Skip to main content IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-PB2GX ABC Home Open Sites menu * ABC Home * News * iview * TV * Radio * Kids * Shop * More Search ABC News ABC News Australia Weather Menu icon-chevron-right * News Home * Just In * US Election * Australia * World * Business * Sport * Arts * Analysis & Opinion * Programs * More * More icon-sort-down + Home + Articles + Reboot your life + News Home o ABC Local Radio o Analysis & Opinion o Infographics o ABC News o ABC News 24 o Live Video o About o Analysis & Opinion o Archive o Arts o As it Happened o Audio o Australia o National o Australian Capital Territory o Tasmania o Northern Territory o New South Wales o Queensland o South Australia o Victoria o Western Australia o World o ABC News o Blogs o Federal Budget 2016 o Business o Contact Us o Contribute to ABC News o Home o Warnings and Alerts o Entertainment News o Home o Home o Home o Home o Help o Home o Infographics o Interactives o Internal o Just In o Home o Home o Live Streaming o News Home o Localisation Information o Map o More o Music o NewsMail o Photos o Politics News o Podcasts o Preferences o Programs o Fact Check o Breaking News o Reboot your life o Method "public java.lang.String com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade.getLink(java.lang.Object,java.lang.Object,java.lang .Object,boolean)" threw an exception when invoked on com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade object "com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarker Facade@120c3fb8". See cause exception. The failing instruction (print stack trace for 7 more): ==> ${cmFacade.getLink(target, view, extr... [in template "lib/coremedia.com/cae.ftl" in macro "link" at line 43, column 3] o Religion and Ethics News o News Home o Home o Home o o Specials o Story Streams o Technology News o Topic o Topics o Featured Video o Weather o World o Australia Remembers WWI 1914-1918 o Australia Remembers WWI 1914-1918 o NewsRadio o Radio Australia News o Behind the News o News on 3 o Morning scan o ABC App Alerts o Eurovision 2016 o ABC News on Messenger o Method "public java.lang.String com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade.getLink(java.lang.Object,java.lang.Object,java.lang .Object,boolean)" threw an exception when invoked on com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade object "com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarker Facade@120c3fb8". See cause exception. The failing instruction (print stack trace for 7 more): ==> ${cmFacade.getLink(target, view, extr... [in template "lib/coremedia.com/cae.ftl" in macro "link" at line 43, column 3] o Method "public java.lang.String com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade.getLink(java.lang.Object,java.lang.Object,java.lang .Object,boolean)" threw an exception when invoked on com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade object "com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarker Facade@120c3fb8". See cause exception. The failing instruction (print stack trace for 7 more): ==> ${cmFacade.getLink(target, view, extr... [in template "lib/coremedia.com/cae.ftl" in macro "link" at line 43, column 3] o Method "public java.lang.String com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade.getLink(java.lang.Object,java.lang.Object,java.lang .Object,boolean)" threw an exception when invoked on com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade object "com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarker Facade@120c3fb8". See cause exception. The failing instruction (print stack trace for 7 more): ==> ${cmFacade.getLink(target, view, extr... [in template "lib/coremedia.com/cae.ftl" in macro "link" at line 43, column 3] o Method "public java.lang.String com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade.getLink(java.lang.Object,java.lang.Object,java.lang .Object,boolean)" threw an exception when invoked on com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarkerF acade object "com.coremedia.objectserver.view.freemarker.CAEFreemarker Facade@120c3fb8". See cause exception. The failing instruction (print stack trace for 7 more): ==> ${cmFacade.getLink(target, view, extr... [in template "lib/coremedia.com/cae.ftl" in macro "link" at line 43, column 3] + Just In + US Election o Special Edition: US Election 2016 o Live Results + Australia o National o Australian Capital Territory o New South Wales o Northern Territory o Queensland o South Australia o Tasmania o Victoria o Western Australia + World o Asia Pacific o Just In + Business o Business Top Stories o Home o Consumer Price Index + Sport + Arts + Analysis & Opinion o Articles + Programs o Transcripts o New South Wales o Australian Capital Territory o Northern Territory o Queensland o South Australia o Tasmania o Victoria o Western Australia o Programs