Uncertainty can cause high levels of stress. Causes of uncertainty can be:

* Not having a clear idea of what the future holds
o Not knowing where your organisation will be going
o Not having any career development plans
o Not knowing what will be wanted from you in the future
* Not knowing what your boss or colleagues think of your abilities
* Receiving vague or inconsistent instructions

In these cases lack of information or the actions of other people are negatively affecting your ability to perform.

The most effective way of countering this is to ask for the information you need. This might be information on your organisation's performance. It may involve asking what your employer wants from you in the future, so that you can set the appropriate career development goals. If you are unsure of how you are doing, ask for a performance review. Where instructions are inconsistent or conflicting, ask for clarification.

If you ask in a positive way, then people are usually quite happy to help.