Imagine the scene:
It’s a rainy Monday morning and after hitting the snooze button for the third time, you finally roll out of bed and instantly become aware of your pounding headache, upset stomach, lack of motivation, and irritability.
To put it simply, you feel STRESSED OUT…and they day hasn’t even started!
Unfortunately, these physical, mental, and emotional impacts of stress are being felt by an increasing number of Americans. According to a recent study conducted for the American Psychological Association, over 39% of young adults between ages 18-33 reported that their stress level has increased over the last year. For 52% of these individuals, stress is keeping them awake a night and hindering their performance across all aspects of functioning.
What is causing these skyrocketing stress levels? A recent USA Today article titled “Who’s feeling stress?” suggests that work is the number one stressor in American society. Whether the stress comes from a job, or lack of one, it can be a huge risk factor for bigger problems such as anxiety and depression.
The pressure to achieve and excel in the workplace can have detrimental effects on health. The USA Today article quotes market researcher Mike Hais who explains,
“Individual failure is difficult to accept when confronted with a sense that you’re an important person and expected to achieve.”
In order to cope with this expectation to achieve at work, and not allow individual failure to disrupt your own self purpose, it is important to channel stress for its potential positive benefits instead of allowing it to become debilitating. Ironically, while this stress stems from work it can severely reduce your productivity levels and decrease your performance. Stress management is a key factor in empowering yourself to perform to your full potential both at work and in all aspects of life.
With the constant pressures to succeed and excel, taking the time to purposefully relax and reflect and practicing a more active lifestyle are two proactive ways to channel your stress. Here are some of our suggestions at the Viva Center for how to manage stress in your life caused by work:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Meditation
- Massage therapy
- Career counseling
- Naturopathic medicinal remedies
Contact the Viva Center for more information about the ways our services can help you reduce stress and live a more optimal life!
Related articles
- Who’s feeling stressed? Young adults, new survey shows (usatoday.com)
