“While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things is extraordinary” - Matt Bevin
Work plays such a big part of what we do each week. If you’re stressed at work, it will flow into your personal life. How much of workplace stress is due to how you work?
Stress is widespread in Australian businesses as 73% of workers are stressed about work. What’s more, 48% of workers are stressed due to unrealistic workload expectations. Stressed workers are 2.5 times more likely to look for a new job than workers who are not stressed (Source: Workplace Wellbeing report by global HR think-tank Reventure).
With 43.7 days per employee lost each year in Australia due to presenteeism and absenteeism, the negative impact on productivity is significant (Source: 2017 Australia’s Healthiest Workplace survey by AIA Australia).
Stress diminishes job performance by:
- An inability to concentrate
- Indecision
- Starting many tasks but completing few
- Memory problems (forgetfulness)
- Poor judgement
- ‘Brain Fog’
Chronic stress is also unhealthy because:
- It ruins your sleep
- You’re more likely to eat unhealthy food when you're sleep deprived
- Stress increases the chances of getting sick
The knock on the effect on families and personal relationships is even more debilitating.
I’m sympathetic to workers who are stressed due to constant high workloads. Hey, I’ve been there myself. However, what’s perceived as too much work isn’t always necessarily the case. Just because someone is busy doesn’t mean they’re productive. In fact, it’s possible they’re not productive because they don’t have the time to reassess and realign. How we work impacts how effectively we work.
Two questions to ask to determine if workload expectations are unrealistic:
- Are you maximising productivity?
- What tasks can you eliminate, automate or delegate?
Stress and the feeling of workload overwhelm reduce when workers discover how to be more productive and effective. The ripple effect to every facet of life is profound because there’s more time and clarity to refocus on what’s important.
Is it time to review and improve how you work?