April 1st marks the start of Stress Awareness Month 2022!
It goes without saying that modern life is becoming more and more stressful, recognising stress, and knowing how to manage it is more important than ever.
What is stress awareness month?
Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 to raise awareness of the causes and cures for the modern stress epidemic. Here at Pentagon, we have decided to focus on the idea of connection, because lack of support and isolation can worsen symptoms of stress. In a world where everything is becoming more digital, we recognise that feeling part of a community can be challenging. The pandemic has had a huge effect on society as work-life has been disrupted, events have been cancelled and working from home has removed face to face interactions. Although things are returning to normal, the effects of a stressful time may remain.
One of the positives, however, has been the growth in online connection as people have come together to show community support.
So, what actually is stress?
According to Mind.org stress is what happens when we feel under pressure. It usually happens when we are in a situation that we feel we can’t manage or control. A little bit of stress is normal. However, it can become a problem when it lasts a long time or when it has a knock-on effect on our mental health. Throughout April, we will talk more about the signs and symptoms to look out for.
How can we manage it?
There are numerous ways to manage stress and we’re all different. In many ways, it comes back to connection. Whether you’re taking some time out to connect with yourself, connecting with a good book, or reaching out to friends and colleagues- having the opportunity to laugh and unwind can distract us from our worries and calm the mind so we feel better equipped to cope.
Tech companies are some of the most forward-thinking in terms of mitigating stress so that employees are happier in and out of work. Here are some words on stress in the workplace from one of our team members at Pentagon…
It’s important to direct you to some of the leading experts on mental well-being. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, check out some of the links below for support.
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/what-is-stress/
