The Tribune

By Dr Monique Thompson

Occupational stress is stress on your job. This can take the form of excessive workloads, violence (harassment, intimidation, physical violence or threats etc), unco-operative colleagues, poor leadership or disorganisation at the management level, or simply not having adequate personal or down time.

In the United States, occupational stress is among the leading causes of stress, which significantly contributes to decreased health, negatively affecting creativity and productivity. It is estimated to cost US businesses some $300 billion per year, putting a $1.9 billion strain on US healthcare costs. Statistics in the United Kingdom reveal a similar trend with employers losing £3.7 billion (around $5.5 billion) per year, with one in five persons negatively affected by stress, and a whopping 11.3 million working days lost due to work-related stress.

I do not have the numbers for The Bahamas, but I do not doubt that work-related stress is an issue worth touching on. Just driving to work in the morning in 8.30 traffic is enough to set some people off before they put a foot on their job. And seeing that we are not immune to personal stressors at work, for some, this is the stressed-out tone on which they start their work day.

There was at one point a video circulating that highlighted employees “snapping” on the job. I must admit that I did see the humour in some of those cases ... most of the cases actually. However, being who I am, I automatically thought “prevention.” Did persons not feel themselves getting to their breaking point? I believe many of us know when we are about to pop-a-top, but for some, there are effective coping mechanisms that kick in.

Physical signs you may have but not know they are manifestations of stress include difficulty falling and staying asleep, unexplained irritability, “snapping”, weight gain due to overeating or weight loss due to loss of appetite, headaches, chest pain, heartburn, diarrhea and tension in the neck, back, and shoulders. Long term signs include difficulty concentrating, increased forgetfulness and heart disease including increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

Now that we see what being stressed out can look like here are a few ways to prevent and overcome those very trying moments at work.

1 Use your personal time as your very own personal time. Do not take your break at your desk; change the scenery.

2 Get moving. Every hour or so take a minute or two to stretch your neck, shoulders, back and legs and take deep slow breaths.

3 Eat healthy snacks. By overloading our mornings with carbohydrates and sugar causes a rapid spike then withdrawal of sugar in the blood. This causes a sugar “high” followed by a “crash.” which leads to crankiness and irritability.

4 This is going to sound so mundane, but arrive at work early. After getting through the hustle and bustle of preparing uniforms and breakfast, dropping kids to school, and battling Nassau traffic, arriving at work early gives you time to settle down, gather your thoughts and organise yourself. Organisation is another key component in stress management at work. Prepare daily task lists, priorities, and goals.

5 The importance of good communication. Good communication with managers, team workers and customers goes a long way in preventing tense situations.

• Dr Monique Thompson is the founder of Cornerstone Healing Institute, an integrative family medicine clinic that focuses on educating patients on healthier lifestyles, preventing and treating chronic disease. Contact 356-0083 or visit www.chibahamas.com for more information.