Stress at work is just as bad as secondhand smoke

By Elizabeth Cohen, Senior Medical Correspondent

Updated 0227 GMT (1027 HKT) September 4, 2015

Think you're being super efficient by tackling four tasks at once? Chances are you're not -- and it's only decreasing your productivity while increasing your stress.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Multitasking – Think you're being super efficient by tackling four tasks at once? Chances are you're not -- and it's only decreasing your productivity while increasing your stress.
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Even reacting to stress by eating junk food or skipping your workouts can actually make your stress worse.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Reacting to stress – Even reacting to stress by eating junk food or skipping your workouts can actually make your stress worse.
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Even if you have a blissfully happy relationship with your live-in partner or spouse, you're both bound to do things that get on each other's nerves.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Your significant other – Even if you have a blissfully happy relationship with your live-in partner or spouse, you're both bound to do things that get on each other's nerves.
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We're told not to sweat the small stuff, but sometimes it's the little things that have the biggest impact on our mood, like the 20 minutes you lose looking for a parking space.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Everyday annoyances – We're told not to sweat the small stuff, but sometimes it's the little things that have the biggest impact on our mood, like the 20 minutes you lose looking for a parking space.
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Stress can be contagious. You can also experience stress when someone you know is affected by a traumatic event, like a car crash or a chronic illness.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Other people's stress – Stress can be contagious. You can also experience stress when someone you know is affected by a traumatic event, like a car crash or a chronic illness.
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Learning about stressful situations in your friends' lives through social media can add to your worries, but frequent social media use in general can be associated with negative body image and prolonged breakup pain.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Social media – Learning about stressful situations in your friends' lives through social media can add to your worries, but frequent social media use in general can be associated with negative body image and prolonged breakup pain.
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When you're so busy thinking about something else that you can't enjoy what's going on around you, that kind of distraction can be a recipe for stress.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Distractions – When you're so busy thinking about something else that you can't enjoy what's going on around you, that kind of distraction can be a recipe for stress.
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You may not think as much about drinking several cups of tea at once, or chowing down on a bar of dark chocolate—both of which can contain nearly as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, which is going to make stress even worse.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Tea & chocolate – You may not think as much about drinking several cups of tea at once, or chowing down on a bar of dark chocolate—both of which can contain nearly as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, which is going to make stress even worse.
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If things don't go the way you expect and you get upset, rather than rolling with the punches, your stress could create a pessimistic mindset.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Expectations – If things don't go the way you expect and you get upset, rather than rolling with the punches, your stress could create a pessimistic mindset.
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Watching sports can trigger the body's sympathetic nervous system, releasing adrenaline and reducing blood flow to the heart. Your body can't determine between "good" or "bad" stress.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Watching your favorite sport – Watching sports can trigger the body's sympathetic nervous system, releasing adrenaline and reducing blood flow to the heart. Your body can't determine between "good" or "bad" stress.
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Spending too much time virtually socializing can make real-life interactions seem extra stressful.
Photos: Surprising reasons for stress
Digital devices – Spending too much time virtually socializing can make real-life interactions seem extra stressful.
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