Can We Reduce Work-Related Stress?

This post is by Monica Velici of Sparta Health

Work and family are the two domains from which most adults obtain contentment in life; equally they are the frequent causes of stressful experiences with workplace stress being the subject to a significant amount of research. It has been generally accepted that intense and prolonged exposure to stress negatively impacts one’s physical and mental health (Health and Safety Executive, 2001; Cooper et al., 2001). The Health and Safety Executive (2004) states that about 5000 individuals experience work-related stress in the UK. Similarly, around five million individuals reported feeling “very” or “extremely” stressed by their work (HSE, 2004).

Equally important, stress contributes to several health implications such as back pain, heart disease, gastrointestinal disturbances, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, prolonged and intense exposure to stress can lead to anti-social behaviour including irritation, aggressiveness, excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, increased tobacco smoking, and eating disorders (HSE, 2001).

Cooper and Marshall’s (1976) model of work-related stress identified five factors of work-related stress:

1. Work environment – poor culture, physical working conditions, workload, and time pressures
   
   
2. Position and role within the business - role ambiguity and role conflict
   
   
3. Career progression – poor job security and no progression
   
   
4. Work-related relationships – poor relationship with company’s boss, managers, supervisors, or colleagues, from which workplace bullying can arise
   
   
5. Management – organisational climate and structure, little participation in decision-making

Entrepreneur.com website offers 5 science-based tricks on reducing work-related stress

1. Exercise - Physical activity, in any form, is regarded as one of the best methods of stress reduction. Regular exercise increases serotonin levels in the brain which boosts mood and well-being. Serotonin is responsible for and regulates mood, social behaviour, sleep, appetite, and is the neurotransmitter which is responsible with making us feel happy. Low levels of serotonin can in return lead to low energy, depressed mood, negative thoughts, and ultimately to depression.
   
   
2. Write - One of the most useful self-therapeutic approaches is writing down your negative thoughts and feelings. Rather than allowing your frustrations to build up inside, let them flow on a piece of paper. Dr. James W. Pennebaker, chair of the psychology department at Texas University, conducted a study on expressive writing. 46 students were asked to write about either their traumatic life events or trivial topics for 15 minutes on four consecutive days. At the six month follow-up, results indicated that those students who chose to write about traumatic life experiences visited the campus health centre few times compared to those students who chose to write about everyday topics.
   
   
3. Control the number of times you check your email (if possible) - Regularly checking your email, can increase your stress levels but can also make you less productive. If your job allows, try checking your emails as less as possible. The best number of times one can check their emails without increasing their stress levels is three times a day: in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. A study from the University of British Columbia proved this point. The study reported that those participants who checked their emails only three times a day (at the times mentioned above) had significantly lower levels of stress compared to those who frequently or unlimitedly checked their emails.
   
   
4. Drink tea - Drinking tea as opposed to drinking coffee during work hours can reduce stress levels. A study published in the Psychopharmacology journal asked participants to drink tea as opposed to coffee during working hours. At the end of the study participants reported lower levels of work-related stress. This is because tea consumption lowers cortisol levels in the brain. Cortisol, or often called “the stress hormone”, when released at higher levels increases the heart rate and blood pressure, the same symptoms seen during stress reactions.
   
   
5. Chewing gum - As unbelievable as this might sound, chewing gum can help reduce stress. Melbourne’s Swinburne University conducted a study into the salivary cortisol levels (a physiological stress marker) in mild and moderately stressed individuals. Findings indicated that chewing gum decreased stress levels by 16% in mildly stressed individuals and by 12% in moderately stressed individuals. The same study found that chewing gum improved multi-tasking performance, and increased alertness.

All in all, although many individuals are affected daily by work-related stress there are many, easy to employ methods to reduce stress. These methods do not necessarily need to be employed only during work hours; they are likely to be beneficial in reducing stress in other areas of life if utilised on a regular basis until they become a habit.

About Monica Velici

Monica joined Sparta Health in February 2020 as part of the rehabilitation service support team. She has a degree in Psychology, an MSc in Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, and a keen interest in dementia and mental health. Monica aims to become a fully accredited therapist.

References:

Cooper, C.L. & Marshall, J. (1976). Occupational sources of stress: a review of the literature relating to coronary heart disease and mental ill health. Journal of Occupational Psychology. Vol. 49, pp. 11-28

Cooper, C.L., Dewe, P.J. and O’Driscoll, M.P. (2001). Organizational Stress: A Review and Critique of Theory, Research and Applications. Sage Publications, CA

Health and Safety Executive (2001). Tackling Work-related Stress. HSE Books, London.