National Stress Awareness Day: 7 November 2012
This is the 14th National Stress Awareness Day which is organised by www.isma.org.uk and is to help prevent stress within the workplace.
The theme this year is "Defining Outcomes for Wellbeing at Work". Wellbeing is about feeling good about ourselves. There is a link between wellbeing and how we perform at work and if we feel well we perform better. There is clear research demonstrating that wellbeing will improve performance and profitability within the workplace.
People who feel well are much more likely to concentrate better, be more energised, be more motivated and resilient to stress and pressures.
Some figures from the Labour Force Survey are:
- the total number of cases of self-reported stress in 2010/11 was 400,000 out of a total of 1,152, 000 for all work-related illnesses
- the number of new cases of self-reported, work- related stress was 211,000
- the industries that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years included health, social work, education and public administration
- the occupations that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years included health and social service managers
- each case of stress-related ill health leads to an average 27 days off work
Well-being themes are based on The five ways to Well-being from nef (the new economics foundation). There are five actions which can be part of our day-to-day lives which are is important for well-being:
- connect
- be active
- take notice
- keep learning
- give
1. Connect with those around you such as family, friends, colleagues and neighbours whether at home, at work or in the local community. If you can invest time in developing these connections and maintaining them can help to support and enrich you each day.
2. Be active by walking or running. Try cycling, gardening or dancing. Exercising makes us feel good and it can be going to post a letter rather than taking the car. You don’t always need to go to the gym! All this helps to make you feel better about yourself and fitter.
3. Take notice by looking at different things such as changing seasons. Enjoy the moment, whether you are walking to work or having lunch or talking to friends. Be more aware of the world around you and how you actually feel. Think about your experiences and this will help you appreciate what is important to you.
4. Keep learning by trying something new. Try out something such as playing golf or tennis. Take on a different responsibility at work or at home. Think about learning to play an instrument or learn how to cook different types of food. Make sure you are having some fun and this will make you feel better about yourself and more confident.
5. Give something or do something nice for a friend, or even a neighbour you don’t know. Thank someone and see how they may smile and smile back. Volunteer your time and maybe join a community group. All this makes you feel happier and it creates connections with the people around you. This in turn makes you feel good and more positive.
Jessica Smyrl is the founder of YSM Solutions
