Is stress impacting your work-life balance? (Video)
Stress Awareness Month is observed in April and, since stress is part of our daily life, we thought it would be a perfect topic for this week’s video.
How many times do you feel stressed or anxious in a day? Maybe more than once, or maybe you don’t remember feeling stressed or anxious at all. This can happen because, even though we can all agree that stress is very familiar in our modern society, we don’t even pay attention to those situations, they happen so often that they become part of our normal everyday life. We simply adjust to live in that way.
Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing: it is simply our body’s natural physical reaction to a change, whether depending on a circumstance or in the environment. It can actually be a positive thing for us: it motivates us to move into action, it can help with problem-solving and productivity. Our body can use stress to enhance performance, and to adapt and strengthen our abilities. When we exercise, for instance, that stress we put in our muscles prompts them to grow.
However, stress should be experienced short-term, and we should be able to give our body time to recover for progressive adaptation, otherwise it can harm us physically, mentally, and emotionally if we don’t address it and we can’t manage it. Unfortunately, in the workplace, stress is almost impossible to avoid, but it is a big enemy for us, and for our productivity and performance. Not to mention that prolonged stress can become burnout and this brings a whole set of physical and mental issues that you want to avoid.
High levels of stress at work force a repeated activation of the fight-or-flight response that can disrupt several systems in your body and increase susceptibility to disease. Not only that: Work stress - and burnout - can harm companies or organizations, reducing job productivity, increasing absenteeism and job turnover, and in some cases leading to conflict between coworkers, causing stress to spread within the workplace.
If you notice any of these consequences, it’s time to reevaluate the way you work and the way you live. Therefore, i’s imperative to learn how stress works and to identify the causes so that you can make adjustments and changes wherever possible, learning to find a healthy balance to prevent burnout and live a productive and happy life. Why not start today, this month during #StressAwarenessMonth, to recognize your stressors, and to learn how to respond with more awareness without reacting impulsively and being stuck in your fight-or-flight response?
In the video, our coach expert Sabrina Cadini shared simple tips that you can implement immediately and see some stress relief. If you’re consistent with them you can give your body what it really needs to work seamlessly and to support you.
1. Put yourself first
This is how you set the foundation: Managing stress is really about taking care of yourself.
Very often we put ourselves at the end of our list, and this only exacerbates stress and frustration. You can’t take care of others or lead them if you don’t take care of yourself first.
Focus on a healthy diet with nutrient-rich foods that provide the right fuel and energy to keep you focused and productive
Drink your water to maintain optimal brain function
Stay active to increase blood flow delivering oxygen and important nutrients all over your body for maximum energy and cognitive performance, and to lower your cortisol levels for less stress
Sleep at least 7-8 hours every night to repair cells and consolidate your memory
Connect with your family, friends, and colleagues to foster social connections that are extremely important to reduce stress and anxiety levels
Keep watching the video for more tips and a tutorial on how to use Mana.
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