Our working world has been turned completely upside down this year. Some people are suddenly short of work, others struggle to get through their daily home office and household chores, while others are trying to find enough time for 22Bet. In short, the world of work can sometimes be frustrating. Here are a few tips on how to cope better with stress in the new world of work.
It pays for our livelihood and is where we meet like-minded people and fulfill ourselves: our work. But it can also be a serious source of stress and dissatisfaction. Why is this the case? And how can resilience help us at work?
WHY WORK CAN STRESS US
Statistically, we spend eight years of our lives working without interruption. However, that alone is not the problem, especially when we spend an average of 24 years of our lives sleeping and 12 years sitting in front of the TV. But under certain circumstances, work can turn into an enormous burden.
Working long hours without breaks, overtime, a high workload, and time pressure can stress us out. If we feel permanently overloaded, our sleep suffers, we feel exhausted and unmotivated – and our performance suffers. In the long term, chronic illnesses also occur, and the risk of diabetes, heart attacks, or strokes can increase.
Work breaks, avoid stress reduction: Long, uninterrupted periods of work can cause stress and, therefore, damage our health in the long term.
HOW TO WORK ON YOUR RESILIENCE TODAY
This is where resilience – our mental resilience – helps us to stay calm. But how does it help us when we have to drag ourselves to the office every morning or regularly cry alone in the company toilet? Around 25 percent of employees experience their job as the number one stressor. Since the start of the pandemic, many people have felt more productive working from home – when they don’t have to look after their children alongside work. However, even the most productive people are struggling with isolation. In addition, 50% of people surveyed by Techniker Krankenkasse said that the coronavirus pandemic is stressing them out. Eighty percent of those surveyed said they missed contact with their friends and colleagues.
WHAT TO DO
1. Recognize stressors – and resolve them constructively
Take some time to find out what is stressing you about your job: The time pressure? The way your colleague works? The pay? Once you have identified your stressors, you can seek constructive solutions. You can find some of them below.
2. Contribute your talents – but not too much
Scientists such as the psychologist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman believe that contributing our talents and strengths to our job makes us happy. But even with talent, it’s the dose that makes the poison. Perfectionism can drive us to peak performance but often does so at the expense of our well-being. Feed your resilience by putting your perfectionism on a diet.
3. Appreciate yourself and others
One of the strongest resilience factors is other people: People who cheer us up on bad days, organize coffee for us when we’re late for a meeting, and who we still like after work.
Empathy and compassion also strengthen our resilience because if we try to understand the motives and reasons for the actions of our fellow human beings, we don’t have to dwell on negative feelings such as anger or annoyance. Instead, we can find a solution together.
If we particularly like something, notice a colleague’s performance, or are happy with someone, we are welcome to say so out loud. This makes our colleagues happy – and makes us a little happier, too. That’s why it’s also advisable for managers to treat their employees with respect. And during the pandemic, this can, of course, also be done via video chat.