In this article, we want to share with you a Stress Scale that we have devised to help you give an idea of the extent to which you might be feeling stressed at work.

Stress is your physiological response to a situation that is challenging or threatening – i.e., a stressor. As a response mechanism, it can help us stay alert and keeps us on our toes as we go about dealing with difficult situations. Usually, as the situation gets resolved, we return to our normal, relaxed state.

A stressor may not a time-bound event that passes; our environment as a whole, could be a stressor in itself. What this means is that, the very context within which we lead our lives – relationship, a job or a lifestyle could be our stressors. In such a case, we are required to remain in this active-alert state, for a prolonged period of living within that stressful context. Thus, stress in itself, as a response mechanism is adaptive, but remaining in that state continually leads to fatigue and exhaustion.

We spend a considerable amount of our time being at work and when work becomes a stressor, it can impact us significantly and even spill on to other parts of our life. Researchers in this area have tried to identify factors that make work particularly stressful.  Some of the important factors that are commonly identified are:

  • Perceiving a lack of control (in taking work-related decisions, in setting targets or in influencing outcomes)
  • Strained relationships with colleagues
  • Work overload

We have written about stress before – its impact, the ways in which we ourselves contribute to our stress, coping with burnout and focusing amidst heavy workload; click here to access all our articles about stress at work.

We encourage you to reflect on how you’re feeling at work by considering and evaluating its different aspects.

We hope that this Stress Scale helps you become aware of signs of stress that you might be experiencing and the degree to which it could be impacting you. Read the statements below carefully and rate them according to how frequently they seem to be true for you. Click on the Submit button at the end to complete the test and know more.

 

 

Work Stress Scale

Email 

I feel the need to keep checking my email and phone.
 

My smoke/coffee breaks consist of thinking about or speaking of negative events at work.

 

I find it difficult to like most of my bosses.

I keep thinking about work even when I am back home.

I find myself arguing with my teammates.

I hold myself back from participating in team meetings.

I feel I do not receive enough appreciation for my work.

When in a team, I find myself competing instead of helping.

I find it hard to look forward to coming to work.

My boss and I do not get along well with each other

I feel fatigued, tired or weak most of the time.

Mental reminders of things-to-do intrude upon my thoughts.

I feel like things are getting out of hand.

My job interferes with my personal/family/social needs.

I feel restless when I do not have much to do even for brief periods.

I find myself making repetitive movements without realizing it like: drumming my fingers, shaking my legs or tapping my feet.

Please indicate your age.
Sex:

 

Be sure to click Submit Quiz to see your results!

 

Post contributed by: Sindhura Tammana