How to avoid job related stress that could kill you!

Stressed Worker     photo from FORBES

The job of sedentary workers who have to sit in a position for hours while working through tons of administrative papers, processing materials on a computer, counting and recording other peoples' money, reading files and preparing court cases for a myriad of clients and receiving and making phone calls hardly sound like the most dangerous jobs in the world today! How could sitting in an air conditioned office from nine to five working your heart out be dangerous? Risk related jobs are more like those of pilots who fly more than they walk, engineers on an off shore oil rig, detectives that search out dangerous criminals, navy deep water divers or outer space astronauts who boldly go where no man has gone before. The jobs we normally associate with danger are those who are at risk of dangerous machinery, the elements or people who want to kill them for obvious reasons. But hours put into work at offices that put a strain on the people concerned are fast becoming a killing factor. Pressure is often mounted on for such executives to do more so as to earn more for the company and get sundry promotions which often see them ascend the corporate ladder and gather laurels in record time.
Warning signs are not difficult to note for those who suffer from stress. Frequent headaches stemmed from worry, back aches caused by sitting in certain positions for too long, a wondering mind and poor focus on the work at hand. Corporate environments around the world often exhibit the same conditions of work and the same symptoms of suffering of those who are subject to it. There are have been incidents of high blood pressure, low blood pressure, thirsts for sugar foods and sugar drinks to make up for low blood sugar levels, a high consumption of fast food because of the inability to leave the job and go for breaks. Fat develops in the most unwanted places in the human anatomy and the body becomes misshapen and distorted.
The pressure has also resulted in depression, suicide and various forms of psychiatric and psychological ailments. Work place counselors are making a variety of suggestions with the help of human resource officers that would enable officers to have time out from work, pursue hobbies, eat healthy, exercise and generally relax! Executives have been advised to go on leave for at least two weeks in a year engage in long walks, cycling, swimming and mediation as relief. Music theraphy has also been introduced in some environments. With classical music topping the list of helping to set the mind at ease! Strangely, the work environments in major cities around the world have been known to be the cause of many of the troubles that a lot executives face. New York, Tokyo, Brisbane and Lagos have a lot in common. Before now, cases of deep depression used be limited to first world countries where suicides were prominent, but these days the third world is witnessing a trend of depression that is leading to suicides in a shocking upward spiral.
As a result of this, those of us who are in management training have rolled out a myriad of stress relief programmes that would hopefully arrest the situation and ensure that our work forces that are in the corporate environment can survive this terrible trend. The main advice is that those who find themselves in the work conditions that can lead to negative stress should make sure that they balance their work with a life of fun and enjoyment as well as healthy habits. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!