Stress is something that we all experience at some point. It can be caused by work, or by something outside of work, but ultimately it can have a negative impact on lives and day to day activities.
In the workplace, there are many situations that employees can find stressful. Things like deadlines, new tasks and job roles, workloads, and general communications and tensions within teams can cause people to feel stressed. In turn, the stress can manifest in negative ways such as growing irritability with colleagues, lack of motivation and productivity, and even absences in cases where the stress has become too much and it’s affecting one’s mental health.
Outside of work, things like finances, relationships, health, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and so much more, can cause stress or add to existing stress. A lot of factors can’t be controlled, and it is something that people will occasionally experience. The key thing to note is that stress, although it’s not pleasant, can be managed with the right tools and techniques.
Stress and poor mental health can have negative impacts on someone’s physical health too as our minds and bodies are connected. It can cause fatigue, headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, digestion issues and more. The symptoms can worsen if the stress doesn’t go away or if help isn’t available.
That’s why we offer Stress Management Seminars and Training Sessions for Managers, as well as Mindfulness Training. At Choose Occupational Health, we believe in being proactive when it comes to dealing with stress, whether it’s things you can do at home or in the workplace.
Many might think to keep feelings of stress hidden, especially when at work due to stigma and concerns about what it’ll mean for your job. However, occupational health offers a safe and neutral space for you to share your feelings and health worries, and our various stress management workshops are there to teach some great techniques so that you can manage stress at any time and any place…
Check out some stress management top tips from one of our Occupational Health Advisors, Allison Chidlow…
- Eat healthily.
- Be aware of your smoking and drinking; often they can make things worse.
- Physical exercise can be very effective in relieving stress.
- Take time out. Take time to relax.
- Be mindful. Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time.
- Get restful sleep. Sleeping problems are common when you’re suffering from stress.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. Try to keep things in perspective.
Some strategies to help can be:
- Limit extra hours or overtime working.
- Take regular breaks.
- Don’t take work home.
- Take your holiday leave entitlement.
- Set realistic deadlines.
- It’s ok to say ‘no’.
- Switch off technology when not scheduled in work, particularly if it is linked to your work activities or emails etc.
- Access your company counselling or EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) if available.
- Discuss flexible working arrangements with your employer.