Your job is such a substantial area of your life. The majority of your time will be spent in the workplace, which means protection of your own health and wellbeing is paramount. Along with job fulfillment and happiness, you should be aware of the necessary steps to protecting yourself against injuries, sickness, or emotional threats.
Understand Your Accident Risks
Your workplace should have a plan of action in place under its health and safety policy should any accidents or injuries occur. It’s important that you read and understand this in advance to better protect yourself should the worst occur. If your place of work fails to have an accident policy, it’s a good idea to bring it up with your employer. One place to find guidance on how to undergo risk assessments and prepare a health and safety policy is the Health and Safety Executive, at www.hse.gov.uk.
However, you can check workplace accident FAQs here also if you are unsure about your general rights.
Pay Attention to Signs of Burnout
Even if you love and enjoy your job, there’s still a risk of overworking yourself, which can have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing. If you’ve been working increasing hours, offering to do overtime, or simply working at a stressful pace with the demands of your job, you could risk burnout.
Signs of burnout include:
- Exhaustion
- Stress
- Anxiety or depression
- Physical illness
- Insomnia
- Forgetfulness
It’s important to address the reasons for your burnout if you recognize the symptoms. Be sure to decline any extra overtime, or speak to your employer if you feel as though your workload is impossible to manage in the time you have.
Be Attuned to any Negativity
Your wellbeing is directly affected by your environment, and especially a working one, which you spend a high number of hours within on a daily basis. This means that any negativity within your workplace is going to impact your emotional wellbeing. If you are aware of negativity within your workplace, which is not directly linked to you but is having a substantial negative effect on you, it’s a good idea to speak to your employer or a manager you trust to address the situation.
If there is negativity directed directly at you, such as a coworker being negative towards you, or perhaps even negative treatment by an employer, it’s important to take the necessary steps, such as speaking to HR.
Don’t Be Afraid to Take Necessary Sick Days
Many employees feel pressured to still attend work even if they are sick. This could be because of financial pressures, or the worry that you would be letting your workplace down. However, forcing yourself to go into work not only compromises your own recovery, but risks making work mistakes, or passing your illness on to your colleagues.
Be sure to view your illness subjectively, and don’t hesitate to call in sick if needed, for the sake of your own health and recovery.
In Summary
All in all, there are many ways you can work to protect yourself and ensure a healthy relationship with your job and workplace. Nevertheless, there may be a time when your current workplace simply isn’t offering the positive wellbeing you need, despite your best efforts. It’s important to know when to move on and look for an alternative job if your wellbeing or health is suffering too much.
