Here’s How Most People De-Stress After Work
It doesn’t matter whether you’re on the fast track in your career or still feeling out your dream job: If you’re working, you’re likely also stressing. Working overtime, balancing a side hustle, and sometimes even considering a career switch can all weigh heavily on your mind — not to mention the day-to-day grind like keeping up with emails and making sure your boss doesn’t hate you. But now, a new study is shedding some light on what things are stressing the most people out during our nine-to-fives.
HR services company Paychex surveyed over 2,000 full-time US employees ages 18 to 79 to determine their primary stress points at work, how often they feel stressed, and how the results of the election have impacted their work-life balance. According to the study, more Americans are feeling stress and anxiety in their lives, with money and work being the top two factors contributing to their discomfort. More than four out of five of those surveyed wish they could spend more time with their kids, more than half of them are working overtime, and almost half are working on weekends too.
But what exactly is stressing people out about their jobs? According to the study, about 16 percent report complicated work as being their number-one stressor, and another 15 percent name long hours. Other factors people commonly cite as the most stressful part of their jobs include a lack of control, a lack of resources, tough deadlines, and too much work.
The survey also looks at how often participants feel the pressure: More than three-fifths of those polled admit to feeling stressed about work three or more days a week. Depending on whether people are most anxious when they’re actually at work, that could imply that a solid majority of Americans are finding themselves frazzled during at least 60 percent of the workweek. Looking at the breakdowns by industry, people who are employed in marketing and advertising definitely spend the most time worrying about their jobs — an average of 3.84 days spent stressed per week — while those in real estate, rental, and leasing spend the least, clocking in at “only” 2.61 days.
With all this anxiety, how are people trying to take the pressure off after work? For the majority of those surveyed, it comes down to watching TV (hello, Netflix binges). People also noted surfing the web, changing into comfy clothes, and eating as frequent de-stressors. Spending time with family & friends, focusing on hobbies, and catching up on sleep are especially popular options on the weekend versus a worknight.
How do you cope when work stresses you out? Tweet us your advice @BritandCo!
(Featured photo via Getty)
