“Feeling stressed is a typical human experience,” says Dr Hannah Wilson, Head of Clinical Governance & Clinical Psychology Lead at Qwell. “It’s something that the vast majority - if not all - of us will encounter.”
what stresses us out
When we’re at work, lots of different factors can make us feel stressed. Typically, you might get anxious because:
- You’re trying to juggle lots of different competing demands.
- You’re anxious about how your performance is being evaluated, whether that’s by peers, managers or yourself.
- You feel uncertain and insecure, especially if your role is temporary or you have a zero hours contract.
- You’re lacking a sense of psychological safety, which could mean that you don’t feel safe to make mistakes or ask for help.
The strain gets worse if you’re dealing with home life problems on top of work challenges. It’s even harder to cope with the demands of work if you’re also trying to manage things like an illness in the family, financial worries, moving house, or a child who’s going through a tricky time.
the upside and downside of stress
Hannah points out that stress isn’t always a bad thing. She says: “Stress can even be helpful at times. It might help us to focus or be productive, or to realise that we care about or value something. The adrenaline it produces can also improve performance.”
However, while short-term or temporary stress is common, long-term stress can become problematic.
Prolonged stress, or acute stress, can lead to us feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope.
“Generally, when we experience stress, we are in a ‘threat state’ and our body produces hormones like adrenaline and cortisol,” says Hannah. “This can be exhausting if it lasts a long time, and can also have a negative impact on other areas of our life, such as sleep, eating, mood and relationships. Of course, that can then cause us more stress, and it becomes a vicious cycle!”
practical ways to prevent stress
Managing stress can help us to prevent these negative impacts, and reduce the chance of experiencing burnout.
Hannah suggests looking out for your own personal early warning signs of stress. When you’re stressed, do you start to drink or eat more? Do you stop doing your usual exercise? Do you work longer hours and cancel leisure time with friends or family? By being aware of how you act under stress, you can take action before things become too difficult.
Ensure that your daily activities, such as eating and sleeping, remain consistent, as well as making sure that you still have space to rest and recharge.
Try to pay attention to your workload, and speak to your manager if you notice that it is not feeling achievable.
Hannah adds: “Another key strategy in preventing stress is how you speak to yourself. Being self-critical can increase our stress levels, so being kind and compassionate to yourself can help you keep your stress in check.”
don’t push through – look after yourself
When you’re in a really stressful situation, it can be tempting to just push through, even if this means ferocious multi-tasking, skipping sleep and putting your own wellbeing last.
However, if you don’t tackle your stress, it can lead to chronic stress and burnout, which can have both physical and mental health consequences. These might include raised blood pressure, stomach or gut issues, hair loss, panic attacks, exhaustion, changes in mood, and even thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
“Sometimes, stressful situations resolve themselves without you making any changes,” says Hannah. “However, this is unusual. In most cases, you have to take action to look after yourself.”
One of the most helpful ways to support yourself at a stressful time is to talk to someone else, whether that’s a friend, a partner, a family member or a professional.
Another way to look after yourself is to keep up your regular ‘self-care’ activities, which are even more important to prioritise during stressful periods. “This might include spending time in nature, connecting with loved ones, hobbies, time with pets, and moving your body in a way that feels good to you,” says Hannah. “Building in moments to stop and breathe can also help regulate stressful feelings.”
Some people find it helpful to write about their feelings in a journal, to get them out of their head and onto paper. Meditation is also a great way to help you calm down spiralling, anxious thoughts. Any activity that encourages you to feel more ‘in the moment’ will help promote a sense of calm, whether that’s painting or crafting, doing a jigsaw or playing an instrument.
small steps for a calmer personal life
Life can sometimes feel like a whirlwind, especially if you’re juggling the demands of work with the demands of your personal life. It can seem as though everybody wants something from you and you have no time or space for yourself.
Here, Hannah recommends a few tips to help you reduce the stress at home and in your personal life.
- If you work from home, try to ensure you work in a separate space, if possible, or at least put your work equipment away out of sight at the end of the working day.
- Spend a little time each day tidying up, as a cluttered or messy environment can add to a sense of stress.
- Take time to plan ahead, for example by preparing meals or having a ‘to do’ list, to reduce the stress at home.
- Create some physical or mental space, if possible, for downtime that helps you feel calm and relaxed.
- Set aside some time to connect with the people who matter most to you, even when you’re busy.
ask for help
There’s a lot you can do to stop stress from becoming overwhelming. But if it starts to feel unmanageable, remember that you don’t have to face it alone.