Workplace stress occurs at all levels of the organisation.
If you’re the CEO or CFO, you’re under immense pressure to perform. Middle management may be squeezed between demanding bosses and the needs of the team. Frontline employees may feel powerless.
Stress may come from relationships with others in the organisation – bosses, peers or team members. Or you may experience a different kind of workplace stress, when corporate values or the specific tasks assigned to you conflict with your personal values and beliefs.
There are many potential triggers to stress. You may be bullied. Perhaps you fear redundancy – or perhaps others have been made redundant, so your workload has increased.
Whatever the causes of your workplace stress, you probably find yourself:
None of this helps you perform well at work, which tends to increase stress. In time, your life outside work is also affected, which usually means you have even fewer resources to cope with stress.
It makes sense to tackle workplace stress now, before things get worse.
“I'm a late-forties male, married with two kids and working in a professional role. I guess I'm viewed by many as successful and not the type to need a psychologist. However I felt I needed to talk to someone and was referred to Lisa by my GP. I can't speak to Lisa's methodologies or the technical side of her approach, but what I can say is that she has helped me a great deal. With Lisa's help I have been able to gain a whole new perspective on my life and personal relationships. After our initial sessions I still see Lisa on a less frequent but regular basis. I'm a better person as a result.”
A common challenge with workplace stress is that you have limited control over your circumstances. And unless you can find another role, there’s no option to walk away.
Therapy helps you see thing through a different lens; clarify your objectives; regain composure and problem-solve from a place of calm. You may gain insight into your colleagues and their vulnerabilities, and you learn new ways to communicate.
Techniques I commonly use include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to break down negative thought pattens, and Mindfulness methods to assist in finding peace and calm.
In some cases, viewing your situation and your colleagues from a fresh perspective may be all you need to reduce stress to manageable levels. In other situations, you may need to shift your communication style. While the symptoms of workplace stress are consistent, everyone’s scenario is unique.