Feeling overwhelmed at work? Here are a few ways to combat job-related anxieties
Half of Australians (49%) are reeling from the stress and strain of modern work, a new study from LinkedIn Learning revealed.
The top reason workers in the country are becoming overwhelmed is their apparent lack of work-life balance and the sheer amount of work they need to get through day to day. People are reportedly most concerned about:
- Work-life balance/workload (72%)
- Sense of purpose/direction (66%)
- Colleagues/work politics (64%)
- Access to tools to do the job (63%)
- Confidence in their job future (62%)
But those aren’t the only reasons Australians are feeling low about their career these days. For three in five workers (57%), their boss or management is a stressor while more than half (54%) claim looking for growth and learning opportunities is getting them down.
Among the different age groups, Generation X reportedly has the highest incidence of stressed workers at 54%. Their primary concern: confidence in their professional future.
How to fight workplace stress
There are ways to keep workplace stress at bay, according to experts from LinkedIn Learning:
Start saying ‘No’ more: Work toward realistic goals then give your 100% best. With your load pared down to the most important tasks, you’ll be able to focus better and feel less stressed.
You can’t control the future – but you can control yourself: We are all facing an uncertain future in the Age of AI. But the best way to thrive in this new era is to invest in one’s self. Acquire new digital competencies, such as the basics of AI, and be sure to master soft skills that will set you apart.
Know that nobody has it all figured out – the key is to continue to reflect: Searching for one’s purpose at work – and not getting any immediate answers – can leave one feeling inadequate and unfulfilled. This is especially true among younger workers.
LinkedIn Learning Instructors Elizabeth Lotardo and Lisa Earle McLeod recommend constant reflection: asking yourself what you like and don’t like about your job and focusing on what truly matters to you.
Politics at work is a reality, but it’s not as bad as it sounds: Every organisation has its dynamics. Politics at work involves workers building strategic relationships with peers and managers so that everybody can grow personally and professionally.
For LinkedIn Learning Instructor Dorie Clark, the best work politicians – far from being deceitful, Machiavellian power players – are actually genuine in their connections at work. These people “make smart and strategic moves in order to gain influence authentically”.
