Mental Health and Wellbeing Information

Stress

What is Stress?

Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at home or at work.

We all experience pressure on a daily basis, if you begin to experience stressful problems at work, it is a good idea to speak to your manager or supervisor to prevent any problems from escalating further.

Symptoms of Stress

Symptoms of stress can often build up gradually and can affect people in different ways. Here is a list of some of the typical signs of stress:

Physical symptoms

  • tiredness

  • a tight chest

  • indigestion

  • headaches

  • appetite and weight changes

  • joint and back pain

Psychological symptoms

  • anxiety

  • tearfulness

  • feeling low

  • mood changes

  • indecision

  • loss of motivation

  • increased sensitivity

  • low self esteem

Behavioural

  • increased smoking and drinking

  • withdrawal or aggression

  • lateness

  • recklessness

  • difficulty concentrating

 Try this self assessment to identify your stress symptoms and evaluate your stress levels

What causes stress at work?

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed above, you may want to think about why. Here are some of the common causes of stress at work:

  • Having too much or too little to do
  • Work that is too difficult or too easy
  • The pressure of deadlines
  • Lack of control over what you do and how you do it
  • Poor communication from your employer about changes
  • Poor working conditions e.g high noise level, bad lighting, furniture of equipment
  • Unclear expectations
  • Conflicting messages
  • An unsupportive work culture i.e where needing help could be seen as being weak
  • Bullying
  • Poor relationships at work
  • Working in isolation
  • Uncertainty about the future i.e redundancy

How are you?

How are you? self assessment This self assessment will help you to identify if stress does play a part in your everyday life.

The stress Map details many of the demands in life that could cause stress. The life change stress self assessment will help you to discover what life events you are currently dealing with and what the impact could be on your current stress levels and the possible implications for your future health.

The Health & Safety individual Stress Risk Assessment can be used at any time you are feeling stressed or working under excessive pressure, which may be having a direct impact on your ability to undertake your role.

This assessment can also be completed if you are returning to work following a period of absence due to work related stress.

Take action to tackle stress

Developing resiliency will help you to develop and strengthen your resilience

Headspace - practical use of Meditation and Mindfulness

How can I deal with stress at work

How to cope with work related stress

Moodjuice will help you to resolve emotional problems

Palouse Mindfulness - mindfulness based stress reduction.  Sign up for a free (guided online) course

Stress - A little book of advice

Self assessment stress response will help you to find out how you respond to stress

Try out these Top 10 Stress Busting Tips

How to maintain positive mental health & wellbeing for useful tips and guidance.

Learning and Development run Stress Awareness and Assertiveness training courses, which are available to all employees.

There are also courses available via My online learning: Try Stress Management in the Workplace e-Learning module, if you are interested in knowing more about how to manage your own stress and minimise stress in the workplace.