Stressed out at work? You’re not alone. But a new study finds a big difference between how men and women handle pressure in the workplace.

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According to study researcher JianLi Wang, an associate professor of psychiatry and community health sciences at Canada’s University of Calgary, women had increased levels of depression when they felt like they weren’t appreciated at work or given adequate incentives for a job well done. Men appeared to be unaffected by these factors.

“I think men might focus on how much money they’re making or their status in the organization, whereas women tend to look for that validation from a social perspective,” said Dr. Steven Tobias, a psychologist in Morristown.

However, high levels of job strain seemed to increase the risk of depression among men working full-time, but not among women. In fact, 11 percent of men who worked full-time had an increased risk for depression if their job came with a high level of strain. This compared to a 1.5 percent increase in men whose jobs didn’t come with high job strain.

Researchers also found that conflicts between family and work affected the risk for depression in both sexes. The difference being that men were more affected when their family life got in the way of work, while women were more distressed when work obstructed their family life.

“Women are still primarily the ones taking care of the children, they are concerned about their family and making sure household chores get done and if they have the added stress of a full-time job that can take its toll” said Tobias.

Are you stressed out at work? Tobias says create a balanced schedule, don’t over-commit yourself, get plenty of sleep and make sure to take a break for lunch.

“Employers need to create a work and life balance for their workers. The ones who have personal time and work time in an even schedule tend to be more productive and greater assets to the company.”

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