Everyone experiences stress in the workplace.  However, not coping with the stress you experience at work can lead to several issues.  For example, the prolonged release of cortisol into the bloodstream can damage the immune system and make you more susceptible to disease.  It can also cause weight gain, hormonal imbalances, joint pain, and headaches.  Workplace stress needs to be addressed as it progressively causes damage to one’s lifestyle.  Here are three reasons why you need to effectively cope with stress at work.

1. Burnout and Feeling Overwhelmed

You should not experience burnout and feel overwhelmed regularly at work.  Burnout occurs as a result of chronic stress.  Feeling like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it can lead to being overwhelmed.  Add this to a lack of teamwork, poor leadership, and an inadequate compensation package, and burnout will soon follow.  Burnout and  being overwhelmed causes a lack of workplace morale and productivity.  If someone suffers from burnout they will probably not be motivated to come to work and will look for jobs elsewhere.  This  can lead to a high turnover rate within the company.

2. Mental Health

Burnout and being overwhelmed causes emotional stress, which can lead to mental health issues.  For example, studies show that young adults who regularly deal with burnout and  being overwhelmed have an increased chance of suffering from depression and anxiety. Better managing these progressive disorders requires therapy.  Strategies for managing stress in the workplace include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, which are used to help people identify their triggers and manage their symptoms.  Without the proper management regimen, the risk of developing a physical disease can increase.

3. Physical Health

Physical health issues linked to mental health disorders include Alzheimer’s  and cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, and strokes.  These ailments can strike at any age, with the youngest adult Alzheimer’s diagnosis being documented at 27 years old. These diseases can lower your quality of life by limiting your ability to be active and care for yourself.

Stress at work can cause burnout, mental illness and physical diseases. Employees should make their mental and physical health their top priority. It is the number one key to their longevity.  While burnout and being overwhelmed cannot always be avoided, it is important you communicate these issues to leadership so they are aware of what you are dealing with.  Employers have the task of reaching benchmarks and goals, but it should not be at the expense of the health of their workers.

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