A HEALTHY adult has a need to work. This is part of human development.
Everybody works, whether you are a housewife, self-employed or an employee. Working adults spend an average of ten hours at the workplace.
Thus, the workplace has a significant impact on an individual''s mental health and well-being. A safe and healthy workplace ensures work efficiency and makes working pleasurable and satisfying. Poor working conditions on the other hand, will create a stressful work atmosphere.
A little stress at work is good as it enhances productive performance. However, when the stress becomes excessive and unmanageable it can seriously affect one''s health. Personal difficulties, family problems and stressful life events can make it worse.
Causes of stress in a workplace:
Job related - Working conditions, the use of new equipment, prolonged work pressure, new work techniques and styles - can result in stress.
Career development - Frustrations resulting from the lack of incentives or appreciation in the career; lay-offs and retrenchment could also result to stress.
Role related - Frequent changes in roles at the work place; dangerous tasks or working conditions.
Relationship - Conflict with colleagues, superiors, subordinates or people encountered at work
Organisational change - Change in organisational structure, new management, frequent take-overs, uncertainties
Symptoms that indicate you are under stress:
Anxiety
Loss of appetite
Aggressiveness
Alcohol abuse
Depression
Sleep disturbances
Excessive worries
Fatigue
Easily irritated
Lack of concentration and motivation
Restlessness
Managing Stress-7 Steps:
1. Be realistic about your work
- Accept your strengths and limitations
- Develop a positive attitude towards your work
- Enjoy what you do and do it as best as you can
2. Organise your work
- Manage your time well; prioritise your work and avoid a last minute rush
- Know how to delegate your work; avoid bringing uncompleted work home
3. Sharpen your problem-solving skills
- Address and list down problems rationally; plan possible solutions systematically
- Evaluate the feasibility of each solution
- Take appropriate action
4. Have a proper attitude towards changes
- Be open, flexible and realistic about unavoidable changes
- Plan your changes well
5. Practice effective communication at the workplace
- Be assertive, but not aggressive
- Express your ideas in a polite, firm and clear manner
- Respect your colleagues'' opinions
6. Foster social support within the workplace
- Establish friendships with colleagues
- List down all the people and organisations that may be able to help you and your colleagues
- Share your problems with someone whom you can confide in
- Take time to listen
- Do not judge your colleagues
7. Practice a healthy lifestyle
- Learn to relax
- Have enough sleep
- Exercise regularly
- Have enjoyable activities/hobbies
- Refrain from tobacco, alcohol or drugs
- Practise good moral and religious values
While our developing nation's work culture has yet to reach such a boiling point, our concern is whether we are heading in that direction today.
According to global workplace provider Regus's latest online survey, 70 percent of Malaysian workers are reporting more stress-related illnesses due to challenging global economic conditions.
The report which covered the opinions of 20,000 senior executives and business owners across 95 countries revealed that 48 percent of the Malaysian respondents feel their stress levels have risen and over 42 percent are sleeping less due to work worries; 33 percent of respondents worry about losing their jobs, 32 percent lack confidence about the sector they are working in; 53 percent of respondents report that their family and friends have noticed they are stressed by work, with another 47 percent saying that stress is damaging their personal relationships.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an important aspect of work-life balance is the actual amount of time a person spends at work. Looking at data from the OECD and the International Labour Organization (ILO) we can see some broad and interesting trends.
"Asian countries tend to work the longest [hours]; they also have the highest proportion of workers who are working excessively long hours of more than 48 hours a week," says Jon Messenger, an ILO expert on working hours as reported by the BBC.
"Korea sticks out because it''s a developed country that''s working long hours," he says. "Normally it''s developing countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka - countries like this that are working long hours."
As expected, Malaysia''s statistics follow the pattern of the rest of the Asian nations. According to an Expedia''s 2012 Vacation Deprivation Survey, Malaysia ranks 4th place after India, Brazil and Italy, in terms of employee dedication as many just can''t seem to "let go" of their work during vacations.
Conducted based on 8,000 employed adults from 22 countries throughout the globe, the survey also revealed that Malaysians spent about 40 hours a week at work and went on an average of 14 days of annual leave, among the lowest in the world.
While Malaysians might not be at risk of dying of overwork, it is undeniable that the steep rise in non-communicable diseases attributable to workplace stress can jeopardize the nation''s push towards developed nation status, especially if it affects productivity.
