When we talk about managing our stress, we often only think of it in a work context, like how it can improve our productivity and effectiveness at work (which it is excellent for, by the way). But it goes a lot deeper than that...
Effective stress management is essential for a happier and healthier you!
You see, workplace
stress can directly affect your mental health. In fact, the adverse effects include an increased risk of anxiety, burnout and depression...
When it comes to the physical toll that stress can take on your body, well... it's not good. This is a hard lesson that I had to learn myself and have had to work on remedying for the past few months.
And let me tell you, it's not easy.
Leaving stress unmanaged long term can lead to a mountain of health problems. Chronic stress leads to an increased risk of inflammatory diseases, heart disease, cancer and more...
And I know what you're thinking,
stress is such a part of our daily lives, just push through. It's not as simple as that though,
stress NEEDS to be managed. When we leave our stress unmanaged and just 'cope' with it as part of our daily lives we send our nervous system into overload. Again, not good.
But here's where the problem comes in, we can't just say: "okay, I'll manage my stress when needed" because so many of us have adapted to a certain level of ongoing stress, to the point where we don't really register it anymore. But your body does.
Stress management needs to become a habit. It needs be a part of our daily routine, even if it means just taking a few minutes every day to breathe and relax. There are so many great stress relief and management methods out there, you just have to pick what works for you... Meditation, daily walks, breathing exercises, yoga, hitting the gym, reading a book, listening to music, spending time outside... I could go on and on. But I urge you to take the time to figure out what works for you.
Now, if you do want to put this back into a work context, here's why stress management is important:
Stress affects your decision making, leads to a breakdown in communication and productivity. It can lead to you or your team having difficulty with focus, even relationship issues and conflict at work- Again, the list goes on...
So yes, stress management is definitely something worth committing to. Luckily, we offer an amazing stress management workshop, which you can find out more about
here
So, in conclusion. Please prioritise Stress Management this year...
At work it is a great tool, but as a daily practise it is an absolute must!
Staff Training is a South African soft skills training provider with more than 60 workshops on offer.
Email us at
info@StaffTraining.co.za for more info or give us a call at 0861 996 660
