At some point we will all experience sickness absence. Infrequent and genuine absence should not usually be a problem. However the Bradford Factor (a human resource management tool for measuring worker absenteeism) suggests that short frequent and unplanned absences are even more disruptive than longer absences. When, absence becomes part of the corporate culture, or […]

I have started writing this message several times, unsure if it was relevant or even appropriate for us to send. However I feel compelled to do so. I was in Marseille last weekend for the England vs Russia game. Many of you would have witnessed the violent scenes unfolding in the media. Mindless hooliganism where […]

This week is Men’s Health Awareness week and this year the focus is ‘together we can beat stress.’ Now, when we talk about men and health people often assume we’re talking about fitness; however fitness is only one aspect of health. Health includes elements of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Did you know? 10% […]

The workplace can often be one of the main stressors in day to day life, and while sometimes pressure can make us energised and alert, it can also have the opposite effect. A study conducted by Johansson found that repetitiveness, high demand/workload and lack of control were all factors which were linked to higher levels […]

I’ve recently been following a story in the paper about the ‘culture of fear’ in one of the biggest sportswear chains in the UK. If you haven’t come across it, the story unfolded as an investigation found that ambulances were called out at one of the chain’s factories 76 times in two years. This wasn’t […]

It’s crucial to bear in mind that your psychology affects your physiology and vice versa! So, with the sun starting to make more of a regular appearance, it makes it much easier to get out there and get involved in some physical activity – even during the day when you’re at work! Here’s some inspiration: […]

There’s tension in the air as the start date hurtles forward with inexorable force. You can see it in the hunched shoulders, creased foreheads, and faces set granite-hard with crippling anxiety. Yes, exam season is almost upon us. But I’m not talking about the young people who will actually be sitting A-levels and GCSEs this […]

People have been dealing with stress throughout human history, but the modern world makes it particularly hard for a lot of individuals to cope. Fortunately, the key to overcoming stress might be far simpler than you think: Regular exercise can work wonders for keeping your stress levels under control. The Biology Behind Exercise It’s probably […]

The 16th-22nd May is Mental Health Awareness Week and this year the focus is on relationships and the effects positive and meaningful relationship can have on mental health. A 75-year ongoing study on adult development revealed some really interesting findings about what truly makes humans happy and satisfied – Good relationships keep us happier and […]

UK economy faces £57bn annual bill, as nearly a month of productive work lost per employee, per year Workplace stress is causing organisations to lose 24 days of productive time per employee each year, with some industries losing up to 27 days, a study has found. The combination of an average of five days of […]

We all feel stressed from time to time. Worrying is completely normal — and can actually be healthy in small doses. But as Jennifer Gueringer writes for Poundstopocket.co.uk, in order to be happy and successful, it’s important to have a sense of control over your “whereabouts on the stress spectrum.” The following flowchart, created by UK-based lender Pounds […]

Why do our demons insist on visiting us after dark? Long-term sufferer Kate Faithfull-Williams tackles the causes of night-time stress. At first glance, I maintain a pretty good facade of looking like a woman who has her sh*t together. But beneath my illuminating concealer lies an anxious husk of a human who is often wide […]

I recently experienced this for the first time. I was having dinner with a couple of my friends when it suddenly hit me that we hadn’t spoken in about 15 minutes; bear in mind this was supposed to be a catch up dinner as we hadn’t seen each other in a few months! Why? Well, […]

One of the difficulties with stress is that people experience stress in different ways. This contributes to stress manifesting itself differently. So it would be wrong to over generalise when giving advice on how to identify stress in others. However, what we can say is that because stress has negative effects, it will usually manifest […]

Between 2014 and 2015, Britain lost 9.9 million working days to work-related stress, depression or anxiety. It’s fair to say that stress is a huge issue for many people and it’s on the increase, according to Health and Safety Executive statistics. To coincide with Wellbeing Wednesday, an awareness day launched by The Stress Management Society and […]

What technology item can’t you live without? Addictions not only place unnecessary stress on our bodies, they also cause stress when we do not have access to the substance or object to which we are addicted. Have you ever experienced anxiety when out of mobile phone contact with your friends, family or colleagues? If so, […]

It is true that some stress is caused by agreeing to do something that at that particular time you don’t have the capacity for. Someone else’s task has been delegated to you, which causes your stress levels to spike. To learn to say no confidently, we have to first understand why we resist, some common […]

Why is breathing deeply so important for stress management? Oxygen provides energy to all parts of the body, when the flow of oxygen to the brain is completely cut off, a person will lose consciousness within 10 seconds. The rate at which we inhale and exhale is controlled by the respiratory centre within the medulla […]

Do you find yourself overwhelmed with deadlines? Good time management is essential if you are to handle a heavy workload without excessive stress. Time management helps you to reduce long-term stress by giving you direction when you have too much work to do. It puts you in control of where you are going and helps […]

Have you ever engaged in exercise or sport after a stressful day? If yes, how do you feel when you are finished? When your body goes into a state of stress, it is expecting some kind of physical activity. It is anticipating having to run away or battle whatever has caused the stress hence going into […]

The more tired you feel, the more prone you are to stress. As you’ve probably experienced, when you haven’t drunk enough water, your energy levels are lower and the more tired you feel. The human body is approximately 70% water. The effect that water has on our brains is probably best understood when we understand […]

Do you find yourself waking up feeling like you haven’t slept? Do you find yourself struggling to get through the day? This may be due to a lack of or insufficient sleep. It is so important to ensure you get a good night’s sleep each evening, to rest from the day and to gear yourself […]

Are you aware of the effects poor health can have on your well being? The physical effects of stress on the human body are well documented: when your mind is not functioning optimally or is plagued by negative thoughts and emotions, eventually your body will suffer the consequences.Let’s look at a few key examples of the […]

Dealing with the stresses of running your own business and maintaining the much sought-after work life balance can be one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Although stress is considered part and parcel of modern working life, as a business owner, it’s important to focus on ways to reduce it, so […]

Have you ever considered what you eat might be influencing how you feel? What we consume can increase our energy levels and calm our mood. Before an exam, presentation or an important meeting it is all too easy to reach for a biscuit to provide some comfort. But that temporary junk food high or sugar […]

Living With Optimism: How To Keep Your Face Towards The Sunshine It is no surprise that people often find it difficult to maintain a positive outlook on life. After all, there is plenty to keep our spirits down in the modern age. A natural disaster here, a refugee crisis there, all while trying to keep […]

Your home should be an escape from the outside world. Ideally a retreat where you can relax and recharge your batteries. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. Your home can feel just like another area of your life that needs sorting out rather than the peaceful enclave that you wish it was. We’ve asked the […]

Not getting enough sleep puts us at increased risk of heart disease, depression and diabetes. Give your nocturnal habits an overhaul and you might discover a new lease of life. It’s a harsh fact of life that as we get older, the quality of our sleep gets worse. So as well as the usual stresses […]

From planning to check-in to the flight itself, it’s no secret that travel can often be stressful. The Stress Management Society shares some practical tips on how to fully relax and make the most of your travels. PRE-FLIGHT To ensure a stress-free flight and a relaxing holiday, you need to take time to wind down before your departure. Allow your mind and […]

With the growing pressures of modern technology, few of us ever really ‘switch off’. Everywhere you look, someone is on a mobile device, some checking their work emails. The problem that we face is that we are constantly connected. Just because we physically leave the workplace this doesn’t mean we leave our workload, demand and […]