I’ve been doing talks recently about stress, mental health and wellness at work. And one of the statistics which people find most alarming is that almost one in three people have experienced either unmanageable stress or mental ill-health at work (depression or anxiety). 62% of people attribute this in full or in part to work.It isn’t surprising when we consider our VUCA world: volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Never has it been harder to get ahead, stay ahead and enjoy the journey. We expect more from less and the scope, scale and speed of business is an ever-changing landscape.
Whether this manifests in stress, depression, anxiety, IBS, insomnia, a dependency on alcohol or something else, the consequences to individuals and businesses are huge. And on your personal life too.
And nobody is immune. In fact, it could be argued that the strongest people are most at risk because they tend to power through, ignoring warning signs until finally, something gives. Could this be you? Burnout or breakdown are two of the personal risks. And they can take a very long time to recover from.
The Solution
Prevention is better than cure. This is the first in a series of articles I am going to write on this subject to help you make sure that neither you nor a member of your team are a statistic. And, if you are, what you can do about it.
The best place to start is with some self-awareness. So, to understand your stressors and the degree to which they are impacting you. Here is a link to a questionnaire for you to fill in. In doing so I will enter you into a prize draw and one person will win a free coaching session, or one of my books/CDs if you prefer. Just send me a copy of the completed form. Here it is