The festive period is meant to be a time for getting together, enjoying each other’s company, exchanging presents and having a good time. Unfortunately, this time of year can also be the most stressful for all manner of reasons. Here’s some suggestions on how to reduce these stresses. Stress can affect us in a variety of different ways including nausea, constant butterflies, lack of sleep, weight-loss and not being able to think clearly. Sometimes you don’t even realise you’re stressed until something happens that you really can’t cope with. Here are the “10 Commandments to Reduce Stress” (from www.medical-masterclass.com). I hope this helps you to cope with the festive season.
If you feel like:
...then these commandments are for you.
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People who are struggling to cope with workplace stress may place themselves at high risk of burnout. Burnout can leave people feeling exhausted, empty, and unable to cope with the demands of life. Burnout may be accompanied by a variety of mental and physical health symptoms as well. If left unaddressed, burnout can make it difficult for an individual to function well in their daily life. What Is Burnout? The term “burnout” is a relatively new term, first coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger, in his book, Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement. He originally defined burnout as, “the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results.” Burnout is a reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress and is characterised by three main dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism (less identification with the job), and feelings of reduced professional ability. More simply put, if you feel exhausted, start to hate your job, and begin to feel less capable at work, you are showing signs of burnout. The stress that contributes to burnout can come mainly from your job, but stress from your overall lifestyle can add to this stress. Personality traits and thought patterns, such as perfectionism and pessimism, can contribute as well. Most people spend the majority of their waking hours working. And if you hate your job, dread going to work, and don't gain any satisfaction out of what you're doing, it can take a serious toll on your life. Signs and Symptoms While burnout isn’t a diagnosable psychological disorder, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken seriously. Here are some of the most common signs of burnout:
It shares some similar symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depression. Individuals with depression experience negative feelings and thoughts about all aspects of life, not just at work. Depression symptoms may also include a loss of interest in things, feelings of hopelessness, cognitive and physical symptoms as well as thoughts of suicide. Individuals experiencing burnout may be at a higher risk of developing depression. Risk Factors A high-stress job doesn't always lead to burnout. If stress is managed well, there may not be any ill-effects. But some individuals (and those in certain occupations) are at a higher risk than others. According to a 2018 report by Gallup, employee burnout has five main causes:
Prevention and Treatment Although the term "burnout" suggests it may be a permanent condition, it's reversible. An individual who is feeling burned out may need to make some changes to their work environment. Approaching the human resource department about problems in the workplace or talking to a supervisor about the issues could be helpful if they are invested in creating a healthier work environment. In some cases, a change in position or a new job altogether may be necessary to put an end to burnout. It can also be helpful to develop clear strategies that help you manage your stress. Self-care strategies, like eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercises, and engaging in healthy sleep habits may help reduce some of the effects of a high-stress job. A holiday may offer you some temporary relief too, but a week away from the office won't be enough to help you beat burnout. Regularly scheduled breaks from work, along with daily renewal exercises, can be key to helping you combat burnout. If you are experiencing burnout and you're having difficulty finding your way out, or you suspect that you may also have a mental health condition such as depression, seek professional treatment. Employers must get to grips with mental health in the workplace with politicians focusing on the issue and recent case law showing that employers are failing to understand their responsibilities. The term “mental health” itself is not a legal definition but refers to a continuum that includes emotional well-being, mental health conditions and mental illnesses. Mental health, like physical health, can fluctuate but everyone’s experience of mental health is different and unique to them. It would now seem that as a society we recognise the need to take more proactive steps to invest in addressing and improving mental health and the benefits of doing so. In some cases, employers will be legally obliged to take certain steps if the legal definition of disability is met, as considered further below. It is worth pausing to reflect on some of the headline statistics on mental health in the workplace.
Even this small selection of statistics is pretty harrowing and a reflection of the work to be done as a society and in business circles in promoting mental well-being. This issue is now gaining more political attention. Practical steps What are the practical steps that employers can take to promote mental well-being? A few examples are set out below:
If your organisation needs help with implementing any of the above initiatives please do get in touch today, we are here to help Research, conducted by Fox & Partners, the employment law specialists. found that the rise in disability discrimination claims has been eight times faster than the growth in all claims. The firm analysed figures from the Ministry of Justice which also showed that the total number of claims at Employment Tribunals increased by 4.3% to 178,990 in the last year, up from 171,630 in 2017. Mind, the mental health charity, described the tribunal figures as “shocking”. Ivor Adair, Partner at Fox & Partners, comments: “Discrimination claims related to stress and mental illness are fast becoming a new area of friction between employees and employers.” “Employers need to ensure they handle the pressures facing their employees in the correct way. Improved training amongst managers in dealing with mental illness can help them reduce the likelihood of claims by increasing awareness and helping them create ways to ameliorate them.” There are many kinds of humanitarian agencies and many kinds of humanitarian work. Each particular context creates a particular set of sources of stress, and the risks to individual staff and the resources they use can vary, as well. Yet a broad range of research suggests that staff in all of these situations face common challenges. Studies have documented a PTSD prevalence of 25% among search and rescue personnel responding to events such as earthquakes, airplane crashes, and bomb explosions, and a prevalence of 21% among firefighters (compared to 4% for the general population). Approximately 30% of international staff of five humanitarian aid and development agencies surveyed after their return from their assignments reported significant symptoms of PTSD. Among war journalists, a lifetime prevalence of over 28% for PTSD, 21% for major depression, and 14% for substance abuse has been reported, rates far higher than those for non-war journalists. There are now many charitable and industry led campaigns designed to raise awareness of mental health issues. Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to any employee experiencing a disability under the Equality Act 2010, which can include a mental health problem if it has a substantial, adverse, and long-term effect on normal day-to-day activities. However, in order to benefit from the protection of the Act, employees have to disclose their disabilities. If you’re business is looking for support in this area please get in touch with us today. Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfil a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming — and harmful to both physical and emotional health. Unfortunately, such long-term stress is all too common. You can't always avoid the tensions that occur on the job. Yet you can take steps to manage work-related stress. Common Sources of Work StressCertain factors tend to go hand-in-hand with work-related stress. Some common workplace stressors are:
Effects of Uncontrolled StressUnfortunately, work-related stress doesn't just disappear when you head home for the day. When stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and wellbeing. In the short term, a stressful work environment can contribute to problems such as headache, stomach-ache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress can result in anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity and heart disease. Compounding the problem, people who experience excessive stress often deal with it in unhealthy ways such as overeating, eating unhealthy foods, smoking cigarettes or abusing drugs and alcohol. Taking Steps to Manage Stress
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