Recognising Stress
Times are tough and I think people are finding that their lives are more stressful than they’ve known previously. I certainly am!
Stress comes from all sorts of situations –
It might be work that is stressful. Are you going through restructuring? Being made redundant? Out of work and looking for a new job? Or dealing with difficult colleagues? It’s not surprising if you’re stressed.
You might be experiencing health problems. That’s a very common stressful situation.
Family or relationship problems can cause stress – it can be really hard to deal with personal issues without becoming stress.
Years ago, I had breast cancer and I was going through radiotherapy treatment. A couple of experiences taught me a lot about how I react to stress.
Quite early on, I was talking to a colleague and I said, “I think I’m handling this pretty well, don’t you?” After a pause, he said “Well you’re a lot more snippy than usual”.
The second example was more impactful.
If you’ve ever had radiotherapy, you’ll know that, although it’s not painful, it’s quite a daunting experience. In my case, with breast cancer treatment, you lie on the table, naked to the waist, arms above your head. The team line you up using laser beams then they all leave the room. An alarm sounds (very loud and scary). When it stops, the team come back into the room and line you up again for a second blast.
I wasn’t sleeping at all well and they encourage you to report any symptoms no matter how small. So, I saw a doctor at my next appointment who said “Oh that’s unusual, I haven’t heard of radiotherapy affecting sleep. I’ll look into it and follow up with you next time.” Fast forward to next appointment, I was still not sleeping and I saw a different doctor – someone older and possible more experienced. He said “You’re stressed my dear. That’s perfectly understandable. Try not to worry but be assured it’s perfectly normal to feel the way you do!”
In both instances I was stressed, perfectly understandably, and I wasn’t recognising how I was reacting. Quite often, I’ve found that you can see stress in others but you don’t recognise it in yourself.
You need to listen to your body. It is intelligent – it gives you messages. Make sure you listen to the signals and take action before you become ill. Recognising physical and behavioural symptoms of stress in yourself and others enables you to prevent problems building up. As soon as you notice yourself or a colleague becoming stressed, stop and explore the causes, then problem-solve what can be done to resolve the situation.
Top tips for recognising stress:
Become aware of situations in which you feel stress and see whether you can plan how to manage your emotions.
Think about the three As model - Alter, Avoid, Accept. Is there something you can alter to relieve the stress? Can you avoid a stressful situation or experience? Or do you have to accept it and manage your stressors as best you can.
Listen to your body. If you find yourself getting physical symptoms, such as not sleeping, then it is likely that you are stressed. Take time out to rest and refresh your mind and immune system.
Observe yourself and identify the trigger behaviours that will notify you that you are stressed.
What is stressful for one person can be an opportunity for another. Realise that you have a choice in how you respond to difficult situations. You do not always have to follow the same route to a solution.
Identify as many optional responses as you can to give yourself a feeling of control
· Talk a walk outside
· Consider meditation
· Listen to calming music.
Above all - be kind to yourself. It’s OK to experience stress and it’s not surprising. Acknowledge that you are stressed and take action to relieve that pressure.
Want to know more? I run a webinar on this topic. Contact me to find out more!
