Today is #nationalstressawarenessday
We hear a lot about stress, but what is it? Stress is the 'perceived inability to cope with the demands placed on us' – work, home, family and other commitments.
Whilst some stress can be useful – it can be stimulating, gives us a focus, a purpose, and makes us do something; too much can be overwhelming. If left unchecked it can lead to someone developing poor mental health. We are all made differently so we can all tolerate different levels of stress.
It's important to think about different sources of stress for you and those around you, at work and at home:
Physical stress - poor diet, too many late nights, working long hours, use of drink and/or drugs as a coping mechanism
Environmental stress – poor housing, social isolation, moving to a new area
Emotional stress - relationship and family problems, conflict at home and/or work, peer pressure
Acute stress – bereavement, separation, being a victim of crime, life changes such as divorce, moving house, becoming a parent
Chronic stress – cost of living, debts, housing problems, long term health issues for you or other people close to you
So what can you do to look after yourself?
Think about your physical health – exercise is good for both our physical and mental wellbeing so try and include some exercise in your daily routine, try and eat a healthy and balanced diet, and get plenty of sleep. I always try and get outside at lunchtime for some fresh air and a walk around the block as it helps me to focus during the afternoon.
Build a support network around you – trusted friends, family members and colleagues that you can talk to. There are lots of voluntary and community organisations that provide support to people going through difficult issues on a daily basis. Think about what support your workplace has – eg line managers, HR, pastoral support, helplines etc. For business owners, it’s also important to identify people in your network you can turn to for advice and a listening ear.
Develop hobbies and interests outside of work which can act as a distraction and give you a different focus – during the pandemic we saw a resurgence of people baking, crafting, reading, learning new skills.
If you would like any more information about how you can support yourself and others in your team, please get in touch.
Sarah Darbyshire FCIPD
HR Consultant and Director
HR Solutions Yorkshire Limited
Ad hoc and retained HR Consultancy Services
T: 01937 591577
M: 07495 857525
E: sarah@hrsolutionsyorkshire.co.uk
W: www.hrsolutionsyorkshire.co.uk
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdarbyshirefcipd/
Mental Health First Aid England profile
https://mhfaengland.org/public-profile/?id=95e471f1-9cb7-e911-a975-000d3ab5a0d7