o Home o The Business o News Exchange o Clarke and Dawe o Home o National Press Club o Inside Edge o Retrospect o #TalkAboutIt o Home o Home o Home o Home o Home o Home o Quarters Home o Home o Home o The Finance Quarter o The Arts Quarter o The Culture Quarter o The Environment Quarter o The Health Quarter o The Rural Quarter o The Weather Quarter o The Indigenous Quarter o The Consumer Quarter o Future Forum o The World o Home o Dishonourable Members o DC Washup + More o Arts o Indigenous o Ramp Up (redirect) o Local o Religion o Technology o Weatherman o Antony Green's Election Blog Health * Articles * Reboot your life * Breaking news + Perpetual LOYAL takes line honours in Sydney to Hobart yacht race, setting new record How to beat stress at work before it damages your health Share * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share on WhatsApp * Print * Mail * Other share options + Reddit + Tumblr + LinkedIn + Google+ + Digg + StumbleUpon + Close ABC Health & Wellbeing By Scott Spark, Claudine Ryan A man napping on the train on the way to work. If you'd rather switch off than go to work in the morning, you are not alone. (Getty Images: Paul Bradbury) Share * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share on WhatsApp * Print * Mail * Other share options + Reddit + Tumblr + LinkedIn + Google+ + Digg + StumbleUpon + Close A man napping on the train on the way to work. If you'd rather switch off than go to work in the morning, you are not alone. Getty Images: Paul Bradbury (BUTTON) Close When you woke up this morning and registered (about halfway through your first cup of coffee) that you were heading into work today, what thoughts flashed through your mind? If you're one of the lucky ones, you may have felt an eager sense of anticipation. You know your employer values your efforts. You work with people you respect, who welcome input and push you out of your comfort zone (by just the right amount). Also, you get paid a decent amount of money and are reasonably confident that your job will not be done by robots in 10 years' time. Worklife: Why is work making us sick? Worklife, stress image Stress in the workplace can affect our health. (Getty Image: Mark Airs) Listen to the podcast: This episode of RN's WorkLife series explores the relationship between work, stress and our health. For others, the idea of work fills us with a sense of dread. Knowing that you are about to embark on another week of unrealistic deadlines, conflict with your boss, poor communication about expectations or job uncertainty is enough to send you diving back under the covers. The feeling that aspects of our work are out of our control, or beyond our capabilities or resources, is one that most of us have had at some time or another. But prolonged periods of these feelings can make going to work seem like a nightmare. What are the signs of a stressful work life? There are many triggers for stress in the workplace and occupational physician Professor Niki Ellis included the following on her list: * Excessive job demands: Having a workload that's unreasonable. So you might find yourself working overtime or long hours, you also might not be getting the breaks you need throughout the day. * Not having enough control over your work: "Somebody who's working in a more junior capacity may be asked to do things in a certain way, in a certain time — every day. Whereas more senior personnel, for example, will be able to determine when they are going to do their work and how they are going to do their work," Professor Ellis said. * Lack of clarity: Not having a clear sense of what exactly is expected and what your measures of success are. "If people have a lack of clarity around what their role is in an organisation, they don't quite know what it is they are meant to be doing and how their contribution contributes to the outputs of the organisation as a whole," Professor Ellis said. * Job insecurity: Working in an organisation or small business where job cuts are on the cards is known to be incredibly stressful, and we are living with more organisational change than we have had to in the past. * Difficult relationships: These can make going to work a nightmare. Obviously having a bad relationship with your supervisor is something we all dread, but problematic relationships with co-workers and even clients can also make your work life pretty awful. "If there is conflict between their role and the role of other people, that can be very stressful," Professor Ellis said. * Bullying or discrimination: These are toxic for our health and for productivity. And sadly, people often respond by leaving their job rather than lodging a complaint. Whose responsibility is workplace stress? While your employer can certainly help when it comes to defining your role and having realistic expectations, Professor Ellis did not