Take the stress test

Common stress symptoms include:

• anxiety, irritation, anger or feeling flustered
• the feeling that things are hanging over you
• poor concentration and difficulty making decisions
• headaches, palpitations or hot flushes
• dry mouth, lump in the throat and shaky hands
• problems with sleep
• excessive intake of caffeine, cigarettes or alcohol
• a repetitive tic, such as scratching or hair pulling
• tearfulness, depression or feeling suicidal
• chest pain
• problems eating or swallowing
• diarrhoea or constipation
• loss of sex drive
• worsening of skin conditions or breathing conditions

If you've had any of the feelings listed above, it could be stress.

Possible causes of stress in the workplace include:

• The type of work you do: long hours, a heavy workload, infrequent breaks, boring tasks that don't use your skills, poorly defined goals, too much responsibility.
• Feeling left out of decisions: not being involved in decision-making, poor communication, a lack of family-friendly policies. 
• Receiving no help or support: a lack of support or help from co-workers and supervisors; people having conflicting expectations of you. 
• Worries about job stability: job insecurity, a lack of opportunity for growth or advancement. 
• Working in an unhealthy workplace: unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions, such as overcrowding, noise, air pollution or ergonomic problems.

If you're not sure what causes your stress, keep a stress diary at work for two to four weeks, then review it to spot the triggers. Each day, make a note of:

• the tasks you did and meetings you had at work that day 
• how you felt at the start of the day: whether you're cheerful and optimistic, or dread going to work 
• specific times when your mood changed 
• whether you avoided certain tasks or people
• any situations that led to difficult scenes or unpleasant feelings
• whether too much is being asked of you
• whether you're worried that you might lose your job
• how you feel at the end of the day: whether you've made progress or whether your in-tray seems bigger than ever
• whether you left work behind you at the end of the day or took work home (literally or as worries in your mind) 
• whenever the job demands more time and responsibility than you want, or are able, to give
• whether there's pressure for promotion or career progression, which makes you feel uncomfortable
• any threat that you might be made redundant 
• whether you enjoy what you're doing, or not. Quite simply, are you in the wrong job?

It's important to know how stress affects you as that will help you identify what coping techniques will be most useful for you.

Keeping a stress diary helps you learn how you handle your stress.

Use the diary to:

• know what triggers your stress
• find out the stress levels you prefer
• know how effective you are under pressure
• develop better coping mechanisms

In some cases, prolonged stress can lead to physical and/or mental ill health. If you think you're currently experiencing stress-related ill health, you may benefit from a discussion with your GP.

For help and advice on better management of stress at work, read beat stress at work. You can also visit the Health for Work website, or call the adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.