Stress at Work is as Bad as Secondhand Smoke

According to a new study, workplace stress isn't just annoying -- it's as bad for your health as secondhand smoke.


Surprising? When you think about how much time individuals typically spend at work, it's not that surprising.

The report compiled evidence from 228 other studies, and found that high job demands increased the odds of having an illness diagnosed by a doctor by 35%. Long work hours increased the chances of early death by almost 20%.

By far the biggest stressor was the worry that you might soon lose your job; that increased the odds of having poor health by about 50%.

It might seem like demanding faster work or longer hours would increase productivity, but that might not be the case. This study is aimed to help companies think about the way they manage their employees.

While employers might do their part to reduce stress, here's what the rest of us can do.

Keep a work stress journal

Writing down when you feel stressed. Was it during conversations with a particular person, for example? It may not be your job, but an individual who's causing problems, and you need to think about better ways of dealing with him or her.

Do a reality check

As the Harvard study showed, the biggest stressor is the worry that you might lose your job. Ask yourself if your job is really in jeopardy, or if it's just something you've concocted in your head. Asking fellow employees for their perspectives could help.

Ask yourself, do I really like my work?

A psychologist has found that patients who love their work deal with stress much better than those who don't. "People who believe in what they're doing handle stress better than those who don't," she said. If you don't love your work, it might be time to think about finding work that really does make you happy.

Think through the worst-case scenario

Afraid you're going to lose your job? What would you do if you did? If you think you would write a new resume or reach out to former colleagues to see if they're hiring, then do that now.

Set limits with your boss If your boss wants you to work 10-hour days instead of eight-hour days, tell him or her you can't, but then go on to explain all the work you complete in your eight-hour day.