Yorkshire employees say work number one stress factor

WORK is the biggest cause of everyday stress in Yorkshire according to a report published today.

The report, which has been released to coincide with National Stress Awareness Day, revealed that two thirds of Yorkshire workers find the nine to five the biggest cause of stress.

Around 65% of people surveyed said that work and money caused the most amount of anxiety with 54% citing the challenges of juggling workloads and meeting employer expectations as stressful.

A worrying 20% said that bullying and internal working relationships had caused a rise in blood pressure.

Lisa Clifford, a York-based vitality coach and NLP practitioner, said that the Stress Aware survey clearly highlighted work related stress issues.

“There is such a stigma around stress and mental health in the work place,” she said.

“Staff can be reluctant to admit they are feeling stressed because it is perceived as a weakness. When feeling under pressure it is natural to work longer hours, bottle up your feelings and wait until the end of the day to relieve the frustrations, worries and upset that stress can cause.”

The study also found that 30% of people turn to unhealthy and often counterproductive alternatives such as drinking, smoking and over-eating to help relieve and cope with stress.

“Understanding the warning signals is key to managing everyday stresses,” Ms Clifford continued.

“A glass or two of wine or a treat myself take away may feel like immediate stress relief but by turning to bad habits we make our bodies and our minds less able to cope with life and all its challenges.”

She said that alcohol and the psychological damage caused by feeling a failure after over eating only compounded misery.

Unsurprisingly, the survey showed that energy levels were higher for workers who deal with stress by talking to someone about their issues compared to those who go home and turn to alcohol, food or taking out their frustrations on their loved ones.

Ms Clifford added: “This demonstrates the power that rationalising your situation has by simply talking out loud, sharing your worries and ultimately, forming an action plan to help you find your way through difficult times.”

Top tips of dealing with stress include identifying triggers and learning new techniques for coping with pressure.