Top Causes Stress and Management a Step Towards Success

Stress is a natural and adaptive response that your body and mind have to various challenges and demands in life. It can be defined as a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from challenging or adverse situations. Stress can be caused by a wide range of factors, including work-related pressures, personal relationships, financial concerns, health issues, and other life events. While some level of stress is normal and can even be motivating, excessive or prolonged stress can have negative effects on your physical and mental well-being.

Definition Of Stress: A state of psychological and physiological imbalance resulting from the disparity between situational demand and the individual’s ability and motivation to meet those needs.”

Dr. Hans Selye, one of the leading authorities on the concept of stress, described stress as “the rate of all wear and tear caused by life.”

Stress can be positive or negative:

1. Stress is good when the situation offers an opportunity for a person to gain something. It acts as a motivator for peak performance.
2. Stress is negative when a person faces social, physical, organizational, and emotional problems.

Causes of Stress 

Following are various causes which are major causes that lead to stress

1. Career Concern

 If an employee feels that he is very much behind on the corporate ladder, then he may experience stress. If he sees that there are no opportunities for self-growth, he may experience stress. Hence, unfulfilled career expectations are a significant source of stress.

2. Role Ambiguity

 It occurs when the person doesn’t know what he is supposed to do, on the job. His tasks and responsibilities are not clear. The employee is not sure what he is expected to do. It creates confusion in the minds of the workers and results in stress.

3. Rotating Work Shifts

Stress may occur in those individuals who work on different work shifts. Employees may be expected to work on the day shift for some days and then on the night shift. That may create problems in adjusting to the shift timings, and it can affect not only the personal life but also the family life of the employee.

              ALSO READ:Best Essential Oils You Need To Use 2021

4. Role Conflict

 It takes place when people have different expectations from the person performing a particular role. It can also occur if the job is not as per expectation, or when a job demands a certain type of behavior that is against the person’s moral values.

5. Occupational Demands

Some jobs are more demanding than others. Jobs that involve risk and danger are more stressful. Research findings indicate a job that causes stress needs constant monitoring of equipment and devices, unpleasant physical conditions, making decisions, etc.

6. Lack of Participation in Decision–making

Many experienced employees feel that management should consult them on matters affecting their jobs. In reality, the superiors hardly ask the concerned employees before making a decision. That develops a feeling of being neglected, which may lead to stress.

7. Poor Working Conditions

Employees may be subject to poor working conditions. It would include bad lighting and ventilation, unhygienic sanitation facilities, excessive noise, and dust, the presence of toxic gasses and fumes, inadequate safety measures, etc. All these unpleasant conditions create a physiological and psychological imbalance in humans thereby causing stress.

8. Lack of Group Cohesiveness

Every group is characterized by its cohesiveness, although they differ widely in their degree. Individuals experience stress when there is no unity among workgroup members. There is mistrust, jealousy, frequent quarrels, etc., in groups and this leads to stress to employees.

9. Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict

These conflicts take place due to differences in perceptions, attitudes, values, and beliefs between two or more individuals and groups. Such conflicts can be a source of stress for group members.

10. Organizational Changes

When changes occur, people have to adapt to those changes, and this may cause stress. Stress is higher when changes are significant or unusual like the transfer or adoption of new technology.

11. Lack of Social Support

When individuals believe that they have the friendship and support of others at work, their ability to cope with the effects of stress increases. If this kind of social support is not available, then an employee experiences more stress.

Stress triggers a "fight or flight" response in the body, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare the body to respond to a perceived threat by increasing heart rate, sharpening focus, and providing extra energy. This response is helpful in situations where quick action is required, but when stress becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can lead to a variety of health problems, including:

1. Physical symptoms: Chronic stress can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, and a weakened immune system.
2. Mental health issues: Prolonged stress is associated with conditions like anxiety, depression, and burnout.
3. Cardiovascular problems: Stress can contribute to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease.
4. Behavior changes: People under stress may engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating, smoking, or excessive alcohol consumption.
5. Cognitive impairment: High levels of stress can impair memory, concentration, and decision-making.

Conclusion

It's important to manage and cope with stress effectively to minimize its negative impacts on your health and well-being. Strategies for managing stress include exercise, relaxation techniques, mindfulness, time management, seeking social support, and, in some cases, professional help such as therapy or counseling. Everyone experiences stress to some degree, and it's essential to find strategies that work for you to maintain a healthy and balanced life.