let employees off the hook. "The model where we say 'this is the responsibility of the employer' is proving to be a little simplistic, and we need to move into a slightly different world where we have more of a shared responsibility," she said. "Sometimes a worker brings a mental health problem into the workplace and other times we have to recognise that work can have an impact on mental health. So poorly designed work can actually contribute to mental health problems." Stress fitness Building your stress fitness An office worker looking stressed on the phone. There are ways you can improve your ability to cope with stress. (iStock photo: Creatisa) 'Stress fitness' is your resistance to the toxic pressures and demands life can throw at you - and there's lots you can do to improve yours. While employers need to provide healthy working environments for their staff, Kevin Jones — a workplace safety consultant — says we all need to ensure we are fit and healthy so we can do the job we are being paid to do. "We need to be more conscious about our ownership of our own labour and of our own health and safety," he said. Mr Jones said he often encountered diligent and motivated workers who were undermining their own health in the workplace. "I once did an assessment of a pasta making factory and the sheets of lasagne were being packed at the end of a line into plastic trays … The folding of the lasagne sheets was manually done by two lovely ladies at the end of the line. One day I was assessing the workplace and they were saying 'we are getting back issues and sore wrists' from this activity," he said. "Those same ladies were asked if they could do overtime, and they agreed." Mr Jones said it was certainly their right to take the overtime. "But what they were also doing was saying 'well we are getting ill, sore and uncomfortable from this activity, but we're willing to put up with it or make it worse for the potential of the overtime pay'," he said. Take time out, improve communication Mr Jones had one simple piece of advice, likely to appeal to many of us, on how to maintain your health at work. "What you have is a legislative obligation not to put yourself at risk at work, or to create risk and ill health in others," Mr Jones said. "So if you go to work and you are grumpy, tired or angry, you might increase the risk of your workers and colleagues being injured." Coping with stress Coping with stress * Stay connected with family and friends out of work hours * Focus on the basics — exercise, diet and sleep * Make time every day to do something that gives you pleasure, for example start a hobby or activity you enjoy, catch up with friends or take your dog for a walk * Manage irrational or negative thoughts, i.e. write down counterproductive thoughts and challenge them with positive or more realistic ones * Researching and employing stress-relief strategies Mr Jones said when — within reason — people chose to take themselves out of that environment, they were doing their colleagues a favour. "[If] you choose 'I'm not going to go in today because I am not fit for work', you are actually reducing the hazard that you might be presenting," he said. So take the odd sickie when you need it, ensure you get a lunch break, leave work on time and don't forget to use your annual leave. It sounds like simple advice, but how often do we neglect these circuit breakers, putting work before our wellbeing? Professor Ellis said employees — especially middle managers — also need to get better at talking to each other. "One of the bits of feedback that I have got time and time again from people in lots of different sectors is that middle managers don't know how to have the difficult conversation," she said. In her experience, she has found most of us want feedback from our boss or supervisor as long as they approach us in the right way. "People actually like getting performance feedback. What they want is lots of informal feedback, as well as formal feedback," she said. "So if you have created that as the norm, it would be quite easy to sit down with you and say 'look I have noticed that you've been late in a few times' or 'you have been late hitting your targets, is there something up?' So you can couch it in the context of work but also asking the question and then taking it carefully after that." Topics * Stress * Health * Work * Community and Society * Australia More top stories 1. Your guide to drinking responsibly during the silly season 2. Deep vein thrombosis: How long-haul flights can ruin more than your holiday 3. How to eat, drink and be merry without a waistline blowout this holiday season 4. Not just slip, slop, slap: Your summer guide to sunscreen 5. Mental health support 'always' available even over Christmas Top Stories * SportPerpetual LOYAL takes Sydney to Hobart line honours in new record * Tourist