Workplace stress is what happens when someone has little control and feels high demands. The stress may be positive and challenge a worker or, if it reaches harmful levels of disparity between employee control and employer demands, it can be harmful.

Below is a quiz from the Canadian Mental Health Association that can help you identify the extent of your stress. Simply, count how many ‘Yes’ responses you have:

DO YOU FREQUENTLY:

Neglect your diet?

Try to do everything yourself?

Blow up easily?

Seek unrealistic goals?

Fail to see the humour in situations others find funny?

Act rude?

Make a ‘big deal’ of everything?

Look to other people to make things happen?

Have difficulty making decisions?

Complain you are disorganized?

Avoid people whose ideas are different from your own?

Keep everything inside?

Neglect exercise?

Have few supportive relationships?

Use sleeping pills and tranquilizers without a doctor’s approval?

Get too little rest?

Get angry when you are kept waiting?

Ignore stress symptoms?

Put things off until later?

Think there is only one right way to do something?

Fail to build relaxation time into your day?

Gossip?

Race through the day?

Spend a lot of time complaining about the past?

Fail to get a break from noise and crowds?

0-5 YESs: There are few hassles in your life. Make sure though, that you are not trying to deliberately avoid problems.

6-10 YESs: You’ve got your life in fairly good control. Work on the choices and habits that could still be causing you some unnecessary stress in your life.

11-15 YESs: You are approaching the danger zone. You may be suffering stress-related symptoms and your relationships could be strained. Think carefully about choices you’ve made and take relaxation breaks every day.

16-25 YESs: Emergency! It is critical that you stop and re-think how you are living; change your attitudes and pay careful attention to diet, exercise and relaxation.

The more yes response you have the higher level of stress you may be experiencing. If you are struggling with Workplace Stress please feel free to reach out to me to book an appointment.