What is stress?
We all experience stress from time to time and a degree of stress in our lives is good - after all it can be a strong motivation for change and success, it gets you up in the morning, it gets work done, it drives you to reach your goals, but if the pressure gets too much, you may begin to feel stressed. Too much stress can seriously interfere with your ability to perform effectively in all all areas of life. The lifestyle that many of us have now is busy and complex With many different demands being placed upon us, negative stress can build up within us often without our noticing it. Looking at the work context, the Health and Safety Executive puts forward the following figures:
“About half a million people experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill”
“ Up to 5 million people in the UK feel "very" or "extremely" stressed by their work”
“Work-related stress costs society between £3.7 billion and £3.8 billion every year so it is hardly surprising that many businesses and organizations take the problem of stress in their workforce extremely seriously and provide stress management programmes.”
Irrespective of the source of your stress, whether at work or in your personal life, it is important to take action at a personal level and to review your lifestyle to see if you can identify any contributing factors.
Do any of these activities seem familiar?
- Eating on the run, or in a disorganised manner
- Smoking, or drinking a bit too much, a bit too often
- Rushing, hurrying, being available to everyone
- Doing several jobs at once (multitasking)
- Missing breaks, taking work home with you
- Having no time for exercise and relaxation
For the individual the symptoms of stress are extremely debilitating and can be damaging to relationships, career development or many aspects of life. While there are many causes of stress, it is most damaging when an individual feels powerless to control a situation; when there is a feeling of some strong internal conflict "inside us - but out of our control". The effects of stress can affect us physically, emotionally and psychologically so it is important that you check with your GP to make sure that you are not suffering from any medical condition.
Physical effects such as can be caused as a result of stress:
Headaches |
Migraines |
Fast Heartbeat |
Chest Pain |
Neck Tension |
Facial Tension |
Clenched Jaw |
Forehead tension |
Palpitations |
Nervous Actions |
Digestive Problems |
Low Immunity |
Stress can lead to more serious ailments including hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, panic attacks, high blood pressure. If left untreated can be the cause of strokes and heart attacks.