05 Apr Controlling Stress

Controlling Stress

Stress is a normal response to demands, changes, and challenges in our lives. While some stress can help us stay focused, excessive or prolonged stress can affect concentration, judgment, communication, and job performance. When stress causes distraction or fatigue at work, it can also contribute to mistakes and injuries.

Recognize the Signs of Stress

People experience and respond to stress differently. Common signs may include:

• Headaches or muscle tension.
• Fatigue or low energy.
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
• Irritability, frustration, or changes in mood.
• Difficulty sleeping.
• Changes in appetite.
• Feeling overwhelmed, worried, or anxious.

Stress may come from work or personal circumstances, and even positive changes can create additional demands.

Identify Your Stressors

The first step in controlling stress is recognizing what is causing it. Common stressors may include:

• Heavy workloads or tight deadlines.
• Unexpected changes.
• Conflicting priorities.
• Family or relationship concerns.
• Financial difficulties.
• Additional responsibilities.
• Personality conflicts.
• Lack of sleep or adequate rest.
• Uncertainty about work or personal situations.

Once you identify the source, determine whether there are practical steps you can take to address it.

Manage What You Can Control

When a situation can be changed, focus on constructive action.

• Prioritize important tasks and handle them one at a time.
• Break large or complicated jobs into manageable steps.
• Plan ahead when possible.
• Communicate concerns about workloads, deadlines, or unsafe working conditions.
• Ask questions when instructions or priorities are unclear.
• Take scheduled breaks and allow yourself time to recover from demanding tasks.
• Maintain healthy sleep, eating, and exercise habits.
• Avoid relying on alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or excessive caffeine to cope with stress.

Accept What You Cannot Control

Some situations cannot be immediately changed. Spending excessive energy worrying about circumstances outside your control can increase stress without improving the situation.

Focus instead on:

• What actions you can take.
• How you respond to the situation.
• Seeking appropriate support when needed.
• Maintaining perspective.
• Learning from difficult situations and preparing for similar challenges in the future.

Keep Stress From Becoming a Safety Hazard

Stress becomes a workplace safety concern when it interferes with your ability to concentrate, communicate, or perform a task safely.

If you are distracted, overwhelmed, angry, or excessively fatigued:

• Stop and refocus before performing hazardous work.
• Review the task and its hazards.
• Avoid rushing or taking shortcuts.
• Communicate with coworkers and your supervisor.
• Ask for assistance when needed.
• Do not operate vehicles or equipment when you cannot safely concentrate on the task.

Pay attention to coworkers as well. A normally experienced employee who suddenly appears distracted, confused, unusually frustrated, or unable to concentrate may need assistance before continuing hazardous work.

Ask for Help When Needed

You do not have to handle every stressful situation by yourself. Talk with an appropriate supervisor, trusted person, employee assistance resource, or qualified professional when stress becomes difficult to manage.

Seeking assistance early can help prevent stress from affecting your health, relationships, work performance, and safety.

Remember

Stress cannot always be eliminated, but your response to it can often be managed. Identify what is causing the stress, address what you can control, maintain perspective about what you cannot control, and never allow stress or distraction to compromise safe work practices.