Stress can be defined as any change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. However, the way you respond to stress makes a big difference to your overall well-being. There are three types of stress, acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress. Stress can negatively impact our lives, and it can cause physical conditions such as headaches, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances. It can also cause psychological and emotional strains, including confusion, anxiety, and depression. A stressor can be a person, place, or situation that is causing you stress.
There is a general notion that homemakers are living in a comfortable zone. But the reality is that they bore a very high responsibility of running the family and meeting the requirements of day-to-day commitments. Even for the social occasions of their families, the expectations of the homemaker’s presence are very high. They cannot escape from their obligations. The boundaries of home restrict a homemaker’s exposure to the outside world. The expectancy from a homemaker to play multiple roles, such as that of a daughter, wife, sister, mother, and daughter-in-law, pressures them and creates stress. Additional stress comes from assorted duties of cooking, cleaning, driving, caring for kids, elders and maintaining a healthy relationship with relatives and other members of family and society; this constructs stress in their minds, brick by brick. Lack of recognition is another major stressor. Though homemakers perform numerous tasks, they are still considered jobless. The yearning to be recognized for their work is a rightful expectation of a homemaker. At the same time, its absence or lack hasten high pressure and stress on their mind. We can’t deny the dependent culture these homemakers are brought up in. Our culture insists on the dependency on women; she has to depend on parents, brothers, elders, husband, extended family, even on their children. This mounts the stress for non-working women to a greater extent. Even though she works hard for the family, she cannot be a part of decision-making; being a non-earning member of the family can lead to others ignoring homemakers’ inputs on important matters. Child care is a challenging task; kids pose numerous work and obligations to their mothers at every age and stage. The psychological pressure created by the kids is probably met by women alone as their fathers do not share the parent care. The support system doesn’t support child care effectively, which mounts the stress level for homemakers.
In today’s hectic world, the workplace too often seems like an emotional roller coaster. Long hours, tight deadlines, and ever-increasing demands can leave you feeling worried, drained, stressed, and overwhelmed. Stress isn’t always bad, and a little bit of stress can help you perform better and help you stay focused. But when pressure exceeds your ability to cope, it stops being helpful and starts to cause damage to your mind and body.
Studies have suggested that; Stressful experiences for women concern their family roles. Housewives, especially those with young children, are significantly more anxious and depressed than working husbands. Whereas for working women, their family roles were much more of a concern than problems on the job, it has been reported in a study.
Common causes of workplace stress include- fear of being laid off, more overtime due to staff cutbacks, pressure to perform to meet rising expectations. But with no increase in job satisfaction, pressure to work at optimum levels, the disparity with salary and income, lack of control over how you do your work.
You can’t control everything in your work environment or at home, but that doesn’t mean you are powerless; no matter what you do for a living, what your ambitions are, or how stressful your job is, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce stress and cope better. To begin with, it is simply sharing your focus with someone you are close to. The act of talking it out and getting support and empathy, especially face to face, can be a highly effective way of blowing off the steam and regaining your sense of calm. Turn to co-workers for support. Lean on your friends and family members; it is important to have a strong network of supportive friends and family. Make time for regular exercise, from aerobic exercises to rhythmic movements. Take a stroll outside the workplace if possible or for some time, leave the confined spaces of your house and go for a walk. Your food choices have a huge impact on how you feel during the day; eat small, frequent, and healthy meals. Don’t skimp on sleep; improve the quality of your sleep by making healthy changes to your daytime and nighttime routine; go to bed early and get up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. End your screen-time two hours before bedtime. Prioritize your goals activities and manage time better. Creat a balanced schedule for yourself. Don’t over-commit yourself and establish healthy boundaries. Resist perfectionism, don’t try to control the uncontrollable, and look for humor in challenging situations. Take time off, give yourself regular breaks, and indulge in activities you are passionate about. Lastly, start looking for satisfaction and meaning in your work, whether household chores, work from home, or a corporate job.
COMMENTS