Stress at Work

Stress is not an illness, however if stress related symptoms are not managed and pressure exceeds our ability to cope, then mental health issues can occur. According to the Health & Safety Executive, as much as 40% of workplace sickness in the UK can be attributed to stress.

Are any of the following triggers for work related stress familiar to you and causing you angst at the moment?

Lack of control over work
Time pressures / excessive or inflexible working hours
Too much or too little work / responsibility
Confusion about duties or responsibilities
Lack of job satisfaction
Little development opportunities
Inadequate training
Poor work/life balance
Difficult relationships at work / bullying / harassment
Lack of support and/or lack of contact with colleagues
Organisational issues – restructuring, job changes

Read on for some helpful hints, information and ideas on how to cope with these challenges…

Relationships

There are times when relationships at work can become strained for various reasons – working conditions and environmental factors, inequality of workload, bullying/harassment, personality clashes, people not ‘pulling their weight’, any issue affecting dynamics. Here are some top tips to consider:

Communicate effectively and with respect…lead by example.
Deal with problems as they arise…dwelling on them will contribute to your stress levels and affect your concentration.
Try to build a ‘good enough’ working relationship with your manager/supervisor so that when and if you have personal issues that are affecting your performance or time at work in some way, they can be aware and perhaps look at what short term measures and support can be put in place for you.
Reflect on your behaviour in the workplace. You don’t have to like everyone but you need to be professional.

Time Management:

Get organised and keep your to-do list up to date, or at least have a mechanism to track important tasks so you don’t have to keep everything retained in your head!
Prioritise your workload – if you are struggling to do this due to your workload then consider asking your supervisor to assist with the prioritising.
Having not enough to do can be just as stressful as too much – is there anything more you can do to be proactive and create work that could be more fulfilling whilst you are going through a quiet time at work?
Plan your annual leave/holiday entitlement in advance where possible to ensure you always have a break to look forward to and that you don’t miss out on the dates you want, particularly in the summer and Christmas.
Take your breaks – fresh air and a change of scenery at lunch time can do wonders to recharge the batteries and help you to be more productive.
Too many emails? I’m not a big fan of the telephone but I have to admit I now find it easier to pick up the phone at work for quick things but also when matters need a bit more attention and discussion. Often, some things are settled more swiftly over the phone rather than a massive email trail.

What are your goals?

Work out what your priorities in life are so that you can keep on track with where you want to be without putting too much pressure on yourself.

Do you want promotion or working towards a different role? Quite satisfied with what you are doing but maybe there is that course you wanted to do? Hold the bigger picture just in focus so that you don’t lose sight of your goals.

Acceptance of those things you cannot control

Channel your energy into what you can change. All too often we worry about things that may not ever happen and think too far ahead. Try to live in the present as much as possible and think about what you can do today.

Organisational issues

Restructures, budget cuts and changes to role can all bring on an extremely challenging time, particularly if you have other stressors in your life. Change can be a difficult concept to get our heads around sometimes, however remember what I wrote about acceptance above – try to ‘let go’ of what is already out of your reach and focus on what you can do something about. Always try to give change a little while to settle. We often perceive things to be worse than they actually are.

Learn to Say “No”

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy and ‘being busy’ seems to have become the mainstay of competitiveness in the workplace these days. We have all contributed to the modern way of doing three peoples jobs in one and being contactable at all times – technology feeding into our work/life imbalance. I hear clients who judge their own self worth by how many hours they work in an attempt to make themselves indispensable and yet it’s never enough and rarely will any of us reach this mecca of achieving what we perceive to be “working hard enough”.

The truth is, it comes back to quality over quantity. My employer enables my therapeutic team to run a Wellbeing course for Leaders. Supervisors and Managers speak about the qualities and values they believe are needed to be a good leader and share their own experiences of being inspired by leaders they have had in the past. The inspiring leaders nearly seem to always have a sense of equilibrium and balance. Consistency accompanied with passion for the role. A good communicator who is compassionate yet held firm boundaries. Boundaries. It seems those who inspire us the most, of course work hard, but they are also able to demonstrate a healthy approach to life in general within their relationships, family life, hobbies and interests.

So, how do they do this? Developing firmer boundaries to manage other people’s expectations of you more reasonably is a must. Learning to say “no” with context comes with experience but it is a must in order to prevent resentment from creeping in as a result of overload. “No” with context isn’t all about explaining yourself to the hilt but it is about being honest and focussing on what can be done rather than what can’t. Making time and space for creativity rather than being on a treadmill of busyness can spark ideas for innovation and time/cost saving ideas. Build time for engagement with your peers and teams. As humans we thrive on contact, so encouraging a team ethos of support and sharing rather than competition will make for a more pleasant work environment.

Support Services

By all means, work hard and be passionate about what you do but know your limits. Employers have a duty of care when it comes to health and wellbeing for their workers, however the person ultimately responsible for your wellbeing is you. What would you do if you didn’t feel yourself and were concerned about your mental health? It is worth knowing what support is in place for you should you need it.

Does your place of work have an Occupational Health Department? Have an awareness of the referral procedure for this if you have been unwell due to mental health issues or physical problems impacting on you in the workplace. Usually a Line Manager would be able to refer you and gain access to advice on how to support you better in the workplace.
Perhaps your place of work has a Welfare / Counselling Department or an EAP where you can gain support and help in dealing with your stress levels. Taking time to look at your coping strategies with a professional can be extremely beneficial.
Consider contacting your HR or Personnel Dept (if you have one) for advice around problems at work.
Are you a member of a Union? Sometimes advice from a Union can assist if you think you have not been treated fairly in the workplace.
Many employers are now encouraging peer support and may have in
house groups or networks where you can connect with others.

Take good care of yourself

Sleep is so important for our mental wellbeing and is often the first thing to be affected when we are stressed. Having a regular sleep cycle is beneficial. Consistency in the time you go to bed and get up in the morning helps the body to develop a routine. If you are a shift-worker, a good wind-down routine before bed can be helpful – the brain needs to process events of the day for restful sleep.
Exercise by doing something you enjoy. If you are in a job which prompts regular adrenal release (emergency services etc), then it is important that you reduce the build-up of the stress hormone, cortisol, to prevent stress overload in the body. Exercise can also help to release those positive endorphins that make us feel happy.
Relaxation and rest is just as important as exercise in maintaining good mental wellbeing. Reading, listening to music, yoga, pilates, a gentle walk in the countryside…whatever works for you. Perhaps try some Mindfulness or meditative techniques, particularly if you struggle with sleep.

Remember: A healthy balance between work and play is down to you to maintain to ensure you are getting the most out of life.

Please do see your GP if you are worried about the impact of your stress levels on your health.

Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine – this video clip certainly made me chuckle and I think we can all identify with how stress can creep up on us as Ellen DeGeneres describes…