Advice for Successfully Managing and Alleviating Workplace Stress

This blog derives from a longer TED-style talk that AP’s Line Juster gave during AP Summit 2022 as part of several AP employee talks focused on creating meaningful connections through authentic, vulnerable life lessons that inspired and challenged coworkers to think about things in new ways. Stress is a huge factor in our lives, with 33% of Americans reporting feelings of extreme stress and 75% of Americans experiencing moderate to high stress levels. On top of these already high numbers, studies also report that 83% of U.S. employees suffer from work-related stress, with 25% saying their job is the number one stressor in their lives. So, what can we take away from these staggering numbers? The reality is that the majority of stress often comes from our work environments, making it imperative to find a healthy work-life balance through companies that prioritize their employees’ health, while also taking steps to ensure your own continual self-management of stress. Prior to joining Acceleration Partners, I was contributing to the statistics above, and I wanted that to change. Stress was negatively impacting my physical and mental health, as well as my relationships with others and myself. Regardless if your stress is work-related or not, it’s important to start acknowledging the state of your well-being. I discovered that stress often reveals itself through different signs, letting you know that your body or mind is overwhelmed and in need of help. Curious what signs you should be on the lookout for? These are only some examples of symptoms that you can experience once stress starts to have a significant impact on your health: