10 signs that you are having too much work stress

Work stress is common but if it’s too stressful, it can be dangerous. The symptoms are usually subtle but here are the 10 common signs – common because I had encountered them in some point of my working life.

1. Sleepless nights – adrenalin running high and your mind refuses to sleep.

2. Headaches – you have been taking on average 2 to 3 headache pills on every other day. Sometimes the pain is so great that you have to take migraine pills or some other stronger pain killers.

3. Coffee or cigarette – are you drinking or smoking more than you should?

4. Alcohol – thought it would give you some “high” and provide a temporary relief from your problem.

5. Forgetful – forgetting where you put your car keys, forgetting your neighbor’s name, and phrases or words escaped you even in simple conversations.

6. Critical and negative – you criticize every little thing that bothered you. People around you find you unfriendly and difficult, and sometimes irrational.

7. Low self esteem – you felt depressed. It seems your boss and colleagues are plotting something behind you. You are imagining all sorts of things including, “Are they finding me incompetent? Are they trying to get rid of me?”

8. Backache and neck pain – due to too much of sitting or leaning in a certain position.

9. No time for TV – and its not because you were having some social functions but all the TV time is now replaced with work brought back from office.

10. If you are married, it affects your…..well, you guess it right!

I’ll blog about my tips on avoiding too much stress some other time.