Take a ‘sad Day’ If Work Weighs You Down (2)
Yes, Covid has taken a serious mental-health toll on many people. After more than two and a half years, the pandemic continues to stress out the workforce. Soaring infection rates and on-aging, off-again directives about masking and indoor dining are amplifying feelings of confusion, isolation and anxiety.
Stress can cause feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry or frustration. It can also make it hard to sleep and cause nightmares. Then there are physical reactions like headaches, body pain and stomach problems. And for people returning to the workplace after working from home for a long time, there may be anxiety from stress of a long commute, traffic and child care concerns.
The most common source of workplace stress in the fear of being exposed to the virus. I know that from my own experience. Fortunately for me, Jane Rosenberg put me on A&A’s mini-sabbatical program, and I was able to be away from the office for three months with full pay. That helped me reduce my stress level to where it was manageable. I feel much better now.
One way to ease stress is to take a break from watching the news about the pandemic or the war in Ukraine. Try limiting your news intake to just a couple of times a day and disconnecting for a while. But the way, October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It’s aimed at raising awareness about mental health.
