STRESS MONTH APRIL 2021

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992. Since COVID restrictions began in March 2020 a recent study identified that 65% of British adults have felt more stressed. Stress Awareness Month is aimed to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for stress and anxiety in everyday life. It focuses on encouraging you to regain connection, certainty, and control.

Beeswift recognises the importance of employee’s mental health and their wellbeing. We know that anyone can be suffering with any form of mental health illness, which can go undetected and significantly affect an individual’s day-to-day life.

To provide support and awareness to all Beeswift personnel, we have three trained Mental Health First Aiders on site who can provide first aid in a crisis, spot mental health issues early, and provide a confidential chat service where advice or guidance can be provided.

It is important to know that this service is strictly confidential, and no treatment or diagnosis will be provided. We purely offer advice and guidance for our employees.

We asked our Mental Health First Aiders what they feel helps to prevent and reduce stress ahead of a working day. Here are their top five tips:

1. 1. GET ORGANISING
   
   

   Making sure that you are organised and ready for the day ahead, is a great way of preventing pre-work stress. Preparing anything you can the night before a working day really helps reduce those stress levels.
   
   

2. 2. HAVE A STRESS-FREE COMMUTE
   
   

   By leaving that little bit earlier for your daily commute you can find travelling more relaxing as time is on your side and no longer a worry. You may find yourself missing rush hour traffic, or at the very least giving yourself more time to get through it. This helps you start your day on the front foot, rather than the back foot.
   
   

3. 3. SMALL INTERACTIONS HAVE BIG IMPACTS
   
   

   Before work, or during a tea-break, or just passing through the office, connecting, and chatting to your work colleagues promotes a happy work environment. Just remember, even the smallest interactions can have a big impact on someone's day because they too could be struggling.
   
   

4. 4. MAKE SURE TO GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
   
   

   Try to take time away from your workstation throughout the day, even if you decide to take a short stroll on your lunch break in the fresh air. Stimulating your brain will help to uplift your mood.
   
   

5. 5. HOBBIES OR INTERESTS
   
   

   Make sure you give yourself something to look forward to after work or perhaps on the weekend, whether you decide to watch a film, meet loved ones, or walk your dog.
   
   

Stress is not avoidable, but it is manageable. It is important to take action and identify your stress-related triggers. This could be getting stuck in traffic on your morning commute or forgetting to pack your lunch because you are not finding the time to prepare it the night before. Try some of our Mental Health First Aider’s tips above and minimise the risk of stress.

The Stress Management Society have provided a vast amount of useful information about Stress Awareness Month, including challenges, activities, and other resources, which you can access here: www.stress.org.uk.

Should you wish to find out more regarding our Health and Safety policies, you can access this information in our policies section here: HS Policy.