Stress management

Identify your sources of stress

You can’t eliminate, address, or change the source of your stress if you don’t know why you’re stressed.

• Stress at work. If your work stress is too much to bear or you are dealing with a stressful boss, seek help first from your GP or Therapist to help you cope and manage, as well as seek help from your HR team to help you come up with supportive strategies.
• Personal situations that are unexpected, unpredictable, and out of our control are more likely to make us feel stressed. A self-assessment can help you figure out how you’re feeling. Try one of these: Mental Health Meter or Work-Life Balance Quiz

• Family Stress: Conflict, Relationship problems, divorce, or separation, can be extremely stressful. Asking for assistance can make a significant difference. Reach out to friends, other family members, online groups, the community, or a therapist.

• Financial worries: Student debt, personal finances, or other financial concerns can really throw us. Regain control over your finances. Speak to people who can help.

• Stress as a caregiver: If you’re responsible for the care of a loved one, you can alleviate some of your stress by seeking out resources, support, and information. You can find information online or join specific groups.
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Reacting to Stressful situations:

• Learning techniques for dealing with both acute and chronic stress can help you cope better with whatever life throws at you.
  • Avoid unnecessary stress
  • Identify the causes of stress
  • Work to reduce your stress levels in a proactive manner by employing an effective stress management strategy.
  • Problem-solve the cause of your stress
  • Actively change your thoughts about your stressor
  • Make time to rest, relax and recharge
  • Improve your physical health
    
• Relieve stress as soon as possible. Slowing down your breathing is one of the most effective, immediate strategies for regulating your stress and mood in the moment.
• Consider your choices. Accept, Avoid, Alter or Adapt to your stressor or situation.
• Relax your entire body. To reduce your overall level of tension and prevent yourself from becoming overly tense again, practice progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Or you’ve heard the saying – Fake it til you make it! The simple act of smiling, even if fake, has been shown to improve your mood. It appears to be too easy to be true, but it works!
• Our stress levels are influenced by how we think about events in the past, present, and future. We have the ability to manage them rather than allowing them to manage us by becoming conscious. We can reduce our stress by harnessing the power of thought.
• Allow your mind to unwind. Our stress levels are influenced by how we interpret events at work, whether they are past, present, or future. The power of your mind can help you feel less stressed.
• Make the most of your assets. Identifying your strengths and learning how to apply them in the face of adversity aids in the development of resilience.
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Stress Prevention

• By creating a plan to increase your Resilience, you can avoid the majority of severe stress responses.
• Make sure you get enough rest. We’re more likely to feel stressed and emotional if we don’t get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation has an impact on our ability to work as well as our ability to respond effectively to disgruntled employees and negative emotions at work.
• Create healthy coping mechanisms.
• Use stress-relieving apps to your advantage. Mental health apps come with a variety of features.
• Maintain a healthy work-life balance.
  
  These tips are a great start:
  • Do Mindfulness, deep relaxation, or visualization
  • Build resilience
  • Take time out away from screens and reduce screen fatigue
  • Take regular breaks such as a coffee break, walking around the block, doing a round of mail delivery, climbing the stairs, dancing at your desk, drinking water, stretching at your desk, calling family or a friend, brainstorming with a colleague whilst walking, moving to music, complimenting a co-worker, etc.
  • Separate from work when you get home
  • Get organized (at home and work)
  • Have a support network
  • Let go of perfectionism
  • Deal with workload stress