Stress can get to the best of us. And we all have stressful moments, days, weeks, even months at work. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t! But if work-related stress is affecting your health and wellbeing, it’s time to talk to your employer about it.
And it’s a conversation that nobody likes having. But if you’re struggling with stress, it’s necessary to get help. Otherwise, prolonged stress will lead to burnout. In this blog, we’re going to outline our top tips for talking to your boss about feeling stressed.
Figure Out What Is Causing The Stress
Maybe there’s a particular ongoing project that you are really struggling with, or maybe there’s a client you dread dealing with. Or perhaps your workload is just far too much for you to be able to cope with. By finding the main source of your stress, you will be able to talk to your boss about changes that may help you.
Choose A Good Time To Talk To Your Boss About Feeling Stressed
Choose a time that’s going to be convenient for both yourself and your boss. If your employer is extremely busy, or in the middle of a work-related crisis, or heading out for lunch – it’s not a great time to broach the subject.
Ask For A One To One Meeting
By asking for a meeting, it gives yourself time to prepare what you’re going to say and gives your boss a heads up that you want to discuss something. Plus, you have plenty of time to express your concerns and you won’t be interrupted by other staff members.
Prepare What You’re Going To Say To Your Boss
There’s no denying it… talking to your boss about personal issues, such as your health can be uncomfortable. But not to worry, you can help the discussion go as smooth as possible by preparing what you’re going to say. Make a few notes before the meeting of what you’d like to discuss. For example, these might include:
- the aspects of the job that are causing anxiety and stress
- how the work-related stress is affecting your health and wellbeing
- what you think may help
Be Completely Honest When Talking To Your Boss About Feeling Stressed
Stress affects us all differently. So, simply telling your boss that you’re ‘feeling stressed due to work’ isn’t going to cut it. You need to be completely honest about how work-related stress is affecting your health and wellbeing both at home and in the workplace. After all, honesty is the best policy.
Perhaps you’re dreading going into work every morning. Or you’re feeling sick at the thought of a looming deadline. Or you’re struggling to sleep at night due to work-related stress. Now is the time to get it all off your chest. Your employer can only help you if he/she understands what you’re going through.
Outline The Positives Of Your Job
Before talking about the changes or improvements you think should be made to your job, take a minute to express your appreciation. Outline what you love about your job and ensure your boss is aware that you enjoy working for the company. Explain that for you to continue loving your job, things are going to have to change.
Everyone deserves to be happy in the workplace. Chances are, your boss will want to help you improve your health and wellbeing.
Have Solutions At The Ready
When you talk to your boss about feeling stressed, it’s likely he/she will ask for your suggestions. Make sure you’ve got solutions and ideas for change prepared before you head into the meeting. Perhaps you believe you’d benefit from flexible working. Or maybe you need ongoing support with a big project. Maybe you need help improving your work-life balance. Or perhaps you would benefit from wellbeing training.
Be Open-Minded When Talking To Your Boss About Feeling Stressed
Your employer’s ideas and suggestions for change may be slightly different from your own. But don’t dismiss them entirely. The old saying ‘don’t knock it until you’ve tried it’ springs to mind.
Think about each option carefully and be willing to try something new. If you’re flexible and open to ideas, your boss will be more willing to find a solution that suits you both.
Get In Touch
We hope these tips help you! If you’d like more advice on how to talk to your boss about feeling stressed, get in touch. Here at Wellspace, we are experts in workplace wellbeing.
We are aiming to revolutionise the workplace with our wellness solution. If you’d like to improve your health and wellbeing both at work and at home; check out our resources here.
