Do you dread work? Do you daydream about a different job? Or do you feel detached from your work?
Of course, there can be lots of different reasons for this - and work related stress is one of them.
With so many things (I am guessing) on your 'to-do list' - I have created a quick guide to resources that I think are really useful for people who are finding it difficult to navigate stresses at work. We spend so much time at work that we benefit so much from true self-care and investing in our mental health.
Often the more stressed someone might be at work can decrease productivity and motivation. This makes taking positive action feel even more difficult.
So what we need to remember here is that 'progress is progress, no matter how small' (Henry Ford).
By reading this article you are already taking action, and thinking about your own wellbeing. This is a step in the right direction. Sometimes a few little steps in the right direction is all the momentum we need.
So here are three resources I recommend you explore further if you are feeling stressed at work, or if you want to support a colleague, friend or relative.
3 Resources for Work-Related Stress
The Wellness Action Plan is a really simple document that asks questions about your mental health/wellbeing needs at work.
The idea originally came from a lady in America called Mary Ellen Copeland. She was running an adult mental health workshop and it was here that the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) was born. It has now been adapted to a WAP, which can be used by anyone. I think this is a great step towards de-stigmatising mental health and also recognising the importance of preventative tools we can use.
In my clinical work, I often recommend the Wellness Action Plan - and I think it has a place for everyone in the workplace.
In our society, mental health is often acknowledged or treated when it becomes more severe. The WAP provides an opportunity. to change that. It is about wellness and enhancing our mental health, not just about managing crisis. Crisis is exactly what we want to prevent where possible.
The Mind website offers a guide to the Wellness Action Plan. Here you can read about it and complete the WAP for yourself. Of course, it depends on your circumstances and preferences who you may share it with, but it will highlight what might help alleviate current work stress.
There is also a new version for those who are currently working from home.
This website offers a whole range of resources for people who work across all different types of industries.
It was developed by Mind and The Royal Foundation. I think they have produced a great resource.
There are great real-life stories about how others have coped with stress and I think this is sometimes what we need to hear. Not the textbook stuff so much as real human experiences.
The amount of information available is huge so I do recommend searching by your industry initially if possible.
The website offers managers and employees lots of resources. I think most workplaces could benefit from at least knowing about what resources are available.
I recommend Brené Brown a lot. If you are not familiar with her - here is a very quick introduction.
She trained as a Social Worker, and then moved into academia. She is a researcher who has focused on studying shame and vulnerability for many years. The link here is to her Ted Talk that essentially shot her to incidental stardom.
She is now a famous author and speaker.
Like everything, she may not appeal to everyone but I think her popularity stems from her ability to really connect with people. She also has an amazing ability to explain complex ideas in a really digestible way.
There are so many talks she has done but I have chosen this one as a starter for anyone who has not heard Brené Brown talks before.
She really speaks to our vulnerable parts and normalises some difficult human experiences.
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you find these resources helpful.
Elaine
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