Back to work and managing the overwhelm

The demands of life both in our places of work and our home life can be a delicate balancing act. Learning to manage stress and ensure we don’t get overwhelmed is important. Day-to-day life can be hard enough, but the cost-of-living crisis has affected many households adding to daily stresses. With financial forecasts predicting that life is going to get even harder, now is the time to proactively work on correcting and adjusting behavioural patterns that may not be serving us right now.?

The crossover between work and home has become more marked as many of us operate hybrid working models. It is, therefore, more important than ever to manage boundaries and stress. We don’t need to say yes to every social engagement any more than we must agree to unrealistic work deadlines. We work with human beings, and we must communicate when we feel a deadline is not feasible. It is important to understand the root causes so that we can manage and prevent stress.

Low confidence contributes to overwhelm

When we’re feeling overwhelmed, we can be guilty of having internal conversations. If we have the confidence to voice our concerns in the workplace about aspects of a job or workload, then it would be far easier for our employers to put some support in place.

Once stress and overwhelm have taken hold, feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth can creep in. It’s important to take build resilience before situations impact our self-worth. This can be achieved through training and development or coaching . It’s about understanding what your personal triggers and threshold are because they are not the same for everyone.

Managing workplace stress

What can we implement to decrease stress in our jobs:

• Think about how you can manage time in meetings, calls, and emails – do you need to attend every meeting or be copied in on all communication?
• If you’re working from home, ensure that there is a clear demarcation. Physically put your laptop in another room when you’ve finished work, schedule a lunch break, walk, and change scenery.
• Delegation often comes from a place of confidence and it’s not always easy to do, but it is necessary if you are feeling overwhelmed.

·??????Create a manageable to-do list that has realistic goals, not a lengthy overly ambitious list that will make you feel inadequate or more stressed if you don’t cross it all off.

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Strategies for managing your home life

There are lots of ways we can change our behaviour to help manage stress:

·??????Take a social media break. You’re not missing out on anything and what we consume online impacts our mental health.

·??????Ensure that you create boundaries and manage expectations around when you are available for work conversations. Don’t look at work emails after a certain time and ensure they aren’t on your phone.

·??????Take time off because there is a massive difference between being busy vs productive. Carving out time to relax and recharge will improve your productivity.

·??????Focus on your physical health ensuring your food is fuel and that you make time to exercise releases endorphins and serotonin that we know help combat stress.

·??????Build a support network with people around you that make you feel good and can help when you need to communicate challenges you’re facing.

Understanding your stress triggers and implementing changes to improve this may also feel overwhelming. Take it slowly, be kind to yourself and start with small changes.