We have all felt stress at one point in our lives, but when it perseveres or becomes hard to manage it’s important to try and reduce it.
This Stress Awareness Month we wanted to highlight the different support available when dealing with financial, workplace and personal stress, and to remind you that you never have to face stress alone.
Financial stress
Our financial wellbeing is an important part of our lives but it can also be a big cause of worry. With the current cost of living rising, many will be feeling overwhelmed at increasing financial pressures, but there is help and support available.
Citizens advice offers a range of information to help with debt and money – from seeing what help you can get if you’re struggling to pay bills, to setting a budget for your income. You can also use a benefits calculator to see whether you’re entitled to claim payments.
If you have worked in the print, paper, publishing, packaging or graphics sector, we may be able to help you meet essential or emergency needs with our financial support.
Stress at work
Prolonged stress at work can affect your mood, performance, and behaviour. You may be dealing with long hours or a heavy workload with tight deadlines, which are common causes of stress at work. If you are feeling under pressure, try talking to your manager or even a colleague as they may be unaware of what you’re going through.
Having a supportive work environment can go a long way, which is why more employers are signing up to our free helpline service to offer their staff practical and emotional support when it’s needed.
Personal Stress
We all lead busy lives and it’s easy for this to lead to us feeling stressed. Housing, family, relationships, and health issues are just some of the things that might cause worry according to the charity Mind.
It’s not always easy to control certain situations and the stress that comes with it, but knowing how to manage our wellbeing can really help. It can be as simple as finding the time to have a break to do something you enjoy, whether that be reading, riding a bike, or watching your favourite TV show.
You can also take this individual stress test to see how your lifestyle might be impacting your levels of stress and get advice on how you can reduce it.
Stress Awareness Month runs the whole month of April and highlights the importance of identifying and managing stress. They also have lots of resources and advice to combat stress and improve your mental wellbeing.