From boreout to burnout. How do you handle stress?
It is safe to assume that everyone knows what it feels like to be stressed. We tend to accept that experiencing stress or being ‘under pressure’ is part of life. It is a common challenge for organisations, yet stress is the reality of the modern-day workplace. A certain amount of stress can be positive, but on the whole, stress can be hugely damaging to physical health and mental wellbeing. If left to build up, stress can cause high blood pressure, insomnia, diabetes, obesity and much more. It can make existing mental health problems worse and trigger anxiety and depression.
On National Stress Awareness Day, 3rd November 2021, we will highlight what stress is, how stress can affect employees and what you can do to support yourself and your employees in dealing with stress.
What is stress? Stress is our body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under too much mental or emotional pressure. A small amount of stress and pressure can motivate, helping you get things done and meet the demands of life. But too much stress tips us into overwhelm, which can affect how we think, feel and behave, especially if stress feels unmanageable or out of control. Prolonged stress can cause exhaustion and burnout, a significant workplace well-being problem.
Workplace stress often happens when there is a conflict between job role demands & responsibilities and the amount of autonomy & control you have when meeting these demands. So if the needs of your job or a task in hand are high and your ability to control the situation or the likelihood of delivering in time/on budget etc., are low, then stress is likely.
How does stress affect work? At some point, most employees will experience stress at work, and different organisation sectors may find their people are more likely to experience stress than others. The financial services industry is considered the most stressful in the UK, swiftly followed by local and national governments and healthcare.
Stress can decrease overall business performance and output. Employee performance can reduce and alongside this, people may make more errors than usual or produce work of poor or lower quality. Organisations may experience a high rate of staff turnover, absenteeism or presenteeism. These employee challenges could result from stress triggering or worsening a mental health condition, people struggling with a work-life imbalance, and even physical ill-health caused by stress.
Research shows that there are several critical ways for employers to reduce workplace stress. Namely, providing adequate administrative support, managing expectations, minimising relationships and role conflicts, ensuring good training and reward systems, and providing employees with emotional support to improve their overall performance and job satisfaction.
Top tips for dealing with workplace stress
Split up big tasks: Big tasks can seem overwhelming, and getting started or maintaining progress can be difficult. We recommend breaking tasks down into smaller chunks which you can achieve in shorter periods. Not only will each mini-task feel less daunting, but it will also help you to measure your progress and give you a sense of control & accomplishment.
Plan ahead: As stress and feeling out of control are linked, planning can help you to minimise stress. If you think an upcoming event will be stressful, planning a to-do list can help you feel in control and reduce the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed. Planning could be pre-identifying people who can support you, work alongside you, or plan logistics. Also, plan in regular breaks and think about how you will reward yourself for making progress.
Challenge your thinking: The way you think affects the way you feel, and this impacts how you behave. Positive reframe strategies are a valuable way to help remove the “stress” from specific events. A reframe allows you to look at the same situation differently, so instead of threats and challenges, look for possibilities and opportunities. To get started, why not examine and question what exactly is causing you stress? Which element is most important? What exactly is pushing you out of your comfort zone?
Get Active: Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you. It may not take away the stressor, but you will return feeling calmer, having burnt off any nervous energy and tension. Taking time out to be active gives your brain a much-needed rest and a chance to think differently about the problem. You don’t need to start running marathons, and a 10-minute stroll around the block or park is enough!
Gratitude: Practising gratitude will help you think about the good things in your life and what you’ve accomplished. In times of stress, it can be easy to forget these things. Practising gratitude encourages the brain to release dopamine and serotonin, which help improve moods and make you feel ‘good’.
Talk to someone: It can be challenging to find someone to offload with when you’re stressed. Trusted friends, family and colleagues can help you to get feelings off your chest. Talking with someone allows you to process how you feel, question yourself, and work out what you need to reduce stress.
At fifty50, our mental health and well-being coaches are always on hand to support people experiencing stress. Whether you need someone to listen to you or a more proactive approach to managing your stress, we will provide a safe coaching space. All our coaches understand stress and will empower you to take control, take care, and de-stress.
fifty50’s Pressure-Performance bell curve is based on Yerkes-Dodson law. Yerkes-Dodson law is a model of the relationship between stress and task performance.