Press release -

There is positive job stress

"Moderate stress is good for health and for work," says Mamunur Rashid, Doctor of Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Gävle.

Mamunur Rashid

Mamunur Rashid

Moderate stress is good

Mamunur says that it is proven that moderate stress is good for our general health and has a positive impact on our daily activities.

However, it can be difficult to distinguish between moderate and severe stress, because it depends on how you can handle the perceived stress, he states.

"The decisive factor in making it a positive stress is that you believe you can handle this stress, while having coping strategies for it," says Mamunur Rashid.

To let stress become a friend

If you have a strong belief in your work as meaningful, you can even choose to work in a stressful workplace.

Many doctors and nurses, for example, choose to work in an emergency department even though they know it is stressful there. They know their profession and thus have control and a realistic belief in themselves despite the stressful environment.

- They also need short stress relief to cope with certain stressful situations. They know they can handle the stress and some people also like challenges.

To even produce reasonable stress

Sometimes you may even have to induce just enough stress, says Mamunur. If you have a task and at the same time a deadline, you have to set up a work schedule, set a goal.

- Moderate stress helps us to structure our work and to keep our schedule every day. It also means that they will prioritize their tasks and thus solve them better.

When stress becomes an enemy

But the same task when you do not believe that you will be able to do it, have too little time and no or poor support, will lead to negative stress. A negative stress that can cause anxiety and depression and also an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

- So we also have to pay close attention to the fact that people have different abilities when we share tasks.

Mamunur wants to see employers invest more in training in different management strategies to reduce negative stress, which he says would definitely benefit employees' health and productivity in a company.

- You can influence your stress yourself through awareness, knowledge and through a changed behavior. But people also need support when they are stressed and it is a documented medical fact that support from workmates or family helps to reduce the dangerous stress, says Mamunur Rashid.

Contact:

Mamunur Rashid, Doctor of Occupational Health Sciences at the University of GävleEmail: mamunur.rashid@hig.se


Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo Mamunur Rashid: Anna Sällberg

Topics

  • Health Care, Health Service

Categories

  • occupational health sciences
  • negative stress
  • positive stress
  • job stress
  • research
  • mamunur rashid
  • university of gävle

Education and Research at a Scenic Campus.
The University of Gävle has approximately 17 000 students, more than 50 study programmes and second-cycle programmes, about 1 000 courses in humanities, social and natural sciences and technology.

Research Profiles
Built Environment and Health-promoting Working Life are the general research profiles of the higher education institution. Important parts included are Spatial Planning with a specialisation in Sustainable Built Environment and Musculoskeletal Disorders with the purpose to prevent work-related injuries. In 2010, the higher education institution received permission to carry out third-cycle programmes in the profile area of Built Environment.
The higher education institution has applied for permission to carry out third-cycle programmes in technology, humanities and social sciences.