Are you losing your sense of humour at work? It could be stress

Workplace stress has been linked to illness, long-term sickness, even death

Workplace stress has been linked to illness, long-term sickness and can even lead to years being taken of people’s lives, so much so that experts have dubbed it the “21st century equivalent of the Black Death”.

Strong words, but the economic downturn together with the pressure to do more work for less money to tighter deadlines means that people are now suffering more and more in the workplace and this can manifest itself in changes in behaviour. If the amount of stress you’re under suddenly exceeds your ability to cope with it, you can lose your sense of humour, become irritable and lose your temper far more quickly than normal.

There are even more health-related problems that can come from stress such as over/under eating as well as drinking and smoking to excess, both of which can lead to their own health problems.

Many of us actually thrive under a little bit of stress but if it goes on for a long time it can lead to heart disease or stomach problems.

Learn to notice the symptoms

It’s important to know when you’re stressed, especially if you’re so used to it that it’s become a normal part of day to day life. Here are a few warning signs:

• Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed If you find yourself worrying on a Sunday night before going to bed or waking up in a cold sweat on a Monday morning then it’s a sure sign you’re suffering anxiety about work. This can also lead you to be irritable with people in the house or your work colleagues.
• Apathy, losing interest in work OK, we know, it’s sometimes hard to get excited about work but if you’re actually losing interest to the point you’re losing productivity then it’s time to do something about it.

• Stomach problems The excess acid created by stress and worry can eventually lead to stomach issues and pain. Get yourself to the doctor straight away so the symptoms can be sorted out before they become major issues. Then, sort out the cause of stress.

• Sleeping problems So many people suffer problems sleeping through stress, usually due to over-active minds going into overdrive worrying about problems in the office. If you need help to get to sleep then it’s a sure sign something needs to be done to reduce your overall stress levels.

Stress is becoming a major issue in the workplace and it’s up to us to do something about it because it negatively affects productivity and without good productivity, none of us is working to our full potential.

This article originally appeared in: http://www.theofficesuppliessupermarket.com/articles/are-you-losing-your-sense-of-humour-at-work-stress