Time To Talk Day is an annual event which encourages people to talk to one another about their mental health. In doing so it seeks to help those people who are suffering with their mental health and lift any stigma that may be attached to it.
It takes place on 6 February and given that more than half of us will suffer with work related stress at some point in our careers, we thought it would be appropriate to focus on stress in the workplace.
A manageable amount of stress is not necessarily a bad thing and can be a useful part of working life, it can keep people focussed and help motivate. Too much stress, however, can cause people to feel overwhelmed and lead to more serious mental health problems.
It is important to be able to identify when someone may be suffering with stress, be it ourselves or even a colleague, as it is often the case that it is easier for someone else to spot the signs.
Some of the signs to look out for include:
- Having sleep problems and being fatigued
- Struggling to concentrate
- Feeling anxious or depressed
- Getting upset or irritated easily
- Inability to make decisions
- Lethargy, apathy, loss of interest in the job
- Suffering from muscle tension, headaches or stomach problems
- Increasingly dependent on alcohol or drugs
- Constantly worrying
- Social withdrawal
It is in everyone’s interests to manage work related stress as well as possible. An employee can have a much more enjoyable work life and an employer can reduce the amount of sick days their staff take. Ultimately this will likely lead to a more enjoyable and productive workplace.
There are a number of things you can do to keep your stress levels down such as a being organised, having a healthy diet, taking regular exercise, getting enough sleep and perhaps most importantly talking about it.
Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.
For more information and for some handy tools and tips to help break the ice, visit their website.
Solicitors are often the people who help navigate you through the most stressful periods of life, whether you’re involved in litigation, have lost your job, are purchasing a house, going through a divorce or perhaps dealing with a bereavement. At Ramsdens we’re committed to ensuring that our clients get through such testing times with a minimum of stress.
Give us a call or send us an email, we’re here to help
With offices spread across Yorkshire, we’re easy to contact, meet or do business with. If you have any questions, feedback or simply just want to get in touch send us an email or telephone us on 01484 821 500, 9am-9pm seven days a week.