Worry not Wednesday
Today is National Stress Awareness Day – an opportunity to raise awareness of stress and its impact, as well as a chance to promote the importance of physical and mental wellbeing.
We can all feel stressed at times – being under pressure is a normal part of life. But it’s fair to say that this year in particular, with the ongoing pandemic having such a significant impact on our lives, all of us are dealing with a lot more uncertainty than usual, both at home and at work.
National Stress Awareness Day is a great opportunity to take a moment to think about our wellbeing and find advice or support to help us better improve how we manage stress. If left unchecked, stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, emotional exhaustion and physical illness, affecting our work, relationships, families, finances and every aspect of our lives.
Talk to someone – stress can cloud your judgement. By talking things over with a friend, colleague, or a trained professional, you can help release built-up tension and find solutions.
Seek help with your finances – Money problems can lead to anxiety and depression. If you have financial difficulties, it’s important to do what you can to alleviate the problem. Suffering alone may add to the pressure, so make sure you share the situation and seek professional help.
Socialise – Taking time to talk and spend time with friends and family can help us to relax, de-stress and improve our mood, even if it’s via Skype/Zoom.
Exercise – Physical exercise can be a powerful tool against stress, helping to maintain a positive and healthy mindset.
Better sleep – A lack of sleep can be a significant cause of stress. Unfortunately, however, stress can also be a factor in preventing us from sleeping.
Help and resources
To help encourage more men to talk openly about how they’re feeling, we have created a short video titled ‘Real Men,’ which you can view here. Please share this link with your colleagues.
Support is available 24/7 from the First Class Support service. Call 0345 266 5060, visit www.rmgfirstclasssupport.co.uk or download the ‘Lifeworks’ app. New users of the website or app can ‘sign up’ using a unique invitation code, which is RMG- and then your payroll number, e.g. RMG-12345678.
- The Shout mental health text service is a free, nationwide, 24/7, text-based service. Text Shout to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained crisis volunteer.
- Stepchange offers expert, tailored advice and practical solutions to problem debt. Contact the UK’s leading debt charity on 0800 138 1111 or visit www.stepchange.org.
- Mind: www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help.
- Mental Health UK: www.mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information.
- NHS: www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters.
For urgent support in a crisis: call the Samaritans on 116 123 (open 24/7) or in the case of a suicide or other emergency situation, ring 999, or 9999 from a Royal Mail landline.
