Stress Kills!

For those of you reading this article, having been prompted to do so having seen the stress cartoon at the header, I have little doubt that you may well have had a stressful day, whether at work or at home…or both. I often came home from a stressful work environment, usually coupled with a couple of hours fighting for a seat on the train home or trying to stay alert on the long drive back from a client. Rather than immediately set up the laptop and ‘phone ready for even more harassment from bosses and clients, I would turn everything off and sit by the bond. Listen to the waterfall and water the fish swim around without a care in the word, the fish and me!

I have worked in the retail sector for over 50 years both as an operational retailer as well as a retail consultant helping companies become more profitable and efficient. So often I see companies think that the only way to improve profit is to shed staff, close call centres and shift services overseas. All this achieves is a drop in customer care and the resultant loss of customers. Think of grocery retailers, who I will not name but you know which ones I mean, who have shed tens of thousands of staff over the past couple of years and now find that they don’t have the staff to keep the store clean, the shelves filled and the customer happy. These same retailers spend several millions driving digital development, such as online shopping, whilst leaving the shops empty of staff and product - and they wonder why the high street is dying. Yes, business rates are high and will get higher, but the same retailers who complain about government policy are the same ones who are killing their own shops by driving people away and on to their mobile devices to purchase goods and services.

Customers are people and people are social and I do not mean social in the sense of “social media” which I consider a very anti-social medium! People want to communicate with other people, face-to-face, both when purchasing goods and services and when there is either a problem or question to be answered. All of this just adds to the stress total.

The lack of proper customer service in shops simply adds to the pressure of those staff in the shops as well as the customer trying to buy something or get service in order to get information quickly and professionally. We all lead busy lives, not least because we buy all this technology so that we are always accessible and feel that we have to answer a “ping” on a ‘phone or answer a ring, even if we are speaking to someone face-to-face or sometimes “on the move.” Why?

Isn’t it now time just to slow down, don’t be in such a rush everywhere, take your time, enjoy every minute, every sensation - sight, sound and smell? It often said that one is a long time dead so it’s so important not to waste time. Yes, but it’s just as important to take time to see what is around us and that includes family and friends. It’s not all about work, making targets, being recognised for your ego and certainly not seeing how many “likes” are on your “social” media site. No wonder so many young people are having mental health issues, even committing suicide, when their lives are dominated by this totally unnecessary stress. In these days of ensuring no-one gets bulled by being called “fat” or” ginger" etc, young people, in particular, seem ever more stressed to ensure that they are being “liked” and that their image is as close to their role models on Instagram as possible,

We live such stressful lives both at home and at work and companies telling us to “balance home and work life,” without giving us the opportunity to do so, is very common. If all the pressure is coming from work and the environment that is being created in this digital world, then one must take action to reduce stress once one gets time to oneself. This is why I use water to help me relax and unwind, consider the “wider picture” and even for a short while, forget about work, targets and all the unpleasantness around the world.

One doesn’t need have to spend a fortune on a pond or lake but just to find a quiet spot to spend time with oneself and one’s family. Even if one sits quietly outside, admiring the sky and clouds, listening to the birds or, as a last resort, some quiet music; then let the worries and stress of the day just drift away.

Why, you may ask, am I writing about stress when I would normally write articles on all things related to retail? Because stress kills, not just the body but the brain cells. Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. This follows that high levels of cortisol can wear down the brain's ability to function properly. So, whether you are a retailer or not, always try to relieve the stress in your life. As a retailer I find the most stressful part of the job is not being able to satisfy the customer whilst, at the same time, not always having the control or authority to be able to assist the customer.

So, in summary, find ways to reduce stress in your life and this will both enable you to function better in your job, keep your customers happier and live longer, as well as having a more active brain as we all get older. No wonder dementia is on the increase - let us not add to that statistic and consciously make the time to relax.