Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger SnackNation, a company that delivers healthy snacks to offices to help boost employee engagement, workplace health, and productivity. SnackNation's blog and infographic address an important workplace wellbeing concern – stress. We hope you enjoy SnackNation’s insight on this important wellbeing topic.
There’s a silent killer in your workplace.
It lurks in the shadows, depleting your energy, sacking your concentration, and shaking your confidence. Your co-workers talk about it in hushed tones (if at all), and your boss is in denial of its very existence…
Its name?
Stress.
It’s no joke. Countless studies show that excess stress can cause real physical symptoms like headaches, upset stomach, increased blood pressure, chest pain, and trouble sleeping. That’s not to mention its role in mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
In the infographic below, we’ll take a look a look at the alarming costs of workplace stress, the warning signs that you’re too stressed, and 6 simple methods for reducing that stress – so you can get back to kicking butt.
OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) deemed stress a “hazard of the workplace,” and estimates put the cost of stress at $190 billion a year in annual healthcare bills.
And it’s not isolated to specific industries – the problem is widespread. 65% of adults say that work is the source of their significant stress.
On top of that, a joint team of Harvard and Stanford researchers looked at data from the General Social Survey and the American Community Survey and found that stressful jobs might actually lower your life expectancy.
Of course, not all stress is created equal. A certain amount of healthy stress in the workplace is actually a good thing.
Experts make a distinction between eustress (good) and distress (bad), and point out that eustress is actually necessary for individuals to make breakthroughs and companies to grow.
What’s the difference? Eustress is motivating. It keeps you on task and helps you cross the finish the line. Distress is debilitating, and occurs when the good stress builds up and becomes to much to cope with.
Negative work stress can come from a variety of factors. (Any of these sound familiar?)
- Fear of being laid off or fired
- Additional overtime due to budget cuts
- Pressure due to constantly rising expectations
- Pressure to constantly work at peak levels
How do you know if your stress level is out of control? Here are a few warning signs:
- Depressed mood – you may lose confidence, become angry, irritable, or withdrawn
- You lose interest in your work, and a sense of apathy takes over
- You’re unable to sleep or experience fatigue during the day
- You have trouble concentrating
- You experience muscle tension, headaches, or stomach problems
- You notice a decrease in your libido
- You turn to alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism
The key is to manage stress so it remains at a healthy level and doesn’t become overwhelming.
Easier said than done, right?
But the 6 tried and true methods mentioned in the infographic can help get you on the right track. For more information about how to implement each of these strategies for reducing workplace stress, visit our blog.
This content was written and shared by SnackNation. It originally appeared on their blog.
SnackNation launched in 2014, to address the huge demand for healthy snacks in the workplace and an increasing focus on employee engagement, health, and wellbeing. Having convenient healthy snacks at work just makes sense! Since their founding, they've delivered millions of healthy snacks across the Nation.
Connect with SnackNation via their website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
