Do you have stress at work? What symptoms of stress do you have that you should be aware of? And is it bad enough that you should quit?
There are causes of stress at work that can be explored and help you identify why you are experiencing the stress. Stress is a factor that affects your contentment in your work as well. We will look at work symptoms of stress and whether it is a factor to consider quitting your job.
Symptoms of Stress at Work
Perhaps you feel like Job, who lamented that he had been born and said he was not able to rest.
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.
Job 3:26 ESV
Or like Solomon in Ecclesiastes, you feel like your work is weighing you down.
For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him.
Ecclesiastes 8:6 ESV
If that is the case, you are likely dealing with symptoms of stress. WebMD lists the following symptoms of stress on their website: anxiety, depression, feeling overwhelmed, anger, trouble sleeping, constant worry, or making bad decisions.
And I can attest that this list is accurate. That is where I was a few years ago with a stressful job. Anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, anger, and trouble sleeping were the frequent symptoms I experienced.
If you don’t address it, then you can experience other physical symptoms as well. They can be aches and pains, headaches, indigestion or other gastrointestinal issues, muscle tension, chest pain, and rapid heartbeat.
I started having inflammation and pain in my joints and was misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia. It took a while for me to figure out the symptoms were due to the effects of stress on my body.
Does everyone have Stress at Work?
Everyone deals with some sort of stress. It can be at varying levels.
Even Jesus, who was fully God and fully man when He was on this earth experienced some stress. He was close friends with a man named Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha.
Lazarus died and Mary came out of her house weeping. Jesus was stressed or troubled in his Spirit.
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
John 11:33 ESV
The Greek word for troubled is “tarasso“, which means inward commotion, restless, troubled, or render anxious.
Jesus, in His human body, experienced a disturbance in his heart over the death of a loved one and stress, and worry for his friends. He knows what it means to be anxious or stressed about something.
Stress is weighing on me, should I quit?
The answer to this really depends on how much stress you are dealing with and the symptoms you are experiencing. If there are some simple changes at work that can be done to release your stress, then you know that you can stick around. Could you work from home or increase your work from home? Or can you move cubes away from an annoying or troublesome co-worker? Or switch departments?
Take some breaks to get away periodically. Walk the stairs or go for a walk and pray as you walk. Breathe deeply and thank God for the blessings that you have in your life. Use the verse mentioned in the graphic below to set your mind on the Spirit. There are many things to be thankful for and having a grateful heart helps you refocus your mind on the positive and not dwell on the negative emotions from work.
Discuss Options with your Boss
If it is possible, talk with your boss about changing up some of the workloads or trying some different work tasks that are less stressful. But if the situation is unbearable or your boss is the cause of your stress, then it may be time for you to look around for something else.
However, notice that I didn’t say quit right away. Keep your job so you have your income to support your living and/or family. Then when the time is right, you can quit the stressful job and move on to something that you will enjoy and be less stressed.
Can stress at work be easier?
Yes! While you can’t change the situation, you can do some things to help relieve stress.
But I didn’t want to leave with you without some encouraging things to think about.
I mentioned thinking about things you are thankful for. Keeping your mind centered on gratefulness will reduce that stress level.
Worry can weigh on you and you feel like you are carrying a heavy load. This is an impact on your contentment and being satisfied in life with what you do. But when you focus on the blessings in your life, you will have less worry and be a much happier person.
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
Proverbs 12:25 ESV
God is with us even in this stressful time. We can stay where we are for work each day and wait on God to help deliver us from this trial. He is the strength that we need and can rely on every morning.
O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.
Isaiah 33:2 ESV
Choose today to be grateful for the blessings that you do have at work and wait on God for the timing on when the stress can be removed or whether you move on from this job.
God is with us, even while we work, and He will uphold us when we look to Him for strength.
*********
Resource Library
Did you know that there is a resource library with free downloads for stopping by God’s Plan Guided Steps? There are monthly Bible verses to read daily and a READ Bible study method to help you learn how to dig into the Bible, some Bible verse cards, and bookmarks.
One that has helped me with stress and fear is to breathe through this verse below in Romans. This freebie can be downloaded from the resource library as well. Enjoy!
