The 5 Biggest Work Related Stress Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid
The office is a place of pressure, stress, deadlines and long hours... they are all major contributing factors in the workplace.
With so many potential causes of workplace stress, it's possible to make every-day mistakes that actually cause more problems.
Here are five mistakes that can wreak havoc on your daily work routine and prevent you from getting more accomplished.
Dispel these myths, and you'll have less things to stress about.
Mistake #1: "Work first, play later"
One of the biggest workplace stress mistakes people make is working too hard and sacrificing too much family time in the process. Forgetting to enjoy your free time is an easy mistake to make; it's also one that can have damaging long-term effects on your career.
Trying to "do it all" at work often leads to burnout, which means you'll be less likely to put in the effort needed to succeed in your career. Don't let stress take over your life; step away from work every now and then so you can spend quality time with friends and family.
Mistake #2: Multitasking
Another common workplace stress mistake is doing too many things at once. Trying to juggle six projects at once won't leave you with more time to get your work done.
Instead, you'll spend hours each day on tasks that don't really need to be done at all; this kind of multitasking can cause a lot of misunderstandings and problems for your employer, as well as for co-workers or clients.
If you're stressed about deadlines and not sure where to start, prioritizing your tasks and limiting them to three or four at a time will help you get them done in a timely manner.
Mistake #3: Constant communication
It's tempting to respond to every e-mail, voice mail and text message as soon as it arrives. After all, responding immediately shows your dedication to your company and can help you look like a star employee.
But if you're spending hours each day checking your inbox for newly arrived messages, you're not actually accomplishing much work.
If you have a tendency to check e-mail constantly throughout the day, try setting time limits on when you'll check it and promise yourself that nothing will take precedence over research or writing.
If a message is really important, the sender will likely contact you again later.
Mistake #4: Procrastination
If you're one of those people who procrastinate, your workplace will probably be stressful.
Believe it or not, procrastinating can actually cause stress for both you and your company. The next time you're tempted to put off a task, remind yourself that procrastinating is similar to the way a snowball rolls down hill: the longer it's left alone, the larger and more dangerous it becomes.
Set deadlines for yourself so you can get them out of the way before they turn dangerous.
If you don't know what to prioritise, ask. Get help, ask a colleague. Better yet get a mentor because he or she can guide you around the ins and outs of the workplace - they've navigated it before and they're a whole lot more experienced than you are.
Interview Question Team
Mistake #5: All work and no play
One of the biggest workplace stress mistakes is being too serious about your job.
A few too many long hours at work or a complete lack of time for personal needs like exercise or social time can lead to burnout and stress.
If you don't take some time for yourself, you'll find it difficult to get anything done and you may find that what's left of your free time is spent recovering from illness or injury.
Your employer will also benefit from your having a life outside of work because it means that you'll have more energy, better relationships with co-workers and a more positive outlook on life.