The First Step In Tackling Workplace Stress

Why do you feel stressed at work? Do you know your stressors?
The first step in tackling workplace stress is understanding your stressors.




Sometimes the first step in understanding something involves simply labeling it. This can come from a medical diagnosis, but it can also come from your own insights. One area that can greatly benefit from labeling is your work life, and whether you’re thriving in it or just surviving.

Workplace Stress

To begin with, it is helpful to understand what your potential stressors are, and what is actually causing you to feel stressed. Let’s back up—what are stressors versus stress? It seems like a simple question that is either obvious, or that doesn’t really matter to differentiate. But teasing these things apart will help you have a better understanding of why you are stressed and what you can do to address it.



Stressors are anything in your work environment that could potentially lead to stress.

Understanding 5 stressors at work:

1. The content of your work:

  • Monotonous work
  • Meaningless of tasks
  • Lack of variety
  • Physical labor
  • Emotional labor

Read 3 Ways To Like A Job You Loathe

2. The way your job is designed:

  • The amount of workload (too little, too much)
  • Time pressure
  • Working hours (long, shiftwork, graveyard shifts)
  • Role ambiguity

3. How you interact with others:

  • Role conflicts with others
  • Supervision (micro-managing, inadequate support)
  • Lack of colleague support
  • Bullying/harassment

Read 8 Signs of A Toxic Person At Work




4. Your environment:

  • Loud noises
  • Harsh lighting
  • Noxious smells

5. Spillover into home life:

  • Inadequate pay
  • Working hours/shift work
  • Spillover of home into work (sick kids, aging parents)

These are stressors (and not stress) because they may or may not result in you feeling stressed. You may like having a job where you can “turn off your brain” and do repetitive tasks. You may not be bothered by noise.

Read 22 Tips To Improve Mental Health In The Workspace

This is why one person with a heavy workload is drowning, and the other is energized by it. When these stressors turn into stress, this is where we need to be concerned. That is, these stressors somehow affect your psychological, emotional, or behavioral well-being2 3 4.

Stress Us Who You Think You Should Be.

Recent research5 6 7 discusses how the psychological evaluation of stress can be boiled down to three basic needs: the need to feel competent, the need to act with volition (have a say in the matter), and the need to feel connected with others.

If we think back to the example of the person who is energized by the heavy workload, it’s likely that they see it as challenging, and it allows them to demonstrate their skills. Versus the person who is drowning, who likely feels that they aren’t in control anymore and either don’t have a say in their work or don’t feel competent in what they are producing.

Read How To Effectively Resolve Conflicts In The Workplace




What do you need to do to understand why you may be experiencing stress?

1. First, identify all the high-level tasks or situations at work (see list above).

2. Label whether it causes you stress, you feel neutral about it, or it invigorates you.

3. For the tasks that cause you to stress, reflect to understand why (e.g., lack of control, not feeling like it achieves anything, isolates you).

4. Then, identify how you can either adapt the task or limit how much of the task you do on a given day.

workplace

Source: Lauren Florko

This first step in labeling your stress and figuring out the root causes will help you determine whether you know an upcoming workday will be stressful and plan around it. It will also help you take control (of what is within your control) to help reduce stress.


References
(1) World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/
(2) Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1990). Coping and emotion. In N. L. Stein, B. Leventhal & T. Trabasso (Eds.), Psychological and Biological Approaches to Emotion (pp. 313-332). Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
(3) Ganster, D. C. (2008). Measurement challenges for studying work-related stressors and strains. Human Resource Management Review, 18, 259-270. doi: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2008.07.01
(4) Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York, NY US: McGraw-Hill
(5) Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331-362. doi:10.1002/job.322
(6) Van den Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., De Witte, H., & Lens, W. (2008). Explaining the relationships between job characteristics, burnout, and engagement: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Work & Stress, 22(4), 691-706. doi: 10.1177/0143831X11428228
(7) Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). Overview of self-determination theory: An organismic-dialectical perspective. In E. L. Deci, R. M. Ryan, E. L. Deci, R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 3-33). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

Written by: Lauren Florko
Originally appeared on: Psychology Today
Republished with permission
The First Step in tackling Workplace Stress PIN


Published On:

Last updated on:

Lauren Florko Ph.D.

Lauren Florko has a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology focusing on workplace stress. She also owns her own company Triple Threat Consulting based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. She specializes in talent management and for over a decade has worked for public, private, for-profit, and not-for-profit organizations, both at a local and global level. Her goal is to help create a world where employees, organizations, and communities thrive.

Disclaimer: The informational content on The Minds Journal have been created and reviewed by qualified mental health professionals. They are intended solely for educational and self-awareness purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing emotional distress or have concerns about your mental health, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional or healthcare provider.

Leave a Comment

Today's Horoscope

Daily Horoscope 12 July 2025: Prediction For Each Zodiac Sign

🌟 Ready to unlock the secrets of 12 July, 2025? Discover your personalized horoscope and see what the stars have in store for you today! ✨🔮

Latest Quizzes

Which DC Superhero Are You (And No You Can't Just Pick Batman)

Which DC Superhero Are You? Take This Quiz To Find Out!

You don't superspeed or heat vision, just be your honest self and let your instincts do the talking.

