In the morning, as you prepare to go to work, do you feel a state of mind close to panic? Does the working day seem like a limitless minefield to you? In the evening after work, do you want to go to bed straight away and not wake up? You are therefore subject to stress the cause of which is your professional activity. People at work often experience psychological pressure. In the “risk group” are supervisors and managers, people who work with customers, secretaries, salespeople, teachers and, in fact, almost any job is a source of stress. According to a 2007 national survey by the American Psychological Association, "three-quarters of Americans view work as a significant source of stress, and more than half of respondents report that their work productivity has suffered from stress" ( 2013). Why is the cause of stress usually linked to our performance at work? Because we spend a third of our lives at work and many surprises await us. So, what is stress? According to Hans Selye, one of the first researchers to study stress, stress is "the body's nonspecific response to any demand for change." Stress can take various forms, ranging from moderate stress that challenges individuals to perform certain tasks to high levels of constant stress leading to chronic illnesses” (Wongvibulsin). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention describes workplace stress as “the adverse physical and emotional reactions that occur when job demands do not match the worker's abilities, resources, or needs.” Basically, we all know and understand that stress is bad for us. However, it is a natural state of the body, which is a good thing in itself when present in small quantities....... middle of paper ...... Community College. Retrieved November 27, 2013 from http://spot.pcc.edu/~rjacobs/career/managing_job_stress.htm#What%20areOverwhelmed by Workplace Stress? You are not alone. (nd). http://www.apa.org. Accessed November 21, 2013, from https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspxStress at work. (nd). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed November 21, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/Wongvibulsin, S. (nd). Defining stress • Explore instant messaging. Explore instant messaging. Accessed November 21, 2013, from http://exploreim.ucla.edu/mind-body/defining-stress/.Workplace Stress. (nd). The American Institute of Stress. Accessed November 21, 2013 from http://www.stress.org/workplace-stress/Stress. (2013). University of Maryland Medical Center. Accessed November 27, 2013, from http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/stress#ixzz2lsWtitTl