Common work stresses — something everyone faces at one point in his or her career — include having too much to do at once, a poor work/life balance, job uncertainty and more. Add a cancer diagnosis on top of that and these strains can become exacerbated. The Job Network suggests confronting stresses head-on by thinking through a series of questions:

• What is causing this?
  Identify what’s behind the stress — and be realistic. Is the person you’re lashing out at and the issue you’re lashing out about really what’s bothering you?


• What would my ideal situation be?
  Assess what would make you feel less pressured and more fulfilled in your job. Attending fewer meetings? Being able to say no when your manager asks you to take on more? Having a reasonable accommodation that enables you to better do your job?


• Can I take steps to create a situation that is closer to my ideal?
  Some factors, such as hard deadlines or seemingly impossible bosses, may actually be negotiable. Think of a plan for the next time around. Maybe it’s that you’d prefer to have more advance notice on something; or maybe it’s sitting down with your boss to figure out the best way to mesh your styles on future projects.


• If not, what do I want to do to prevent this from being my norm?
  If the disconnect between the ideal and the reality is just too big, or if making small changes won’t make your job any more rewarding, it might be time to start looking for a different job or developing an exit strategy. Updating your resume is a good first step — and CAC can help with that: Simply click here to upload your resume and get free tailored feedback from a professional career coach.

You can also reduce stress by learning to manage treatment side effects in the workplace or developing techniques for relieving anxiety.