Latest Quotes

Who Feels More Pain — The One Who Leaves Or The One Left Behind? - Breakup Quotes

Who Feels More Pain — The One Who Leaves Or The One Left Behind? – Breakup Quotes

It’s one of those age-old questions in relationships that everyone asks.

Readers Blog

Caption This Image and Selected Wisepicks – 13 July 2025

Ready to unleash your inner wordsmith? ✨??☺️ Now’s your chance to show off your wit, charm, or sheer genius in just one line! Whether it’s laugh-out-loud funny or surprisingly deep, we want to hear it. Submit your funniest, wittiest, or most thought-provoking caption in the comments. We’ll pick 15+ winners to be featured on our…

Latest Articles

Why do you feel stressed at work? Do you know your stressors?
The first step in tackling workplace stress is understanding your stressors.




Sometimes the first step in understanding something involves simply labeling it. This can come from a medical diagnosis, but it can also come from your own insights. One area that can greatly benefit from labeling is your work life, and whether you’re thriving in it or just surviving.

Workplace Stress

To begin with, it is helpful to understand what your potential stressors are, and what is actually causing you to feel stressed. Let’s back up—what are stressors versus stress? It seems like a simple question that is either obvious, or that doesn’t really matter to differentiate. But teasing these things apart will help you have a better understanding of why you are stressed and what you can do to address it.



Stressors are anything in your work environment that could potentially lead to stress.

Understanding 5 stressors at work:

1. The content of your work:

  • Monotonous work
  • Meaningless of tasks
  • Lack of variety
  • Physical labor
  • Emotional labor

Read 3 Ways To Like A Job You Loathe

2. The way your job is designed:

  • The amount of workload (too little, too much)
  • Time pressure
  • Working hours (long, shiftwork, graveyard shifts)
  • Role ambiguity

3. How you interact with others:

  • Role conflicts with others
  • Supervision (micro-managing, inadequate support)
  • Lack of colleague support
  • Bullying/harassment

Read 8 Signs of A Toxic Person At Work




4. Your environment:

  • Loud noises
  • Harsh lighting
  • Noxious smells

5. Spillover into home life:

  • Inadequate pay
  • Working hours/shift work
  • Spillover of home into work (sick kids, aging parents)

These are stressors (and not stress) because they may or may not result in you feeling stressed. You may like having a job where you can “turn off your brain” and do repetitive tasks. You may not be bothered by noise.

Read 22 Tips To Improve Mental Health In The Workspace

This is why one person with a heavy workload is drowning, and the other is energized by it. When these stressors turn into stress, this is where we need to be concerned. That is, these stressors somehow affect your psychological, emotional, or behavioral well-being2 3 4.

Stress Us Who You Think You Should Be.

Recent research5 6 7 discusses how the psychological evaluation of stress can be boiled down to three basic needs: the need to feel competent, the need to act with volition (have a say in the matter), and the need to feel connected with others.

If we think back to the example of the person who is energized by the heavy workload, it’s likely that they see it as challenging, and it allows them to demonstrate their skills. Versus the person who is drowning, who likely feels that they aren’t in control anymore and either don’t have a say in their work or don’t feel competent in what they are producing.

Read How To Effectively Resolve Conflicts In The Workplace




What do you need to do to understand why you may be experiencing stress?

1. First, identify all the high-level tasks or situations at work (see list above).

2. Label whether it causes you stress, you feel neutral about it, or it invigorates you.

3. For the tasks that cause you to stress, reflect to understand why (e.g., lack of control, not feeling like it achieves anything, isolates you).

4. Then, identify how you can either adapt the task or limit how much of the task you do on a given day.

workplace

Source: Lauren Florko

This first step in labeling your stress and figuring out the root causes will help you determine whether you know an upcoming workday will be stressful and plan around it. It will also help you take control (of what is within your control) to help reduce stress.


References
(1) World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/
(2) Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1990). Coping and emotion. In N. L. Stein, B. Leventhal & T. Trabasso (Eds.), Psychological and Biological Approaches to Emotion (pp. 313-332). Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
(3) Ganster, D. C. (2008). Measurement challenges for studying work-related stressors and strains. Human Resource Management Review, 18, 259-270. doi: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2008.07.01
(4) Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York, NY US: McGraw-Hill
(5) Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331-362. doi:10.1002/job.322
(6) Van den Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., De Witte, H., & Lens, W. (2008). Explaining the relationships between job characteristics, burnout, and engagement: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Work & Stress, 22(4), 691-706. doi: 10.1177/0143831X11428228
(7) Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). Overview of self-determination theory: An organismic-dialectical perspective. In E. L. Deci, R. M. Ryan, E. L. Deci, R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 3-33). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

Written by: Lauren Florko
Originally appeared on: Psychology Today
Republished with permission
The First Step in tackling Workplace Stress PIN


Published On:

Last updated on:

Lauren Florko Ph.D.

Lauren Florko has a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology focusing on workplace stress. She also owns her own company Triple Threat Consulting based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. She specializes in talent management and for over a decade has worked for public, private, for-profit, and not-for-profit organizations, both at a local and global level. Her goal is to help create a world where employees, organizations, and communities thrive.

Leave a Comment

    Leave a Comment