Managing Stress in the Workplace

Many Americans spend more time at work than they do sleeping. Sometimes the pressures at work pile up and create a tremendous amount of stress. Stress-related health problems can lead to serious medical conditions, and they are a major cause of workers' compensation claims.

Check out these statistics:

* 40% of job turnover is due to stress.
* The average cost to replace an employee is between $3,000-$13,000.
* 60 to 80% of work-related accidents are stress-related.
* In California, the number of Workers' compensation claims for mental stress increased by almost 700 percent over eight years and the average award was $15,000 (compared to the national average of $3,420).
* A jury in New York awarded nearly $6 million in 1996 to three women for repetitive stress injuries due to faulty computer keyboards.
* Repetitive musculoskeletal injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome have become the nation's leading workplace health cost and account for almost a third of all Workers' compensation awards.
* Studies show that keyboard entry operators who are under stress (because they are uncertain as to whether their activities are being monitored for performance evaluation), have a significantly higher incidence of such complaints and injuries.

Stress affects everyone is vastly different forms. But, no matter how well an employee deals with stressful situations, the fact is that every worker must handle stressful situations from time to time. There are many ways for workers to learn to handle those situations better and reduce the risk of stress-related incidents.

To manage job stress:
* Continuously work to improve your physical and emotional well-being.
* Be positive. Don't dwell on negative situations. Avoid associating with negative co-workers. If you have a stressful day, do
something you enjoy after work to relax your mind.
* Avoid conflicts. When pressure situations arise, try to approach them calmly and rationally. 
* Improve your communication skills. Learn what types of comments set off others and come up with better ways to get your point across without creating conflicts.

Ways to control your emotions on the job:
* Be aware of your mood and try to keep an even keel around the office.
* Be aware of your environment. When others are feeling stressed and edgy, they tend to affect their co-workers' mood, as well. Try not to get caught up in drama.
* Be a leader. Be the one in the office who sets the tone. Show others how to tactfully manage conflicts, solve disputes without anger, and generally inspire your co-workers with you positive attitude.

Manage your health:
* Exercise and try to maintain a healthy weight. This will give you more energy throughout the work day. Tired, lethargic employees often get cranky and irritable, which can cause stress for themselves and for their co-workers.
* Drinking and smoking to relieve job stress can have the opposite affect. The nicotine found in cigarettes isactually a stimulant, so it will raise your anxiety level.
* Get plenty of sleep. Well-rested employees are usually in a better frame of mind. Avoid late night partying on work nights.

Manage your time:
* Learn how to manage your time. Utilize a time-management system, if it helps.
* Make time for other important elements of your life; whether that s family, your religion, friends, sports, or other activities. Be well-rounded. Workaholics tend to burn out early in their career.
* Learn to say no. All good managers will understand when their employees explain why they cannot accept more tasks. It's not a black mark on your work record to politely decline more assignments when you are at your capacity.
* Give yourself enough time to commute to work. Traffic -- especially in certain highly populated cities -- can be a huge cause of stress. Get out of bed and start your day in plenty of time to avoid a stressful commute.
* Take a break -- especially if you work on a computer and type a lot on a computer keyboard. Give yourself some time during the work day to take your mind off your many assignments. Let your brain recharge a bit before you get back to your work to-do list. The work break could also give your eyes and wrists time to rest and may help to avoid carpal tunnel problems and other work injuries.