Great philosophers throughout the ages seem to agree on the idea that the two most important things in life are work and love. Unfortunately, both of them seem to create trouble for us.
Take work, for instance. It should be a simple process of selling your labor and getting money in exchange but, unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. All sorts of problems can creep in, most of them in the mind.
Work is a source of purpose and fulfillment for many people. It’s what offers them meaning. Unfortunately, it is also a source of extreme stress and worry, and the cause of mental health issues.
How Work Affects Mental Health
There are all kinds of channels through which work can affect mental health. However, most people experience at least one of them (if not all of them), at some point during their working lives.
These might include:
- Fears about substandard job performance
- Bullying or overly critical management practices
- Stress relating to deadlines
- The prospect of job loss and redundancy
- Lack of reasonable pay for work done
- Poor communication between team leaders and people on the front lines
- Hazards in the workplace that negatively affect health
Chronic stress – stress that lasts for more than a couple of weeks – can seriously harm your body long-term. People undergoing extreme bouts of tension have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
Factors That Affect Mental Health At Work
There are multiple factors that can affect mental health at work. However, most of them relate to either excessive workload, too little pay, or stigma about mental struggles.
Having too much work to do is the primary cause of burnout. Employees feel overwhelmed with the sheer range of tasks that they need to complete in a short space of time. What’s more, burnt-out employees can’t work at their normal efficiency. Their brains simply don’t work as well as when they are fresh and happy.
Low pay is another major issue. People often feel trapped in a cycle of work and expenditure. They feel like there is no escape from the rat race because they’re not making enough money to set aside.
Lastly, there is the general stigma associated with talking about mental health issues. You might have job-related anxiety but may not feel comfortable coming forward and discussing the issues you face with a manager or coworker.
What Are The Most Common Job-Related Mental Health Disorders?
Your job may affect your mental health in a variety of ways. Generally, people experience either anxiety or depression and usually a combination of both.
Work-related anxiety disorders are incredibly common, affecting around one in five adults at some point in their careers. Anxiety, according to For All Seasons, affects people in different ways. For some, it is difficult to concentrate, while others experience restlessness – the need to be constantly active. You may also experience high levels of fatigue or excess worry, both during and outside of working hours.
Work-related anxiety usually arises from three sources: bad relationships with other colleagues, excessive demands for work, and poor performance. Employees often worry that they are not doing a good enough job and, therefore, feel like they have to work longer and harder. What’s more, because of their anxiety, they may find it much more difficult to do their best work, further increasing their stress levels.
In some extreme cases, anxiety can quell career development. People who feel tense all the time can’t get into a state of flow.
The other major work-related mental health issue is depression. This tends to occur in toxic working environments or when there is a lack of work-life balance. It is particularly rampant in companies that encourage people to stay in the office “until they get the job done.” This strips people of other important aspects of their lives, such as spending time exercising and being with family.
You may experience depression if you feel like you are trapped in your job and can’t escape. It may also happen during periods of overwork, usually in the run-up to a deadline.
How To Prevent Mental Health Problems In The Workplace
Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to prevent mental health issues from hijacking your career.
Know That You Have Options. No matter how bad your job might seem, remind yourself that you always have options. You’re free to move to another company or work in a different sector entirely. You don’t have to stay where you are right now if you’re not enjoying it.
Knowing you have options can be relaxing, but it does take a bit of faith. You have to trust that there is always more work out there and that you can jump away from your present firm whenever you want.
Remind Yourself How Unimportant It Is. If you make your work the biggest thing in your life, it’ll loom large in your mind. You’ll endlessly worry about making money, progressing up the corporate ladder, and getting to the promised land.
If you notice that you’re having these thoughts, intervene. Remind yourself that your work isn’t actually all that important. Allow yourself to underperform, if necessary. Make sure that you keep the sanctity of your mind intact. Don’t allow anything to disturb your peace, no matter how important it might seem.
Enroll in Employee Assistance Programs. If you’re struggling to thrive at your current employer, enroll in an employee assistance program. Firms operate these to ensure that their people can remain mentally healthy on the job.
If your company doesn’t offer one in-house, they may have relationships with counseling services outside of the firm. Find out what options are available to employees and how to take part.
Take Time Out. Lastly, if you are finding things overwhelming at work, consider taking time out. Take a break from it for a while and then see how you feel.
Often, when you have time to reflect, you notice that the problems you face aren’t that big after all. What’s more, it gives you space to pursue something entirely new.