Stress is a taboo. Don''t let stress kill us. It''s worthless to die for organisations. Work in an area where there is happiness. Do not succumb to unwanted pressures by looking at the dollars and spending it on treatment for your prolonged medical condition and treatment due to stress. Work life balance is not a statement or a figment of an idea, but it is the goal to be healthy, calm and peaceful to lead a good life. Wealth minus health is a waste, wealth with health is a gain!
(This commentary is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect BERNAMA''s stand or views on the matter). - BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri May 12 2017
A healthy adult has a need to work. This is part of human development. - Pic solely used for illustration purpose
PM Anwar tiba di Riyadh untuk hadiri Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia
Perdana Menteri Anwar tiba di Riyadh dalam rangka lawatan tiga hari bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia (WEF).
Jemputan peribadi ke Mesyuarat Khas WEF bukti keakraban Putera Mahkota Mohammed, PM
Ini merupakan lawatan keempat Anwar ke Arab Saudi sejak dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri.
Kerajaan Pusat peruntuk RM1.59 bilion untuk pembangunan fizikal di Terengganu
Peruntukan tersebut melibatkan 99 projek baharu dan 296 projek sambungan di bawah Rolling Plan 4 (RP4) Rancangan Malaysia ke-12 (RMK12).
Pahang rancang wujudkan zon perindustrian di setiap daerah
Kerajaan Pahang rancang wujudkan zon perindustrian di kesemua 11 daerah di negeri ini bagi menggalakkan kemasukan lebih banyak pelaburan asing khususnya dari China.
Kertas kabinet wujud sektor sukan dibentang dalam tempoh sebulan - Hannah
Hannah berkata dengan data yang lebih menyeluruh melibatkan sektor industri sukan nanti, pihaknya akan mampu merangsang pertumbuhan sukan di negara ini dengan lebih baik.
Tiga Syarikat Semikonduktor umum melabur di Pulau Pinang - Kon Yeow
Tiga syarikat semikonduktor dari China menyatakan komitmen untuk membuat pelaburan baharu di Pulau Pinang.
Pindaan garis panduan lawatan: Sekolah diharap susun semula program - Fadhlina
Semua sekolah diharap dapat menyusun semula program lawatan masing-masing berikutan pindaan Garis Panduan Lawatan Murid Sekolah pada tahun lepas bagi mengukuhkan pembelajaran di luar kelas, kata Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek.
Kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak dijaga sehingga tamat sekolah - KPM
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia akan memastikan kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak 10 pegawai dan anggota Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia yang terkorban dalam nahas helikopter di Lumut, Perak, terus dijaga sehingga mereka tamat persekolahan.
Chegubard ditahan polis berkaitan hantaran mengenai kasino di Forest City
Chegubard ditahan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Dang Wangi di sini berkaitan hantaran mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City pada Sabtu.
Zahid minta pihak dalam BN buka "buku baharu"
Ahmad Zahid menegaskan senario politik tanah air sudah berubah dan terdapat banyak video lama dari parti lawan yang meminta pengundi menyokong DAP.
Maliah Surip kongsi pengalaman hidap gangguan mental
Senandika: Bercakap Seorang Diri diharapkan akan memberi kesedaran kepada masyarakat untuk sentiasa peka terhadap kesihatan mental.
Orang rumah aku ada anxiety, keluarga aku jangan usik... - Shuib Sepahtu bengang Siti Sarah diejek
Yang mengejek pun sudah-sudahlah!
Serangan anxiety kali ke-3, Linda Rafar mohon doakan kakaknya
Menurut Linda, serangan kali ketiga itu berlaku dalam masa seminggu dan lebih teruk berbanding yang pertama dan kedua.
Bersukan untuk elak tekanan, kemurungan - Syed Saddiq
Tekanan yang tidak dikawal dan diuruskan dengan baik boleh menjejaskan kesihatan secara keseluruhan, terutamanya bagi mereka yang bekerja.
'Rasa macam nak mati, tak boleh bernafas' - Maya Karin dedah pengalaman serangan anxiety
Siapa pernah alami situasi sama macam Maya?
"Saya hanya duduk, tak boleh tidur rasa macam anxiety" - Elizad
Pelakon Syurga Yang Kedua, Elizad akui berasa gelisah dan sukar untuk tidur sekiranya tidak membuat rujukan terhadap watak yang diterima untuk sesebuah naskah yang ditawarkan.