Canberra is a pretty stress free city – but workplaces can sometimes contribute our stress levels and our productivity.
Stress in the workplace is a growing concern for both employees and business owners. Synergy research has identified the key causes of stress and how to deal with them.
If we can manage stress better, we can all become far more productive.
Here are my tips for staying stress free:
1. Identify the causes of stress. The majority of the workers questioned confirmed that the primary source of this stress is the workplace, rather than domestic pressures, with the Global Financial Crisis the main catalyst.
2. You can’t avoid the ‘GFC’ but you can change the way you work. Being Synergy, we’ve got plenty of experience in relieving workplace pressure: we call it flexible working, and unsurprisingly six in ten of those we spoke to (63%) identified this as a desirable way to cut stress.
3. Take some exercise. “Going for a short walk, doing stretching or breathing exercises, or just getting away from your desk would have a greater impact,” says Neil Shah, the director of the Stress Management Society. Exercise also produces endorphins, the body’s natural opiates, which boost mood.
4. In the age of permanent connectivity, we need to learn to switch ourselves off. So turn off your mobile. Smartphones and Blackberrys mean we can be emailing or taking calls wherever we are, whether that’s in the bath or on a beach.
5. Take time out. It may seem obvious, but surprisingly few of us actually make time to relax. Do you use up your holiday allowance? And when you do get away from the office, do you spend too much time chasing your tail – doing DIY, admin, running around organising your family? How much time do you actually spend switching off?
I hope that these five tips to beating stress can improve your business and quality of life. If you would like a complete copy of the survey please contact me at the address below.
Area Director, E: [email protected] T: 1300 476 946 Level 6, 39 London Circuit, Canberra Units 1 to 4, 8 Jardine Street Kingston ACT 2604
