Health, Safety and Environment Monthly Message
The Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Go Home Healthy’ Campaign has identified critical areas which can have an adverse effect on workers’ health and wellbeing. One of these areas is stress, which is defined as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have identified six factors which can contribute to work-related stress:
- the demands of your job;
- your control over your work;
- the support you receive from managers and colleagues;
- your relationships at work;
- your role in the organisation;
- change and how it’s managed.
It must, however, also be acknowledged that other factors, such as family, housing or personal issues may contribute to stress.
Stress affects all people differently, however, the NHS have identified 10 general stress busters, which can help tackle the effects of stress:
- Be Active – exercise can reduce some of the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you to deal with your problems more calmly.
- Take Control - There's a solution to any problem. The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.
- Connect with People - A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.
- Have some ‘Me Time’ - We often don't spend enough time doing things we really enjoy.
- Challenge Yourself - Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence and deal with stress.
- Avoid Unhealthy Habits - Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping.
- Help Other People – There is evidence that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient.
- Work Smarter, Not Harder - Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference.
- Try to be Positive - Look for the positives in life, and things for which you're grateful.
- Accept the things you can't change - Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.
Further information relating to these tips is available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/reduce-stress/
Members of the Health, Safety and Environment Team will also be attending the University’s Health and Wellbeing Event, taking place on Thursday 13th September. Further information relating to the event is available here.