In this day in age with COVID, politics, and other world issues, stress seems to be overly abundant.
But the number one area that causes stress for many people is their career.
How do I define a career?
I define it as the current job you have as well as your career path or where you want to go in the future. The blend of these can make for a thrilling ride, but can also become a stressful burden. Many people are unsatisfied with their current positions and career projections. This feeling of being unsatisfied and uncertain can weigh us down like an anchor.
But how can you tell the difference between normal career stress and too much career stress?
YOU’RE CONSISTENTLY IN FIGHT, FLIGHT, OR FREEZE
The fight, flight, or freeze response is a psychological reaction or stress response that occurs when facing a perceived threat. Your body will undergo immediate changes such as increased heart rate, tensing of muscles, and dilated pupils. You may start to tremble and feel sweaty palms, heart pounding, and bowel issues.
Does this sound like a typical day at work?
If so, this is a sign that your career is causing you too much stress. Experiencing the fight, flight, or freeze response is a natural occurrence, but if you’re consistently experiencing this throughout the day (or evening) at your job, that is a sign of too much stress. You shouldn’t be going through your days at work in a perpetual state of anxiety and worry.
YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME COMPARTMENTALIZING
Compartmentalizing is critical when it comes to dealing with stress and anxiety stemming from your job. Although it’s not always easy and even feasible to compartmentalize every aspect of your career, finding yourself worrying like crazy all the time outside of your job is one tell-tale sign that your career is causing too much stress.
You should be able to come home, unwind, and settle into your personal life without constant worries, stressors, and fears from your day job popping up.
My recommendation is to start a daily journal to see if you repeat the same work-related worries over and over and then evaluate them over weeks and months.
YOUR SLEEP IS AFFECTED
Getting the proper amount of sleep every night is essential in maintaining a healthy mental perspective as well as warding off stress and anxiety.
If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night worrying or overthinking about your job, this is a major HINT – it’s causing you too much stress. Sleepless nights are one of the major signs of an overly stressful career. Few people can manage by getting little sleep every night, and no one can manage it long-term without other health issues arising.
YOU’RE EASILY AGITATED AROUND YOUR LOVED ONES
Family and close friends are vital to our mental health and well-being.
When you’re overly stressed out at work, you may find yourself uncharacteristically lashing out at the ones you love. This lashing out may be in the form of a short temper or feeling constantly on edge or agitated. Be aware of this type of behavior as it is another sign that your job may be causing you too much stress.
YOU’VE LOST A SENSE OF JOY
Joylessness is another sign that you could be experiencing too much stress at work.
Whenever work stress is at a high, it tends to seep into all other areas of our lives. Often this is a subtle process that we hardly notice until it’s too late. We wake up and go to bed in a state of anxiety, and that anxiety over time can drain us of any joy we may try to experience. We become numb and emotionally exhausted. Work stress can have this powerful effect on our lives if we aren’t careful in spotting it right away.
IN REVIEW
Career stress can take on many different forms and comes in all shapes and sizes. If we aren’t careful, it can consume our lives and drain us of joy and passion. It’s important to understand some of the signs that equate to too much career stress. After all, every career comes with its stressors, but when career stress is too much, it can be too heavy a burden to carry for anyone. If you think this sounds like your career, take a look at what isn’t working for you and try figuring out potential solutions.
If you are struggling with career uncertainty contact me at info@upplifter.com and we can set up a career coaching consultation for FREE!
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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