Monday, October 30, 2023

Big Little Stresses

The phrase death by a thousand cuts can perhaps be best seen in today’s tiny workplace aggravations. Known as microstresses, these are small, everyday occurrences that can be mildly irksome in the moment.

Guide magazine

The difficulty is that these little annoyances—the ping of an incoming message, catching a glimpse of bad news on your social media feed, the gripes of a coworker over lunch—may not feel as though they have an impact. But over time, like a million pinpricks, they can cause much damage.

4 Examples of Microstresses You May Experience throughout Your Workday
1.   Someone cutting you off in traffic
2.   Picking up the slack for a coworker, even if it’s a small task
3.   Having a project rejigged by management, even though you’ve already started working on it
4.   Music on site being played too loudly

Experts have identified ways you can counteract small stressors at work that can, when stacked on top of each other, fill your cup to the brim.

4 Ways to Counteract Microstresses
1.   Focus on clear communication at work so all parties are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
2.   Build trust and camaraderie with your workmates by taking a minute to ask how their day is going.
3.   Take a few moments to breathe when you feel your heart rate rising or stress level increasing.
4.   Unfollow social media accounts or block people who you feel contribute to a negative mindset.

Sources: Harvard Business Review, cbc.ca, fortune.com

Big Little Stresses

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