Quiz: How Stressed Are You?

Work through this quiz, noting down your responses to the questions. At the end you can convert your answers into points to see how stressed you are at work.

1. Do you have difficulty getting to sleep because you are thinking about work?

• A. Always
• B. Often
• C. Sometimes
• D. Never

2. Which of the following best describes the deadlines you are set?

• A. I always achieve my deadlines with time to spare
• B. I usually come in on target and meet my deadlines
• C. I am set stretching deadlines and have to work hard to meet them
• D. I am always behind schedule and struggle to keep up with what is demanded of me

3. Are you able to set aside periods during the day to switch off from work?

• A. I think about my work 24/7 and can never completely switch off
• B. When I am in the office I’m working constantly, but I can relax at home
• C. I work fairly solidly, but I have the occasional chat with colleagues and I always leave the office for lunch
• D. I take frequent breaks and switch between different tasks throughout the day

4. Do you have people with whom you can discuss your work problems?

• A. No, the buck stops with me
• B. Although I’m trusted to make my own decisions at work, there are people I can turn to for advice
• C. I can discuss my work problems at home, where I get support, sympathy and advice
• D. My work problems are insignificant compared to the problems in my home life

5. How much exercise do you get?

• A. Practically none
• B. I do a bit of walking
• C. I do some exercise, but probably not as much as I should
• D. I take regular exercise that helps me to work out my frustrations

6. Do you get angry in the workplace?

• A. The people who work for me are lazy and incompetent and I have to shout at them otherwise nothing would be done
• B. Customers or suppliers wind me up, and I sometimes get angry after speaking with them
• C. My colleagues can get on my nerves, but I don’t let it show
• D. I am a paragon of calm and efficiency

7. Are you confident about your ability to do your job?

• A. I’ve only recently been promoted so I’m still finding my feet
• B. I can do this job standing on my head
• C. I have been a manager for a long time and am capable and experienced
• D. I feel challenged at times, but I am generally happy with my achievements

8. Do any of the following apply to your job? (Choose all that apply)

• A. I often have to deal with dissatisfied customers
• B. Morale among my co-workers is low
• C. I work in a high-pressure environment
• D. My industry has a high turnover of staff

Answers

Award yourself points as follows.

Q1 A 2, B 1, C 0, D 0

Q2 A 0, B 0 , C 1, D 2

Q3 A 2, B 1, C 1, D 0

Q4 A 2, B 0, C 0, D 2

Q5 A 2, B 1, C 1, D 0

Q6 A 2, B 1, C 1, D 0

Q7 A 2, B 0, C 0, D 1

Q8 Add half a point for each that applies

Rating

0–4 Congratulations. Either your job is stress-free or you are managing it very well. Although you should be vigilant for signs of stress, it seems unlikely that you will encounter any of these at the moment. Enjoy this stress-free period while it lasts!

5–10 You suffer a certain amount of stress in your job, but you don’t let this take over your life. Although your work may frustrate you at times, you have effective coping strategies and you don't see stress as a problem. You need to be careful that your level of stress does not creep up over time. Make sure you continue to put aside some time for care-free relaxation.

11–16 You are very stressed. You probably already know this! You should investigate ways to reduce the stress of your job and to more effectively deal with the stress that remains. You might find it useful to learn some relaxation techniques, perhaps by learning yoga or tai chi. Be sure to take some action now before you burn yourself out!