Stress Awareness Month, April 2022 – Top Tips for Reducing Stress
The word stress is part of our everyday vocabulary since most of us experience it at some point in our lives. It’s fair to say that the pandemic affected us all to varying degrees, with lockdowns, home-schooling and job challenges to contend with.
For some of us, a measure of stress can be useful. It can spur us on and keep us motivated; it can help us meet a deadline or multi-task – but what happens when you reach the tipping point and it begins affecting your life?
April is ‘Stress Awareness Month’ and at Creative Resource we’re well aware that looking for a new job, making numerous applications, attending interviews and finding yourself in a new role are all enormous life events which put you under pressure and strain.
Take 5 minutes out and read our top tips on recognising and managing stress:
- Talk about it – Stress affects you mentally, physically and can even change your behaviour. If you’re feeling like something’s not right make sure to speak to someone, whether it’s a family member, a friend or a health professional. Don’t be alone, people are willing to listen.
Samaritans can offer help: 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org for someone to talk to.
- Move your body – Managing stress with movement is always a winner. Whether it’s tension-busting or calming, individual or community-based, physical exercise brings an important balance to both body and mind. Remember you don’t have to be an athlete or even spend money; if a walk or jog round the local park is more your thing then you’ll be getting outside and seeing the world beyond your screen.
Free – Couch to 5k – Backed by the NHS, this excellent, and free, running programme guarantees to have you running 5k in 9 weeks through carefully planned sessions https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/
- Take control of time – Over-scheduling is all too easy when it feels like so much needs to be achieved. Taking time to prioritise tasks is a helpful way to work out what really needs your attention and writing lists or designating blocks of time to each can leave you feeling more relaxed and focused…especially when one of those blocks is making sure you eat.
- Breathe – Stress affects our ability to concentrate so working on calming your mind and body is crucial. Breathing techniques can be used anywhere so whether it’s before a presentation, after a tricky interview or even to get to sleep, take a moment to work on your breathing for promoting a sense of clarity and calm.
The Calm app is brilliant but there are also many breathing technique videos on YouTube.
- Do the things you love – Seeing friends and family, reading, listening to music and interesting podcasts, taking on a hobby – they’re all things that enrich our lives and help us when we’re at work. Having things to look forward to in our free time creates the balance we need when we’re taking on the stresses of work.