The Importance of Maintaining Mental Health When Work Stress Hits

The workplace is an environment that can impact mental health in many ways. For many people, work is an important part of their lives, but the pressure and stress of work can take a toll on mental health. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs of stress and know how to manage work stress to maintain mental health.
Work stress is a physical and emotional reaction that occurs when job demands exceed one's capabilities. This condition can be caused by many factors, including time pressure, excessive responsibility, interpersonal conflict, or job uncertainty. In fact, prolonged and untreated work stress can have a detrimental effect on mental health.

The effect of work stress on health

Work stress without realizing it can become a burden on a person's mind so that it has a bad impact on health. Symptoms of excessive stress that need to be watched out for include heart rhythm disturbances, nausea, vomiting, trembling, sweating, dry mouth, chest pain, headaches, abdominal pain, and muscle pain. . These physical symptoms are caused by increased nerve impulse activity from the brain to other parts of the body, as well as the release of the hormone adrenaline into the blood in response to stress.

If left unchecked, work stress can lead to physical health problems (such as thinning hair, ulcers, acne, asthma, diabetes, stomach pain and cardiovascular disease), mental health problems (such as sleep disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders and depression) and an increased risk of workplace accidents.

Adverse health effects of work stress

As long as the workload is sufficient, most people can handle work pressure well. For example, using workload as motivation to learn and work more effectively. However, if the workload is too much, it will lead to work stress which can have a negative impact on workers' lives, including their health and relationships with their families.

Workers with excessive workloads tend to have higher blood pressure than workers with normal workloads (up to 8 hours/day). If this condition persists, high blood pressure can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attack, diabetes, and stroke).

Steps in controlling work stress

- Adjust the physical and mental workload to the capabilities of each individual.

- Adjusting work schedules according to the needs of duties and responsibilities outside of work

- Create opportunities for career development or advancement opportunities based on specific skills and competencies

- Seek a healthy social environment in the workplace

- Conduct a stress risk assessment

- Create a comfortable work environment

- Reflect and relax