Stress is our body’s natural way of responding to the demands of life and is something we all experience.

It is often seen in a negative light, however in many cases, stress is a healthy reaction and helps us cope with the challenges life throws at us.

When you start to feel stressed, it can be helpful to take time to get clear about what the cause of your stress it. Is it really your partner, children or family, or is it because you’re feeling pressure at work?

Often on their own, we can deal with the stresses of daily life; it’s when they all converge together that creates chronic stress and that is much harder to manage.

Stress management strategies at work

• Know when to remove yourself from a stressful situation. Take a walk or make a cup of tea to give yourself some time to reset.
• Seek help from colleagues, supervisors, counsellors or your EAP provider.
• Debrief: share your feelings in an appropriate setting.
• Learn and practice techniques to reduce stress levels: be aware of your reactions and learn how to best moderate/ address them.
• Take proper work breaks and take time off when you need it. Having a holiday, weekend or day trip to look forward can sometimes make all the difference.
• Maintain a work-life balance. Leave work at work so you can re-charge when you’re not in the office.

Managing stress as a team

Organise frequent team meetings that offer employees a chance to feel supported:

• Address concerns
• Debrief
• Recognise achievements
• Keep all staff members up to date with any changes
• Come up with new ideas as a team and hear each other’s input

Stress is a real part of our lives, what can you do in the next week or fortnight to support your own stress management? What actionable steps could you use to help support your team?

For more information about stress management read our article on Resilience in the workplace or check out these 7 free health and wellbeing apps as recommended by our clinicians