5 Top Tips For Managing Stress

We all know what it is like to feel stressed and being under pressure is a normal part of life, in actual fact a small amount of stress can be useful. It can motivate you to take action and get tasks completed. It can also make you feel alive and excited, but becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental health problems or make existing problems worse. At some point in the last year, a staggering 74% of us in the UK have felt so stressed that we have felt unable to cope (Mental Health Foundation).  

According to science, chronic stress leads to impaired cognitive and physiological functions. Failure to deal with constant feeling of stress for a prolonged period of time is the cause of chronic stress and can lead to life threatening problems from hypertension, heart disease, decreased immunity, loss of sociability, and decreased mental vitality, stress is not to be taken lightly! 

National Stress Awareness Day falls mid-week on Wednesday (usually the most exhausting, stressful day) to remind individuals and companies that stress management is fundamental to optimum performance. 

Here are five top tips to help your organisation and employees manage stress in the workplace; 

1. Take your lunch break! Did you know that a year’s worth of lunch breaks equates to almost 6 extra weeks of annual leave? Time away from your desk/work environment is so important to establish a healthy work/life balance.  
2. Be mindful! Be mindful of what’s going on in our body as well as in our mind. Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind. Recognise the signs, the aches, pains, headaches. Set time aside to understand what might actually be causing you that anxiety or stress. 
3. Be more active! Whether that be a stroll on your lunch break, taking the kids swimming on a weekend, smashing that gym class after a bit of a heavy day at work, exercise has massive positive effects on mental health. As well as releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body.  
4. Be proactive! Find the tools that work for you, whether that is creating a to-do list, blocking out time in your calendar or doing the hardest tasks first.  Getting a plan in place helps you feel in control and can reduce the triggers that cause you to feel stressed or anxious.  
5. Brain dump! Having recently conducted a survey with over 2000 Brits, Eve Sleep discovered that 79% of us struggle to switch off at bedtime and 60% of us wake up in the night with thoughts of work and other worries. We have all been there, bedtime arrives, and we feel like we have so much on our mind. Write a list before bed to get everything off your mind, it will still be there in the morning ready to tackle with a fresh perspective. 

At Talk Works we understand how people work. We believe that to work well, people must feel well and engage well at work. We work with businesses to achieve this. When it comes to increasing staff productivity and managing staff well-being, Talk Works provides the tools and support for businesses large and small. Our team of expert consultants and psychologists work side by side with a host of cross sector businesses in the UK to dramatically improve mental health, engagement and, in turn, the working environment. We understand how to engage employees in a positive way to help you to get the most out of your company and your staff. 

Get in touch to find out how we can support your organisation but more importantly your employees.