National Stress Awareness Day
Posted by Simone Sackey on Nov 05, 2024
‘National Stress Awareness Day’, falling on November 6th this year, is our opportunity to understand and reflect on the impact that stress has, not only on our mental health, but on our workplace performance.
This day was established by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) in 1998, as a chance to impart information on the matter and advise on how both individuals and organisations can first address and then cope with high stress levels.
Do you find that the stress to perform at work causes more stress? Are you putting your mental wellbeing on the back burner?
Did you know that “Mental Health UK’s Burnout report 2024, based on a YouGov poll of 2,060 adults, found that 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, leading to one in five workers (20%) in the UK needing to take time off work in that period.” With that in mind, to ensure we all make a point of prioritising physical and mental wellbeing when we have an upcoming deadline or a big promotion in sight, allowing yourself to give into stress-provoking habits for the sake of optimal performance in your job will hinder your long-term performance!
Do you recognise any of the following unhealthy habits in your working week?
- Missing meals to free up more time.
- Sleeping late to finish off tasks.
- Excessively drinking coffee to mask your body’s cry for help, on the verge of shutting down.
- Avoiding socialising with family and friends due to pure exhaustion.
If you find yourself ticking any of these boxes, you are likely succumbing to work stress, when you should instead find ways to prevent it. So, here are some ideas to combat overworking your mind and body, thus avoiding burnout:
- Pick up the daily habit of writing a realistic to-do list, in order to stay on top of your workload and other everyday responsibilities.
- Plan ahead when to eat each meal and do your best to stick to it.
- Communicate with your team when you feel overwhelmed and may need support.
- Turn off all work-related devices at the end of each working day and give yourself the rest of the day to relax.
- Get into bed and genuinely sleep… no phones or other distractions!
If you would like some further insight into how to manage and prevent increasing stress levels in your everyday life, as well as develop healthy habits to optimise physical and mental wellbeing, visit: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/how-manage-and-reduce-stress
There are also free resources designed to “empower you, enhance your productivity and brighten your day”, available here: https://www.stress.org.uk/freeresourcessam2024/
Sources:
https://business.itn.co.uk/workplace-stress-exploring-solutions-for-a-burnt-out-nation/