Stress Management

Stress affects all of us at some time in our lives. Not all stress is bad.

Stress is the physical and mental response of the body to demands made upon it. It is the result of our reaction to outside events, not necessarily the events themselves.

We all need some stress to get everyday things done. Too little can lead to boredom - but too much can produce "burn out." Positive stress helps us to get on with life's challenges. Adrenaline and glucose flow into our blood: we get a ‘buzz’ and feel alert, focused, and creative.

Negative stress occurs when we cannot cope with life's demands. If we don't deal with stress (e.g. through physical activity) it prevents us from relaxing. Eventually this results in a permanent state of stress. That initial ‘buzz’ turns to worry, sensitivity or anxiety. Challenges become threats; we doubt our ability to do even simple things and problems appear impossible to overcome.

Different things cause stress in different people. Some of the things employees commonly cite as causes of stress include: deadlines, balancing the pressure of combining work and home, difficulty in organising work, poor time management, leaving tasks to the last minute, out of control debts, poor housing, overcrowding, noise, adjusting to life in a new environment or country, difficulties with personal relationships (e.g. splitting up), problems at home. Very often stress results from many different pressures which build up gradually without us noticing.

 So how does too much stress affects us?

(Information from NHS)

Physically The heart pumps faster, making the heart pound and blood pressure rise; some people experience palpitations. Muscle tension increases, leading to headaches, dizziness, jaw ache and even insomnia. The mouth goes dry, digestion slows causing "butterflies" in the stomach. Breathing is faster and less efficient which can lead to over breathing (hyperventilation) and breathlessness. Changes in the flow of blood to the skin can cause sweating, blushing or clammy hands and feet.

Mentally A certain amount of stress can be mentally stimulating but too much can affect our thinking ability. Thoughts may become jumbled and confused. Thinking becomes focused on worrying. We may become preoccupied with problems. It becomes much harder to make decisions or find solutions to problems. Thinking negatively and fearing the worst increases worry and stress.

Emotionally People respond to stress in many different ways. Common emotional effects are irritability, impatience, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, self-doubt, panic, despondency, feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, hopelessness, unhappiness, emotional withdrawal and depression.

Behaviorally Stress can change people's behaviour towards one another. We may become less sociable, less caring, more hostile and insensitive towards others. When stress is accompanied by anger we may become less tolerant, fly off the handle easily and provoke rows. Many people respond to stress by eating, drinking or smoking much more than is usual: some engage in risk taking behaviour. Students often complain that when they feel stressed they find it hard to concentrate, feel tired all the time, perhaps start to miss lectures and deadlines and feel they can't cope.

 Employees and the Company will benefit from learning how to manage and reduce the stress that they encounter as they work. It will allow them to achieve success without damaging their health and will maximise motivation levels.

At TrainingTeams Ltd., we run a course for all levels of staff to help them

• Identify signs, symptoms and causes of stress for them as individuals both in the workplace and outside in their non-work life.
• Identify ways to alter their working lifestyle to reduce stress
• Identify strategies to remain calm under pressure
• Identifying stress in others and helping them to manage their stress and identify ways of improving team performance
• Practice relaxation techniques and other pursuits to improve health and concentration levels.

 We also hold a separate course for Managers to identify

• the physical, mental and emotional signs of stress

• the impact of stress on a team

• how to set fair work goals for employees

• understanding the uncertainty caused by change and how to assist employees through it

• how to deal with difficult people at work

• ideas to manage conflict and anger at work