There are some times when we notice things are not quite right. This could be yourself, a family member, friend, colleague or even a stranger.

 

Do any of these sound familiar?

 

  • everything seems to be a problem
  • seem to have problems remembering things
  • the feeling of being overwhelmed or frustrated
  • just not happy anymore
  • always seem irritable, snapping at people
  • carrying a feeling of guilt
  • jumping to conclusions which are far from the truth
  • lack the confidence you normally had
  • not able to make decisions
  • looking at the glass being half empty, never half full

These are all indicators of stress without any real physical presence.

 

So what are the physical indicators of stress?

 

  • not being able to get a decent nights sleep
  • feeling drained and lacking any energy to do things
  • a racing pulse, the heart just feels like its pounding 
  • find yourself panting, breathing really quickly without taking in much air
  • seem to sweat more for no real reason
  • not eating right, having lost your appetite
  • seem to feel ill and catch colds a lot
  • digestion system just not right, sometimes you feel sick, sometimes you have the runs, other times you are constipated, never just normal
  • sex drive seems to have gone
  • muscles seem to ache and you have pains whereas previously you hardly got any
  •  you feel there is tension in your body which leads to headaches and more pains

 

I feel like that. Is it just me?

 

No, it is not just you. We all experience in some way, shape or form at some time.

 

Stress is a way in which our mind and body respond to demanding situations. It does not have to be a major or traumatic event, it could be simply a task at work or a change to something that you have been used to doing.

 

Some people deal with stress easier than others.

 

It is a normal thing, in fact, it is one of the ways in which we deal with dangerous or threatening situations. You may have heard of the fight, flight and freeze reactions. 

 

If you like, in threatening situations stress is the signal to the mind and body that all is not comfortable and this leads to changes in your normal state. You may feel your pulse speed up, you start to breathe faster, your muscles begin to feel more apparent and they start to tense, your brain goes into overdrive, using more oxygen and processing things very quickly. These are survival type reactions to stress.

 

In lessor, non-life at-risk situations stress can actually motivate you to manage a situation such as a test or an interview.

 

Long term stress can be a real challenge. The body never really returns to normal functioning when you are constantly in a situation which is causing you stress.

 

Repeated exposure to situations that lead to the release of stress hormones and the associated reactions can lead to chronic stress. The reactions in the body which we discussed previously can affect the normal bodily systems such as those for digestion, sleep, reproduction along with our immune system and cardiovascular system.

 

People with chronic stress generally experience digestive system issues, it is common also to suffer from one or more of the following; headaches, sleeplessness, feeling low and sadness, irritability and anger.

 

If a chronic stress situation is allowed to continue it can contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and mental disorders.

 

Chronic stress can speed up the signs of ageing. It make you more susceptible to infection and can lengthen the time it takes for you body to heal in general.

 

Your well-being and the well-being of your employees is a serious priority and it should be treated as such.

 

What can be a cause of stress in the workplace?

 

  • not really sure of what you are supposed to be doing and where you fit in, whilst being too afraid to ask
  • no real communication, sometimes only one-way if any at all
  • work too long, working too hard, not taking your breaks, taking work home and extending your working day regularly
  • pressured targets and deadlines which are unrealistic
  • no recognition for the work completed
  • irregular shift patterns of work, disrupting sleep and social cycles
  • feeling like you are unappreciated and not able to have a voice
  • feeling isolated and unsupported
  • not knowing if your job is safe
  • not have any input into how you carry out your work
  • an unfair or non-standardised disciplinary process and/or application of policies and rules
  • feeling like that your thoughts and feelings do not count and the business decisions do not bother with your input
  • discrimination (racial, sexual, religion, beliefs etc)
  • high mental task demands, work that requires high-level decision making
  • Awkward or conflict situations with colleagues and/or managers 
  • victimisation and or bullying
  • emotionally challenging tasks or workplace environment
  • changes poorly managed

 

Why do I need to know this?

 

Knowing what the indicators and the contributing factors to stress are can help you to manage the situation. It may just be talking to someone, making a few notes of how you are feeling and what you felt triggered this. 

 

Our work can induce stress, especially when added to our day to day challenges of life. We only have to look at our ‘new kind of normal’ that has been brought about by the COVID19 situation.

 

Our mental health is not set in stone, it can and does change. If we looked at it being placed on a simple scale we would see good mental health where we feel good and function well at one end whilst at the other end when things are not recognised and managed appropriately this can create an adverse effect, creating negative feelings, thought processing and behaviour. It is not unusual for us to move along this scale and find ourselves positioned differently at various points and positions in our lives.

 

What support can Positive Venture provide?

 

The goal is to stay mentally well, avoiding, reducing and managing stress to enable us to overcome our challenges, feel better, establish and maintain appropriate relationships, and work productively whilst being safe. 

 

Our team at Positive Venture are driven to help others to understand that stress is not just something that can affect others, it can affect us all. We are here to help individuals and businesses through a variety of ways because we are all different in what we have going on in our work and personal lives we feel that there simply is not a one method fits all. This is why our approach is different from many. We like to establish trust firstly, we like to listen first, after all, it is about you and what is going to work for you.

 

The support services which we provide are available using two main pathways.

Pathway 1 – This pathway is a completely free service of general information and guidance available for all

Pathway 2 – This pathway enters you into our full well-being programmes which includes all the features of Pathway 1 + Advanced level support for businesses and individuals. This is available as bespoke support packages which can enable yourself, your employees and your business to achieve well-being in the workplace. Pathway 2 offers many ways to identify the on-set of stress, ways to avoid getting into that situation, ways to help relieve the stress, one to one and group activities, strategies produced through understanding your needs.

 

It all begins with a conversation. To discuss in confidence your well-being requirements whatever the size of your business please use the ‘Send An Enquiry’ button below or use the ‘Contact Uslink.

 

Our team is here to help you and provide you with a way forward.