Workplace stress can seem all consuming and incredibly overwhelming. The effects of such stress can seem a lot like depression. You may feel sad, or angry; experience inability to concentrate, or to get motivated; you might even feel hopeless, or trapped.

Noticing the signs of stress will help you find ways to alleviate such feelings. If you are relatively happy with your job but are now feeling overwhelmed by the additional duties that may have been added to your daily task list, you may consider requesting assistance from a co-worker with whom you may be able to create a work-sharing system. This system will work to the benefit of all parties, assisting one another with various projects and assignments when either of you feel overwhelmed. You may also consider going to a supervisor or manager to discuss your growing concerns with the amount of work that is being placed in your hands. Let them know you are primarily concerned with the quality of the output which may suffer with your growing level of responsibilities. Maybe a little reprioritizing is all you need so all of your deadlines don’t fall in at the same time.

If you are not truly happy in your position, look elsewhere. The market today may not be at its best; however, with a reasonable amount of networking, posting your resume anywhere it can be posted, and conducting both web and print searches, you are certain to locate a position within a company that will afford you the satisfaction and happiness you deserve in your career. The old adage, “seek and ye shall find,” seems most appropriate here. If you keep telling yourself you can’t, you won’t. Even if you are connected with a good recruiter who will work for you to locate the best new opportunities, a small change is still a change. You only need to evaluate whether or not it is a change in the direction you ultimately want to go.

After a reasonable search, if you honestly believe there are no opportunities out there for you, create one. Either way, you are spending your time on something productive and focusing on something positive as opposed to dwelling on the negative aspects of your current situation.

From receptionists to business owners, mailroom clerks to CEOs, everyone, at some point feels the pressure from the workplace. If you are happy where you are, reach out for help. Trying to deal with it alone can only increase the amount of stress you are dealing with, making the symptoms that much worse - and bringing you that much closer to complete burn-out.

Allow others to be brought into your situation. By simply having a conversation with another person, you may find that they have solutions to some of the problems you are having; or have come up with faster methods of completing tasks you are being faced with.