Work stress is as bad as secondhand smoke

Workplace stress isn’t just annoying — it’s as bad for your health as secondhand smoke, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard Business School and Stanford University.

“When you think about how much time individuals typically spend at work, it’s not that surprising,” says study co-author Joel Goh, an assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.

The report compiled evidence from 228 other studies, and found that high job demands increased the odds of having an illness diagnosed by a doctor by 35%. Long work hours increased the chances of early death by almost 20%.

By far the biggest stressor was the worry that you might soon lose your job; that increased the odds of having poor health by about 50%.

While employers might do their part to reduce stress, here’s what the rest of us can do:

Keep a work stress journal

The experts at the Mayo Clinic advise writing down when you feel stressed. Was it during conversations with a particular person, for example? It may not be your job, but an individual who’s causing problems, and you need to think about better ways of dealing with him or her.

Ask yourself, ‘do I really like my work?’

People who believe in what they’re doing handle stress better than those who don’t. If you don’t like your work, it might be time to think about finding work that really does make you happy.

Think through the worst-case scenario

Afraid you’re going to lose your job? What would you do if you did? Lipari advises taking those steps now. If you think you would write a new resume or reach out to former colleagues to see if they’re hiring, then do that now.

Set limits with your boss

If your boss wants you to work 10-hour days instead of eight-hour days, tell him or her you can’t, but then go on to explain all the work you complete in your eight-hour day. Studies have shown that employers demanding faster work or longer hours does not mean an increase in productivity. Most of us get more work done when we have a shorter timeframe in which to do so.

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