consideration?
•Find out if your organisation offers flexible working hours.
It’s in everyone’s interest to keep the workplace as stress-free as possible, and generally, organisations want to keep their employees happy and healthy. Absenteeism costs the UK £11.6bn a year, according to the Confederation of Business and Industry (CBI). If companies have good work-life policies, employees are likely to be healthier and happier and so less likely to take time off work.
If you are suffering from work-related stress, it’s important to talk directly to your manager about it. Your manager has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem. Explain how you are feeling and discuss your workload. If you find talking about your concerns difficult, it may help to make notes during your discussion.
It’s worth asking if your organisation has any policies on harassment, bullying or discrimination. What does your company consider acceptable? Find out how to challenge these policies from your human resources department and make sure you know what support there is for you if you decide to do this.
There are things you can do outside of work to help reduce your stress levels. These include the following.
•Get enough exercise – this is known to reduce stress and can help you feel better. It’s recommended that you do 30 minutes of exercise each day. Choose an activity you enjoy – a brisk walk is ideal.
Learn relaxation techniques – this can help you sleep better and relieve stress-related physical pains such as stomach pains and headaches. Ask your GP or your local library for details of classes where you can learn helpful techniques.
Talk about your stress with a friend or member of the family – this is a good way to get your worries off your chest. It can give you a fresh perspective and help to make stressful situations more manageable.
Don’t drink too much alcohol or caffeine, or smoke. Instead of helping, these stimulants will increase your stress levels.
•Eat regular meals and a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
•At the end of each day, reflect on what you’ve achieved rather than worrying about future work. Don’t be too hard on yourself and remember to take each day as it comes.
Help and support
If these steps do not help and you still wish to get further help. Don’t give in to it, its time to take action. You may be suffering from depression or have an anxiety disorder that needs treatment.
If you are already diagnosed with depression, your doctor may recommend that you have counselling or prescribe a course of antidepressants. You may also need some time off work. There are courses for stress management and plenty of self-help resources available. Try any of them.
(However, if you still require further attention, please send a mail containing your details to the address above).
If you are suffering from work-related stress, it’s important to talk directly to your manager about it. Your manager has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem.
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