Anyone feeling a little stressed right now?
Let’s face it. We are all a little more stressed than usual at the moment. Uncertainty is not a comfortable feeling and we are living in extremely uncertain times. Pair that with working under completely different conditions or job and financial insecurity and the nation has seen stress levels soar. Working from home, with no clear boundaries for when work starts and finishes, lack of social interactions, technical difficulties and family members walking in on important meetings, it's been a challenge for many. And those with less security will be feeling it even more, stress of furlough, redundancy and financial stress can make it seem like there's no way out. How fitting that Lockdown 2.0 begins during Stress Awareness Week. It seems we may be putting up with uncertainty for some time to come, so it's time to look our stress in the mirror and deal with it for the sake of our wellbeing, our physical and mental health.
In Perkbox's 2020 UK workplace stress survey, it was reported that "in 2020, of British adults in employment – a staggering 79% commonly experience work-related stress. This is 20% higher than 2018's findings." When we find ourselves in a stressed state for long periods, we can begin to experience physical and emotional issues, such as headaches, muscle pain or tension, problems sleeping, digestive problems, high blood pressure, anxiety, change in mood, irritability, lack of motivation, burnout and depression. #Stress was a concern even before anyone had heard of Covid 19 so it’s imperative we address it now. Although it may feel like a desperate situation, we can do something about it, and we must! It's time to put our health and wellbeing first and here are some ways you can do just that.
Get moving – one of the most important things we can do to combat stress. Exercise releases endorphins (those lovely feel good hormones) and at the same time lowers our stress hormones. Make it a regular part of your day and week, even if it’s just a quick walk. As I spend the majority of my day indoors and a lot of it is sedentary, a 20 minute lunchtime powerwalk is a non-negotiable for me. Where I can, I squeeze in some after work movement in too, but with a side hustle business to juggle, I can’t always do that. Knowing I got out for a walk at lunch makes me feel better. When we exercise, we have a more positive sense of self, we are more productive and (very important) we sleep better, which brings me to my next point.
Get some sleep – time to put some serious effort into creating a good sleep hygiene routine. A good sleep will reduce your stress levels and allow you to cope with whatever the day throws at you with a better frame of mind. When we have had a good night’s sleep, our body reacts to stress in a more positive and solution focused way. We concentrate better throughout the day and make better decisions, including healthier food choices. Our body restores and recovers while we sleep and it strengthens and links our memories. To help you have a peaceful slumber, create a bedtime routine so your brain and body know it is winding down time. If you want to know more about how to get a good night’s sleep and its links to stress, see my previous blogs on just that here:
Meditate – the perfect exercise to calm and quieten the mind. If you can’t find time to sit in meditation, then close your eyes and take some deep slow breaths and stretch your body. Notice how you feel after just 5 deep breaths. There are some wonderful breathing exercises to calm the autonomic nervous system and I recommend checking out alternate nostril breathing and box breathing.
Journal – it’s a good idea to reflect on the day in a journal. Write down what caused your stress and reflect on what you will do next time a similar situation arises. When you recognise what causes you stress, you can try and avoid those things or put a plan in place for how you will react when they happen again.
Eat well – The food we eat affects our mood and sense of wellbeing. When we make healthy, nutritious choices we feel better about ourselves. A meal plan will help you stay on track and prepare ingredients in advance. When you know what you are having, you won’t face having a decision to make when tired after a long day at work. I batch cook and freeze meals so when I get home they are defrosted and all I need to do is prepare the rice, pasta, potatoes or salad to go with them. Easy!
While on the topic of nutrition, avoid caffeine after lunch and cut down on alcohol. While you think a drink might help you relax, it can, in fact, make you feel anxious.
Set boundaries – this is especially important for those who are working from home when the lines between work and free time become blurred. Work should be happening during working hours. We all need time to unwind so make sure that happens.
Connect – while it’s not easy to socialise at the moment, we are blessed in this age of technology to have video calls and we are still allowed socially distanced walks in the park! Make time to talk to friends and family. It’s an instant mood booster.
Prioritise self-care – don’t forget about you. Take time to unwind and relax to lower your stress levels. Carve out ‘me time’, go for a 20 minute walk, get a massage, have a bath, read a book, do whatever you know helps you unwind and slow down. Also, part of self-care is cutting yourself some slack when things don’t go the way you had hoped or you didn’t tick everything off your to-do list. Be kind and give yourself a break.
I hope these tips help reduce your feelings of stress. Please comment and let me know what works for you.
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