Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure.
There are many forms of stress that can affect us, in many different ways, for many different reasons. Whichever form of stress you encounter, there are ways to help deal with it.
Stress in our industry is well known and is often seen in some workplaces as a positive, as some would say that people work better under pressure. This is not the work ethic we should be teaching.
Being less stressed at work is not only going to improve work-life, but social and home life too.
We probably are all familiar with some steps that we can take to help with stress, but do we always implement them? Probably not. Sometimes the idea of having to take steps to improve our mental health can be stressful in itself! However, pursuing these has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health and can improve overall wellbeing.
All work and no play? If you’re spending too much time at the work, make sure to put more dates in your social calendar to enjoy time for fun.
Moving your body regularly increases blood circulation, helping to flush out stress hormones. Even if you can fit in a daily 20-minute walk, that will make a difference.
Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine may temporarily relieve stress but have negative health impacts and can make stress worse in the long run. Your physical health and mental health affect each other, so being careful about what you put in your body is only going to have a positive impact on your mental state too.
Talking with someone else releases hormones that reduce stress and boosts serotonin naturally. Haven’t spoken to a friend in a while? This is your sign to give them a call!
Music, reading, knitting. Whatever takes your fancy! Research shows that reduces stress by almost half and lowers your heart rate, too.
Relaxation techniques activate a state of restfulness that counterbalances your body’s fight-or-flight hormones. We have our very own, 5 min meditation video that is designed to be done at a desk. Check it out at the bottom of this page.
If you get less than seven to eight hours of sleep, your body won’t tolerate stress as well as it could. We already know how important this step is.
Clinical studies show that spending even a short time with a companion animal can cut anxiety levels almost in half.
Taking a break can reset your mind and allow your body to relax. Leave your phone and laptop at home!
If negative thoughts overwhelm your ability to make positive changes, it’s time to seek professional help. Your health and life are worth it.
If even those steps seem overwhelming, something simple like adding ‘stress relieving’ foods to your diet can be an easy step to take. The below list of foods is thought to have stress-relieving properties:
The Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) aims to provide guidance, hints, tips, and a simple framework so member companies can embrace then tailor bespoke services which best support their staff.
MIMHC is a not-for-profit organisation that is made up of 7 co-founding firms plus a growing number of signatories. All these firms agree to be bound by the MIMHC 6 governing rules which apply Best Practice Health and Wellbeing guidelines and are known as “The MIMHC Charter”.
Savannah Dewhirst – Friday 8th April 2022