People use the term stress to describe the feeling they have when it all seems too much, when they are overloaded and don’t feel that they are able to meet all the demands placed upon them. That’s not to say that a bit of pressure isn’t good for you. Some pressure is inevitable, but it’s important to know the difference between pressure and stress. Problems arise when the pressure you’re under is more than you are able to cope with.

Are you stressed?

If you think you might be experiencing stress ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you angry and impatient with people close to you?
• Do you feel close to tears over small events?
• Are you behaving differently from usual?
• Do you feel isolated from the people around you?
• Is your self-esteem at rock bottom?

Do you have any of these physical symptoms?

• Sleeplessness.
• Loss of appetite or irregular eating.
• Panic attacks and difficulty breathing.
• Tight, knotty feelings in your stomach.
• Low energy and lack of concentration.
• Loss of interest in things around you.

What can you do if you are stressed?

1. Give yourself some space
If you start to feel that you’re getting stressed – take a step back. Give yourself some space. Take some time, every day, doing something you enjoy and not thinking about anything else.
Impossible! Most people will claim. Not so. Everyone has 15 minutes in a day that they can reserve for themselves. It might just be a walk round the block, a bit of gardening or a bath with the door locked and some earplugs in. The important thing is that you get the time to yourself for yourself.

2. Know your limits
If your expectations of yourself are always sky high, you will inevitably spend a great deal of time being disappointed and frustrated. Be realistic in what you can achieve and celebrate success at every opportunity.Remember that you are entitled to breaks and days off , so take them.
Also, make sure you get a reasonable amount of sleep. Not taking on too much, accepting offers of help from others and doing one thing at a time are ways to prevent stress.

3. Learn to relax physically
Believe it or not, being able to relax your body is a skill. You must teach yourself to do it effectively and once you do, it can be very powerful.
Relaxation is best done every day, and at a time and place, where you will not be disturbed.
People relax in different ways. For some, physical exercise is a way of relaxing. Try walking, running, dancing or sport. Others may prefer to sit quietly and go through a relaxation exercise. Try different things to find what’s right for you.

4. Talk
If things do feel like they’re getting on top of you, perhaps you could consider the most difficult of all things - talking.
Speak to someone you trust, outside or inside your workplace about the things that are causing you stress.
If you suspect your staff may be suffering from stress it may help to conduct a ‘stress audit’ to help identify where to concentrate your efforts in reducing sources of stress.
The Health and Safety Executive has developed a set of Management Standards for work-related stress. The Management Standards represent a set of conditions that reflect high levels of health, well-being and organisational performance. Following the advice on their website will enable you to identify the gap between your current performance and these conditions. It will also help you to develop your own solutions to close this gap.

www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards

---

Director of Human Resources Williams Medical Supplies

Contents: