Recognizing and Addressing Stress in the Workplace
We all get stressed! That’s no secret, but the question is do we know how to deal with it?
Stress Awareness Month is an annual event held during the month of April. The purpose of this awareness campaign is to highlight the causes and effects of stress, as well as to provide individuals with information and resources to manage stress effectively. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness about the importance of managing stress for overall health and well-being.
#LittleByLittle, is this year's theme and it emphasises the transforming power of regular, tiny, positive acts on overall wellbeing. The idea is to highlight how, over time, even the tiniest daily actions towards stress management and self-care can result in significant improvements in mental health.
Everyday stress can get to us all, but it’s important to be able to recognise stress, especially in the workplace and know how to cope with it. Chronic stress can significantly strain us physically and our emotional well-being too. This can have a massive impact on our performance, behavior, and relationships with other coworkers.
The first step in addressing workplace stress is identifying its underlying causes. These stressors can vary widely, including heavy workloads, tight deadlines, conflicts with colleagues or superiors, lack of control over tasks, unclear job expectations, and inadequate support from management. Prolonged periods of stress can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia, so it’s incredibly important to manage this well.
So the big question? How do you handle stress effectively?
A smart place to start is by understanding the symptoms of stress and its causes. Determine what stresses you out. Everyone deals differently, so take time to find methods that work for you. Reducing stress requires effective time management.
Little things that could help you to reduce your stress levels:
Sort your projects and tasks according to significance and urgency.
Divide more complex jobs into smaller, more doable ones, and give yourself reasonable timeframes.
Create a helpful environment at work.
Make connections with coworkers who can relate to you and offer guidance and understanding of your struggles.
Interact with people who share your interests and experiences.
Here at Republic of Work we offer lots of support. If you’re a startup and want to engage with other startups, our monthly Meetup for Startups is perfect for you. We also run Lunch and Learns, a perfect opportunity to unwind and learn more about new topics and most importantly involve yourself in a new community of like minded individuals.
Make taking care of yourself a priority in your daily routine. This could include:
Having a healthy diet.
Obtaining adequate sleep.
Partaking in enjoyable and relaxing activities.
Making time for social activities with friends and family.
Most importantly, having time for yourself.
Stress Awareness Month is all about recognizing and managing stress effectively. Workplace stress can harm physical and mental health, job performance, and relationships. Strategies like time management and self-care promote resilience. If you may need any additional help here’s a few great websites to take a look at.
A special shoutout to our member Clodagh Ryan who is the founder of CRAOI - who provide a holistic and personalised solution that supports employee wellbeing across our three key pillars; Movement, Mindfulness and Happiness. Take a moment to check it out!
