There are four common stressors related to work. The degree to which stressors affect us is caused, in part, by our personality type. Since stress comes from within, the things we do can cause us stress. As noted earlier, there are Type A and Type B personalities. People with Type A personalities have more stress than people with Type B personalities. If you have a Type A personality and could end up with some of the problems associated with stress.

The amount of cooperation, the level of motivation, and the overall morale in an organization affect stress levels. The more positive the organizational climate and work culture, the less stress there is. Calm, participative management styles produce less stress. Tight control through autocratic management tends to create more stress. Some bosses use awful behavior; some are even abusive and have caused stress to the point of driving employees to quit their jobs.

People who enjoy their jobs and derive satisfaction from them handle stress better than those who do not. In some cases, a change of jobs is a wise move that can lower or get rid of one of your stressors. People who focus in the positives in their job are happier than those who focus on the negative aspects of the job. Some of the immediate signs of stress are an increase in the rate of breathing, sweating, change in appetite, and acne. When you continually look at the clock and/or calendar, feel pressured, and fear that you will not meet a deadline, you are experiencing stress.

People often lose interest in and motivation to do their work because of stress. Stress that is constant, chronic, and severe can lead to burnout over a period of time. Burnout is the constant lack of interest and motivation to perform one’s job because of stress. People sometimes experience temporary burnout during busy periods, as is the case with students studying for exams and retailers trying to cope with a holiday shopping season. The use of stress-controlling techniques can often prevent stress and burnout and increase productivity.