1 in 5 Brits contemplate quitting their job due to work-related nightmares

The pandemic has changed so much in the last year, especially for employees that have had to make the switch from working in an office to working from home. While there are certainly perks to this, many are also finding a few drawbacks, including the impact that it is having on sleep.

Workplace Nightmares Common

Interestingly, a survey conducted by business card printing specialists instantprint revealed that as many as 4 in 5 of people have had a dream about their workplace since making the switch to remote work. Worryingly, 75% of the 1000 respondents claimed that these were nightmares with 1 in 5 people even considering quitting their job as a result of the nightmare.

Types of Nightmares

So, what are these nightmares that people have been having that have had them contemplating handing their notice in? Leading the way was being unprepared for a task with 17%, followed by getting lost or never arriving (15%), being trapped at work (11%) and showing up late (11%). These nightmares could be having a significant impact on your wellbeing, stress levels and job performance, which is a cause for concern in such a challenging time which is why it is important to get to the bottom of why more people are having workplace-related nightmares whilst working from home.

Explanations

Dr. Sarah Jane Daly, a senior lecturer in social psychology from the University of Huddersfield had some interesting thoughts on why this might be:

“For many of us, Covid-19 has brought work into our personal spaces. We think of home as a place where we can relax and shut out work-day stresses and strains. The fact that many people work from home now, means that our homes have become literal places of work. Kitchen tables, coffee tables, beds, sofas – all places that were once stress-free are now sites of work-production. Getting away from work has never been so difficult.”

How to Reduce Stress

So, how can people reduce stress in order to improve their sleep and avoid workplace nightmares? There are lots of ways in which you can do this, such as practicing meditation, avoiding screens an hour before bed and cutting out caffeine in the afternoons. There are also work-related steps that you could take, including having a dedicated area of the home for work, making sure that you are fully prepared for the day by giving yourself time in the morning and by maintaining communication with your boss and colleagues.

Adjusting to WFH has been a huge challenge for many UK workers and this has clearly had an impact on people’s subconscious with so many having work-related nightmares. These could be impacting your general wellbeing, so it is important to understand why this might be happening and take steps to reduce stress so that you can benefit from a good night’s sleep.