Lesson 1.1: Understanding Workplace Stress Triggers

Your Task: Read through this section carefully and think about your own work experiences as you go.

Normal Work Pressure vs. Harmful Stress

Normal Work Pressure feels like:

• A challenge that motivates you to do your best

• Temporary stress that goes away once the task is done

• Feeling energised (even if tired) after completing something difficult

• Sleeping well despite having a busy day

• Still enjoying parts of your work

Harmful Stress feels like:

• Constant worry that doesn't go away, even at home

• Dreading work or feeling sick thinking about Monday

• Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach problems, or trouble sleeping

• Snapping at family or friends because you're always on edge

• Feeling like you can never switch off from work thoughts

Right now, pause and ask yourself: "Which description sounds more like my current work experience?"

Physical Warning Signs to Watch For:

• Waking up with tension in your neck, shoulders, or jaw

• Getting frequent headaches, especially on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings

• Stomach issues, changes in appetite, or digestive problems

• Catching colds more often or feeling run down

• Trouble falling asleep because your mind won't stop racing about work

Action: Take a moment to notice your body right now. Are you holding tension anywhere? This awareness is your first step to change.

Your Task: Read each category below and rate how much it affects you on a scale of 1-5 (1 = not stressful, 5 = major stress source). Be honest, this is just for you.

1. Workload Stress (Rate 1-5: ___)

• What it looks like: Your to-do list never gets shorter, deadlines feel impossible, you're constantly putting out fires instead of doing planned work

• Common thoughts: "There's not enough time," "I'll never catch up," "Everyone wants everything yesterday"

• Physical signs: Working through lunch, staying late regularly, checking emails at home

• Ask yourself: Do you feel like you're drowning in tasks most days?

2. Relationship Stress (Rate 1-5: ___)

• What it looks like: Difficult conversations with your boss, colleagues who don't pull their weight, feeling unsupported by your team

• Common thoughts: "They don't understand," "I can't say what I really think," "I'm walking on eggshells"

• Physical signs: Tension before certain meetings, avoiding the staff room, dreading team interactions

• Ask yourself: Do you feel comfortable and supported by the people you work with?

3. Environmental Stress (Rate 1-5: ___)

• What it looks like: Open office noise, constant interruptions, uncomfortable workspace, poor lighting or temperature

• Common thoughts: "I can't concentrate," "There's nowhere quiet to think," "This place is chaos"

• Physical signs: Headaches from noise/lighting, physical discomfort, feeling scattered

• Ask yourself: Does your physical work environment help or hinder your ability to do good work?

4. Uncertainty Stress (Rate 1-5: ___)

• What it looks like: Worry about job security, unclear expectations from your manager, constant company changes

• Common thoughts: "What if I lose my job?" "I don't know what's expected of me," "Everything keeps changing"

• Physical signs: Overthinking, checking job sites, worst-case scenario planning

• Ask yourself: Do you feel secure and clear about your role and future at work?

5. Control Stress (Rate 1-5: ___)

• What it looks like: Micromanagement, no say in decisions that affect you, rigid rules that don't make sense

• Common thoughts: "I have no control," "They don't trust me," "I could do this better if they'd let me"

• Physical signs: Frustration, feeling demotivated, going through the motions

• Ask yourself: Do you feel trusted and empowered to do your job well?

Action: Write down your scores and circle your highest-rated category. This is your primary stress source.

Your Task: Answer these questions honestly. Write your answers down; this creates accountability and helps you track progress.

Part A: Your Top Triggers

1. Which category scored highest? ________________

2. What are your 3 most stressful work situations?

   • Situation 1: ________________

   • Situation 2: ________________

   • Situation 3: ________________

Part B: When Stress Hits Hardest

3. What time of day do you feel most work stress?

• Sunday evening (thinking about Monday)

• Monday morning

• Mid-week when workload peaks

• Friday afternoon (trying to finish everything)

• Other: ________________

4.How does stress show up in your body? (Tick all that apply)

• Tight shoulders/neck

• Headaches

• Stomach issues

• Sleep problems

• Fatigue

• Other: ________________

Part C: Your Stress Level Right Now

5. On a scale of 1-10, how stressed do you feel about work today? ____ (1 = completely calm, 10 = overwhelmed and anxious)

Your Task: Be brutally honest about what you actually do when work stress hits (not what you think you should do).

What do you currently do when feeling work stress? (Tick all that apply)

• Take deep breaths or try to calm down

• Go for a walk or get some fresh air

• Talk to a friend, family member, or colleague

• Have a cup of tea/coffee and take a break

• Check social media or browse the internet

• Work harder and longer to try to catch up

• Avoid the stressful situation or procrastinate

• Complain to others about work

• Have a drink or eat comfort food

• Other: ________________

Now rate each method you ticked:

• Helpful (makes me feel better and more capable): ________________

• Neutral (doesn't help or harm): ________________

• Unhelpful (makes me feel worse or creates more problems): ________________

Key insight: Notice which strategies actually help vs. which ones just distract you or make things worse in the long run.