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In most cases stress will do more harm than good to people. Most of the stress has negative influence on individuals. The positive effects of stress usually occur only in the short-run. If there are short high positive stress periods, then it may do good for us as it stimulates to induce effort. Unfortunately, stress tends to be continuous for many people. The long-run stress effects can be devastating. If there is always pressure and it will not go away no matter what you do then people tend to give up. If you are constantly in stress condition then it will lower your quality of life and it may lead to health problems.

What causes stress? There are many different types of factors, which create it. They are called stressors. First, stress can be caused by the physical environment. If you have to spend your time in disturbing physical conditions then it creates stress. The most common examples are:

• Insufficient space. If you have to work in an overcrowded office, then you are likely to get disturbed frequently. There may not be enough room for you to place and access your tools or papers. Similarly, if you live in a too small space, then conflicts are easy to rise. In order to be creative and productive in your work you need space. Otherwise you cannot develop bright ideas. For example, I am much more creative if I am alone in the room and if there is enough open space.
• Noise. Background noise can be very irritating. It will not allow you to concentrate. Other people chatting, making phone calls, or noise from different machines may create stress.
• Poor illumination. You should have as much as possible day light in order to reduce your stress level. If you have to work in a room with no windows and if the room is not properly lit, then it will create stress. On the other hand, sunlight makes people happy.
• Poor ventilation. You need to have fresh air in order to work comfortably and calmly.
• Inadequate temperature. If you feel too cold or too hot then it will disturb you-

Next, stress can be created by your working tasks. This is called work stress and it occurs when the nature of the work, the expected results or compensation received for effort is in conflict with our expectations. The main sources for work-related stress are:

• Unclear expectations. If you do not know exactly what you have to do then it is difficult to do it well. You get some instructions from the boss, but if they are not precise enough then you do not know how you should execute them. In the worst case you may get conflicting orders. For example, once you are told to work out changes in the marketing plan and then you are told not to change it. It is confusing and will cause you to do unnecessary work. Similarly, if you have given too difficult or impossible task to perform then you will know in the forehand that you will fail, which again creates stress.
• Unpleasant tasks. If you have to spend much of the time on thing you do not enjoy doing, then work will not be pleasure for you. Of course there are some tasks that you may not like for every job, but if there are too much of them, then it can be stressful. It may be caused by the fact that you are assigned tasks that are not suitable for you. Or the job itself can be something you do not like. Sadly, many people are employed on jobs that do not suit them well, but still people do not switch jobs.
• Changes in work. Different people have different capabilities of adapting to the changes. Some people feel highly stressed if the content of the work changes, they are assigned new tasks, they are transferred to a new position or when they switch jobs. Similarly, personnel changes may be a stressor, for example if you get new colleagues or team members or a new boss.
• Poor performance. If you cannot meet your expectations, then you may feel guilty for that. If you constantly underperform then you may start fearing your bad results and so working can become stressful for you.

Third, stress is often caused by human relationships. Various types of conflicts or misunderstanding or being not able to express one’s feeling may generate stress. The most common stressors in this group are:

• Marital separation or divorce. If your long-term relationship is going to end or has ended recently then it creates huge changes to lives of both partners. Furthermore, there have probably been problems for a while, and split-ups are often not so calm and controlled events. Usually there are lots of emotions and conflicts. Divorce may lead to complex financial troubles, so it can create continuous stress.
• Death of a family member or a close friend. If it comes unexpectedly then it can be a huge blow, it is going to change your life for ever and it may create high level of stress.
• Conflicts with spouse or friends. If these conflicts remain unsolved and if the repeat over and over again then they can cause much harm.
• Problems with children. Problems at school, bad behavior, trouble with police or not being able to solve conflicts with them to just make them to listen to you can cause stress.

Finally, there are many other sources for stress.

• Financial problems. It is said that money makes you calm, actually it does not make you. Money creates money problems, which cause stress. Financial stability and avoiding troubles with money makes you calm. Many people cannot handle financial issues well.
• Uncertainty about future. If there are going to be changes in your life, but you are not sure about them then it can create stress. For example, you do not know if you are going to get into university of if you will be able to find a job when you are unemployed.
• Lack of time. If there are too many tasks for you to do and you just do not have time to deal with them then you will not be able to complete all of them on time. You may feel guilty that you have so much to do, but you cannot do it and you say to yourself that you have to do more things, and you find that you are a lousy person because you have not managed it.
• Health problems. If you do not feel yourself well and if you cannot do anything to get better (or it takes time to heal) then it is unpleasant and stressful. If you do not have good health then you activities may not succeed so well, which again generates stress.
• Changing your residence. If you migrate to a foreign country then it will make huge changes to your life. You will have new job, new colleagues, and new friends. You will be in an environment where other people speak foreign language.

kristjan time management environment, health problems, job, relationships, stress, stressors