washed away in flooded NT river found safe, six still missing * Boy hit by car on Christmas night dies in hospital * Trump says UN just a club for people to 'have a good time' * SportRain-hit second Test looks likely to end in a draw * Coogee Beach booze ban after 'disgraceful' Christmas Day parties * Sydney heads for 'hottest year on record' * SportReddy's injury-time penalty save sees Glory hold City to epic 3-3 A-League draw * Thai student accused of insulting new king back in detention * George Michael remembered for secret charity, random generosity * Green thumbs help woman after letter lambasts 'deplorable' garden * First home grant boost met with concern from WA property sector * Indonesia court to proceed with blasphemy trial of Ahok ABC News on Messenger Connect with ABC News * ABC News on Facebook * ABC News on Twitter * ABC News on YouTube * ABC News on Flickr * ABC News on Instagram * ABC News on Vine News Podcasts Got a news tip? If you have inside knowledge of a topic in the news, contact the ABC. News in your inbox Top headlines, analysis, breaking alerts More info Featured Stories Features David Bowie screams into the microphone The year music died: Remembering the icons who left us in 2016 From David Bowie and Leonard Cohen to George Michael and Prince, it has been a tough year for losing musical icons. Facebook Like symbol OpinionThink again before you post those pics of your kids You might think it is cute to post a photo of your toddler running around in a playground on social media, but did you ever think it might be a mistake? A couple of locals in Tibooburra play a game of horseback soccer with a large red soccer ball in the main street. Your most spectacular photos from the year Here is a selection of photos sent in by ABC Open audience members from around Australia during the year. 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Additional stories Top Stories * SportPerpetual LOYAL takes Sydney to Hobart line honours in new record * Tourist washed away in flooded NT river found safe, six still missing * Boy hit by car on Christmas night dies in hospital * Trump says UN just a club for people to 'have a good time' * SportRain-hit second Test looks likely to end in a draw * Coogee Beach booze ban after 'disgraceful' Christmas Day parties * Sydney heads for 'hottest year on record' * SportReddy's injury-time penalty save sees Glory hold City to epic 3-3 A-League draw * Thai student accused of insulting new king back in detention * George Michael remembered for secret charity, random generosity * Green thumbs help woman after letter lambasts 'deplorable' garden * First home grant boost met with concern from WA property sector * Indonesia court to proceed with blasphemy trial of Ahok Just In * Is the Falls Music festival a safe environment for children? * SportPerpetual LOYAL takes Sydney to Hobart line honours in new record * Trump says UN just a club for people to 'have a good time' * Thai student accused of insulting new king back in detention * First home grant boost met with concern from WA property sector * SportReddy's injury-time penalty save sees Glory hold City to epic 3-3 A-League draw * SportSixers keep their cool to chase down Scorchers * Christmas moonshine kills 23 in Pakistan town: police * Sydney heads for 'hottest year on record' * Russia finds flight recorder from Black Sea crash Most Popular * icon-abc-article Flash flooding in Central Australia forces mass evacuation * icon-abc-article Perpetual LOYAL eyes Sydney to Hobart line honours after Wild Oats XI retires * icon-abc-article Man bitten by taipan in lounge room dies six days on * icon-abc-article George Michael remembered for secret charity, random generosity * icon-abc-article Green thumbs help woman after letter lambasts 'deplorable' garden * icon-abc-article Tourist washed away in flooded NT river found safe, six still missing * icon-abc-article Coogee Beach booze ban after 'disgraceful' Christmas Day parties * icon-abc-article Think again before you post those pics of your kids * icon-abc-article Bruce Highway becomes a car park * icon-abc-article Tourists on top as rain intervenes, as it happened Analysis & Opinion * Is universal basic income the dangerous idea of 2016? * Think again before you post those pics of your kids * Did you get a drone for Christmas? Know the law before you take to the skies * Melbourne terror plot: A statistically enduring anomaly * The major events that defined Queensland politics in 2016 * Classifying races the biggest mistake in history of science * Why we should be concerned with the rise of early planned births * Scorsese's Silence a fitting test of faith at Christmas * Eight-year itch: Couples need nearly a decade to save for Sydney house * What happened to Mike Baird, darling of social media? 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