April 2021 is stress awareness month and if the previous year has taught us anything, it’s that managing stress is one of the most important parts of having a happy life and good mental health.
Stress awareness is very important to us over here at apple hr support. Living a completely stress free life in this day and age is near enough impossible which is why we believe having easy yet effective ways of dealing with extra stressful days is one of the best ways to keep your stress levels under control and your mind healthy.
Here are our top 10 tips to effectively managing your stress at home and at work.
BE:
- Positive
We should always look for the positives in our lives even if it is very difficult to find them. Focus on the things you are grateful for rather than the things that are getting you down.
- Active
Exercise doesn’t make stress disappear completely. However, it will help you to take time to reduce the emotional intensity of your situation to allow you to deal with your thoughts calmly.
- In control
There is a solution to every problem. You just need to take control of the situation and find it.
DON’T BE AFRAID OF:
- Taking some ‘me time’
There should be no guilt in taking some time for yourself to do the things you like, see the people you love or think about the things which are bothering you. ‘Me time’ can help you to focus on the positives and allow you to be able to see past your stressful situation.
- Challenging yourself
Setting goals and challenges which can be ticked off your never ending list of ‘to dos’ can help to build confidence and help you deal with stress. So why not learn a new language, be creative or start a new project which will help to take your mind off things you’d rather forget.
- Getting rid of unhealthy habits
We all need a coffee to get us going in the morning! However, it’s so important that you don’t use caffeine or other unhealthy habits as a way of coping. It might provide temporary relief but will not make your problems disappear.
- Communicating with others
A problem shared is a problem halved. A good support network of family, friends and colleagues can help to ease troubles and see situations in a different light. They may have an idea which you hadn’t thought of before to solve your problems and reduce your stress levels.
LEARN TO:
- Help others
Helping people in worse positions than you can help you to put your problems into perspective. So why not volunteer or do someone a favour, the more you give the happier you will feel.
- Accept the things you can’t change
You can’t always change a difficult situation so concentrate on what you do have control over.
- Work smarter, not harder
Prioritise your work effectively and concentrate on the tasks which will make a real difference. In working life, we must accept that the in-tray will always be full, leave the least important tasks to last.
For more information on how you can help to manage yours, your colleagues’ or your employees’ stress please contact kate@applehr.co.uk