How are you expected to perform and develop at work if the stress of it is affecting your sleep and thoughts?  You might be experiencing changes in your eating patterns, changes in your skin, heightened irritability, isolation, the use of alcohol or drugs, or a general feeling of a void of love and excitement.  All of these are signs of stress, and many of the sources of stress originate at work.

The good news is that there are a number of habits and routines that have been proven to help us create a healthier relationship with stress—so that it motivates us, as it’s intended to, without defining our lives or resulting in burnout.

One of those evidence-based tools is therapy. Working with a trained professional can help you better understand yourself, your level of stress, your relationship to that stress, and what you want and need in a work environment.  Therapy can help you perform better than ever, achieve more than you thought possible, and ultimately feel more at home in your own mind and body.

You can learn to navigate your relationships and environment more smoothly; examine what role you most often play in group dynamics, explore which roles are most satisfying for you and which cause the most stress. Look at which behaviours in others support and trigger you the most.  Identify your unique strengths and weaknesses and learn how to make them work positively for you.

The more you understand yourself, the more control you’ll feel over your reactions and responses and the better you’ll be able to seek personal and work environments and relationships that are fulfilling for you.  Once you’re aware of your preferences and can anticipate your reactions, you’ll be taken less by surprise. You’ll be able to work with your therapist to proactively develop habits and routines that don’t compromise your health or your job.

You’ll boost your communication skills, set healthier boundaries and learn how to say "no" in a positive way.  Learning these skills with your therapist will help you to become more productive and gain a clearer sense of your life values and goals, allowing you to go forward on a path that you have invested the time to clear of obstacles and unhelpful distractions.  Invest in you.