Serenity now: what to do when your job is too stressful

When your job is too stressful, you may not know how to make it better. Discover things you can do to cope and make your life more peaceful.

Workplace stress isn't just damaging to your career. It can have a negative impact on relationships, confidence, energy levels and overall health. If your job is causing you too much stress, it's time to find ways to manage and control it. Here are some tips to help you cope with your stressful job and improve your health.

If your job is stressful and making you unhappy, perhaps the solution is to find a new opportunity that's better suited to you. Make two pro vs. con lists: one for keeping your job, and one for quitting. This may help you determine the best option for you. If you don't see a way to stay at your current job and be happier at the same time, think about contacting an employment centre to help you get started on finding a new, more suitable opportunity.

Thinking about switching jobs can be stressful in itself. Luckily, there are many employment agencies that can help with the transition. So, how do you know if you should quit your job?

• Your relationship with your manager or boss is damaged and feels irreparable.
• Your values and beliefs don't align with that of the corporation you're working for.
• The work environment has become toxic due to lack of direction, internal culture or other reasons.
• You wake up in the morning and dread going into to work. Whatever the reason is, that feeling of dread won't go away unless the situation drastically changes.

Should you decide you are fairly content with the job or the company itself, there are steps you can take to manage your job stress:

Make time for play: Even though your career is a major part of your life, your social life is just as important. Involve yourself in things you like to do outside of work and really focus on enriching your life in those areas. The more satisfaction you get from your personal life, the more emotional balance and perspective you'll gain at work.

Manage your expectations and those of others: We often find ourselves overwhelmed by growing lists of tasks and projects. Many of us have a hard time saying no to additional work for fear of not looking like a team player. If you bite off more than you can chew, you're setting yourself up for more stress and possible failure. Be realistic about your workload and give warnings when you feel that you are over extended.