In the 21st century, with advancements in technology and a rapid change in our lifestyle patterns, there is hardly a day when we get the luxury to relax and get uninterrupted mental peace. Every day we suffer from situations that push our buttons just enough to be a little agitated and uncomfortable. These tiny stressors are camouflaged in our daily lives, which can peek at any time and cause us discomfort. Willingly or unwillingly, stress and thus, availing the best stress management counselling has become an integral part of our lives.
Whether it is a presentation at the office or an interview, there is always the pressure and stress associated with the situation. Men and women are prone to stress in their field of work. They must know how to balance stressing and de-stressing and walk on a middle path. There are several types of counselling in stress management to combat stress. Granted, there is no job in this world sans stress, but too much of anything is wrong, and that includes stress as well.
A little bit of stress is healthy. Without it, our brain and body would not be as alert as required. Stress helps to overcome a challenge or a dangerous situation. It is normal to feel stressed while going for a job interview, before your appraisal meeting, or during a presentation before the senior management. It is required for the much-needed motivation necessary to put in the extra effort, which you'd otherwise not give in these situations.
Changing the stress and anxiety management landscape is a much-needed step in dealing with these issues. Importance and awareness of more excellent and sound mental health are required in this fast-paced world. With the advent of technology that connects us instantly across the world, the speed at which information flows is extraordinary. As incredible as it may sound, it also means that there has to be faster processing and utilization of that information. And behind every machine is a human being who has to undertake that added stress and workload to keep up with the high speed and flow of the information.
There are micro triggers or stressors with every task given to us with the multi-faced problem in front. Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand. There are several effects of stress on the body which we overlook and ignore. Sometimes these pile up and cause havoc in the mind of the person. Chronic stress can affect all the body systems, making the best stress management counselling all the more important. Some of the common symptoms of stress and anxiety include –
● Headache
● Rapid breathing
● Shaking and Sweating
● Feeling Dizzy
● Frequent urination
● Muscle tension
● Change in appetite
● Diarrhea
In stress, there are several emotions and symptoms in addition to physical ones. These can manifest in different ways. These can be –
● Feeling nervous or panicking in social settings
● Difficulty in concentrating
● Having irrational anger
● Constant feeling of impending doom
● Restlessness in a situation
People might have several adverse effects if they undergo stress and anxiety for long periods. Stress can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, and have adverse health outcomes. Prolonged and untreated stress can turn into Depression and result in panic disorder. By seeking counselling, one can avoid it all. The counselling process does not deliver overnight results; the role of counselling in stress management should not be undermined by its pace.
It is no surprise that your workplace is an area of stress. With targets to complete and deadlines to meet, several aspects give a person these stresses. Sure, there are organizations where the amount of stress is less than others. A few companies have imposed some of the best ways to manage stress among their employees – it may be a company retreat, fun activity at work, or specific policies that enable flexible and non-monotonous work. Work-related stress can be due to several factors like –
● Long working hours
● Dangerous work conditions
● Hostile work environment
● Regular conflict with co-workers and bosses
● Changes in the system or organization
● Tight and nonflexible deadlines
● Poor pay or less salary
● Having job insecurity
● Lack of autonomy at work
● Having a boring work
● Sudden changes in duties
Prolonged stress at the workplace can result in the poor mental health of an individual, causes them long-term work trauma, drive them into discouragement and depression, and in extreme cases, result in individuals looking for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment.
A little bit of stress is good for the individual. It allows them to remain active, agile, focused and engages them to be spontaneous and advocate quick thinking. It is essential to be in the moment and create a presence so that the person does not fade in the background or become a silent employee in the organization. It is also important not to let stress take over one's life and make us frazzled. Experiencing work stress is unavoidable, even if it is your dream job. While occasional stress is every day – like a project deadline or a management review, long-term chronic stress is awful for mental and physical health conditions. There are ways you can manage and keep your work stress to a minimum –
● The first thing to do is to identify the stressors at work. Recognizing stressors help you to avoid them so that you manage the stress effectively.
● Write out your stressors. Recording your stressors helps you identify what's bothering you and analyze its cause. While writing, mention these points – How did I feel? What was my reaction? What are the ways to resolve it?
● To avoid burnout, take some time off. Take time to recharge yourself and then put your head back in the game. Take a break after a long meeting or switch off that phone after office hours.
● One of the crucial ways to manage stress is through sharpening your time management skills. Most people do not realize that keeping away from work leads to piling up, which stresses out when they see all the work at once. Organizing yourself and beating procrastination is one way to stay on top of your work.
● Balance work and play. There is no point in burning yourself out for a job that will take less than a week to replace you if you drop dead, so take it easy! Take some time off to socialize and establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life to avoid potential stress.
● Never choose temporary relief such as alcohol or drug intake to feel relieved. These can worsen your condition beyond measure. One might start relying on it and become habitual to it. Once customary, you would need a Counselling For Addiction in India to break the habit.
● Do not jump to conclusions. It is very easy to jump to conclusions in the slightest negative situation if you have faced stress for a prolonged period at work. Respond to it, don't react. Re-evaluate your negative thoughts and assess the case twice before coming to any conclusion.
● Have a robust support system. It can be your family, a group of friends or even your parents. If you struggle with juggling between work and life, relying on your support system is a great way to lose some stress.
● Self – Love is a must. Take care of yourself, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, taste that dish, listen to that song, do whatever makes you happy. It is straightforward. What are you working for? Ultimately, you’re working for yourself and your family. So if you don’t love yourself, who will?
● Learn techniques that will help you to relax. Meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can calm down anxiety and stress levels. Indigenous therapy for Stress and Depression go hand in hand. Tackling one can help relieve the other. By taking a few minutes off every day, you can release the stress building up inside you.
● Let go of perfectionism. Striving to make everything perfect will cause more stress and result in burnout. Perfecting a small thing can take up a long time, leading to ineffectiveness in work.
● Take a break, go on a vacation. Changing the monotonous routine and taking a break from work is a much-needed step to reduce work stress. Being disconnected from work gives you the option to unwind and help you reset.
● Ask your boss for support. Do not be hesitant to reach out to your boss. Set up a time to talk and discuss the challenges you face and the difficulties you are having at work.
● Seek professional help. Working with a therapist through stress management counselling can help you identify and work on those work stresses and manage them better when all else fails. A professional can develop strategies for navigating, decompressing, and taking care of you better.
Stress-busting is crucial in having a work-life balance. Keeping yourself happy is essential and much required in this fast-paced life. One must be aware and draw the boundaries to keep their mental health sound and not let negativity affect them. It is crucial to remember that work is only a part of our lives; it is not our entire life. So unwind, take it easy and manage stress - The best stress management counselling has your back.
