Workplace Stress: A 21st Century Health Epidemic (Infographic)

By Colin Culberth

Dubbed the “health epidemic of the 21st century”, stress is affecting more and more of the world’s population. In fact, one study revealed that up to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are caused by stress.

You may not be all that surprised to hear that work is among the very top stressors with 6 in 10 employees in major global economies experiencing more workplace stress than ever.In 2018, employees face an unprecedented amount of pressure. Economic uncertainty, unengaging work and long-hours brought on by the “always on” culture are among the top stressors for today’s workers.

If work stress goes unmanaged, it can take a toll on your mental health and heighten your risk of anxiety, depression and burnout. It can also have a devastating effect on your physical health and result in erratic eating habits and inactivity, triggering weight problems, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.

If you believe that you or someone you know is suffering from work-related stress, there are a few physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms to look out for. Numerous medical studies have shown that stress can manifest itself physically through headaches and sleeping difficulties. It can also affect your psychological wellbeing, with stressed-out workers more likely to feel overwhelmed, irritable and anxious. Common behavioural symptoms include diminished work performance and increased absenteeism.

So how can you avoid burnout at work? There are a number of things you can try in your spare time, such as exercising more, sticking to a strict sleep schedule and meditation. At work, make an effort to track your stressors so you know when to take a breather. It may also be a good idea to approach HR and work out a stress management plan.

If you are interested in learning more about workplace stress, take a look at the infographic below from Ayers Management.

Author Bio

Colin Cuthbert  is from Ayers Group -a payroll and contractor management business based in Australia. Delivering streamlined Payroll, HR and Contractor Management solutions to contractors, recruitment agencies, consulting companies and corporations throughout Australia and New Zealand

About The Author

Defying Mental Illness

Chuck and Zoe are the founders of Defying Mental Illness (DMI), a Community Interest Company. Guest bloggers have played a very enriching role in making this website a highly recognized website for mental health advocacy. To contribute a blog, please contact us.

Defying Mental Illness – Put a Full Stop, is an organization with a mandate to reach out to those faced with mental health challenges to help them not only defy the disease, but also put a full stop to the stigma and discrimination. Chuck and Zoe are often invited to speak on various platforms including radio and television.

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