Recent world events have many of us working from home. For many, the idea of returning to the office is so daunting or worrying that their job may be making them sick. If your stress levels about returning to the job is high, it may be time to look for a different job.
When Bedtime Becomes Stress-Time
Does work stress keep you up at night? Work-related insomnia can impact your body, brain and relationships. Not getting quality sleep can lead to
- elevated blood pressure
- weight gain
- loss of libido
- decreased immune system protections
Stress causes higher levels of cortisol. Not getting enough rest can cause long-term damage to your mind, your family and your heart over time.
Loyalty Goes Both Ways
There are a lot of worries about the Great Resignation as employees choose to quit instead of returning to the office.
If you are one of those employees who wasn’t able to work from home, you may be facing a different kind of stress. Owners and bosses need to understand that workers who remained in the office during the pandemic have been under tremendous pressure which can lead to feelings of resentment.
Costs of Resentment
Being resentful at work means that you spend a great deal of your life ruminating over the events that made you resent your boss and job in the first place. These initial events may have frightened you or hurt your feelings. We fall into resentment because it’s protective.
If you asked for help and got shut down harshly, you may
- not be inclined to ask again
- resent the person who shut you down
- lose your desire to do a good job
Over time, losing the joy you take in a good job can make your daily life a slog of misery. Loss of employee engagement can cost a business owner money, but it could be killing employees. If your resentment is causing corrosive damage and stealing the joy from your life, it’s time to polish up that resume.
The pandemic has changed many things. You may have spent time decluttering your home and downsizing. If your job has also been pared down to the essentials and you don’t want to take on the trappings of the office, you have that option.