• About Talenttalks   |
  • FAQ   |
  • Events   |
  • Contact Us
Cart / R0.00

No products in the basket.

My account
Talenttalks
No Result
View All Result
Login
  • Culture & Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Hybrid World
  • Inspire
  • Learning & Performance
  • Magazine
  • Tools
  • Wellbeing
  • Culture & Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Hybrid World
  • Inspire
  • Learning & Performance
  • Magazine
  • Tools
  • Wellbeing
Login
Talenttalks
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Small steps to less stress

Chantal Dawtrey by Chantal Dawtrey
May 18, 2022
in Article, Employee Wellbeing
Reading Time: 5 mins read
0
Small steps to less stress
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS

“Stress”, the very word can cause your heart to beat faster and the hair on your arms to stand up. It can make you sweat and maybe even feel nauseous. These are all stress responses – to a word. A word we all know all too intimately. And probably for all the wrong reasons.

Because stress isn’t all bad. The word “stress” was first coined by physician and physiologist Hans Selye in 1936. He defined it as the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change. Not all demands for change are negative. That stress response described above could be excitement at driving a new and meaningful project, it could be feeling motivated to do something daring or being spurred into positive action. It is a feeling of agency and energy. It’s those butterflies before an event that propels the athlete, the actor, and the presenter to perform at their best the moment the gun goes off, they step on the stage or in front of the podium.

That surge, however, does not last for very long – three minutes at most. And it shouldn’t. No matter whether the stress is positive or negative the stress response should be short-lived. Like any emotion it should come and it should go. The problem, therefore, arises when it doesn’t.

A stress response, positive or negative, causes a flood of chemicals and hormones throughout the body while simultaneously shutting down other, momentarily unnecessary body processes. Like the digestive system, your immune system and reproductive system. When stress continues unabated for days, weeks or even months the damage can be severe.

When you are stressed it is very difficult to fall pregnant.  Digestive problems caused by stress are not only uncomfortable but can result in weight gain or drastic weight loss. The impact of stress on your immune system makes it less likely that you are able to fight infection and disease and you could end up getting ill. 

It is pretty obvious that it is important to manage our stress levels. What’s not always obvious is how. There are loads of articles and books that will tell you to eat better, sleep more, get more exercise, take breaks, cut down on caffeine and alcohol and say “No” more. These are all valid and useful pieces of advice and in and of themselves, don’t feel too difficult to do.

Great, you think, feeling determined, this year is going to be different, you are going to make a wholesale change to your life and watch the stress fall away.

But, no, trying to do too much at once will be too overwhelming, may cause more stress and is a certain route to falling off the de-stress wagon. And then that makes you feel like a failure and you pile guilt and disappointment onto the stress you already feel.

That’s the challenge with change, as humans we do not like it. Even if we know that it is unavoidable, change is, in and of itself, stressful. Therein lies the paradox and the reason why any lifestyle changes we attempt to make often fail.

So what to do?

Change requires commitment, energy and discipline. The change you want needs to be important enough that you are prepared to invest your time and resources into it. You only have so much of both.

Before you do anything, the first step is to acknowledge where you are right now. What is working in your life? What do you want more of? How does it look, sound, smell and feel? On the other hand, what is not working and adding to or triggering your stress? What do you want less of?

Before you try to change your world, there are things that you have no control over and any energy focused in that area will only increase your stress. What do you need to accept and what can you realistically change?

So, you’ve decided that you really do want less stress in your life, ask yourself what kind of lifestyle changes are you prepared to make. Consider these carefully, then choose one thing that will make a small but significant difference. One thing that you can fit into your life or do without. One thing that you can commit to. Only one. Do that one thing, commit to it and know that you probably will lapse at some point. It’s okay. Be kind to yourself and just come back. Again and again. Once that change has become a new habit you can take the next step.

Reducing stress is a long term strategy not a once off event. It is multifaceted and requires a holistic approach taken one small step at a time. Kindly and with compassion.

Previous Post

Your mindset is holding you back

Next Post

Reflections for leading well in a diverse world

Chantal Dawtrey

Chantal Dawtrey

Coach, facilitator, storyteller, and story holder. Mindfulness and body fullness proponent. Mental health advocate and wellbeing champion. Chantal supports learning journeys, advocates for greater awareness about mental health issues and emotional wellbeing and co-creates and facilitates personal, group and team change. As an accomplished facilitator and thought leader she engages with a global audience teaching a mindfulness and bodyfulness based approach for the immediate relief from stress, anxiety, burnout and other mental health challenges. She is a writer and a speaker. She writes what's on her mind and close to her heart. Her poetry offers a window to her spirit. Her focus and passion for mental and emotional wellbeing gives structure to a growing body of work that brings meaning and purpose to her life and others’. Chantal is the co-founder of 5th Place and co-creator of Shape of Emotion. 5th Place Consciousness (Pty) Ltd

Related Posts

Conflict as a means of deepening and strengthening relationships
Article

Conflict as a means of deepening and strengthening relationships

Mar 13, 2023
Shifting Work Practices
Article

Shifting Work Practices

Mar 13, 2023
Micromanagement vs engagement. How to build team connections while respecting autonomy
Article

Micromanagement vs engagement. How to build team connections while respecting autonomy

Mar 13, 2023
Like magic – how to solve any problem.
Article

Like magic – how to solve any problem.

Mar 13, 2023
The poster boy for sustainability
Article

The poster boy for sustainability

Mar 13, 2023
Putting human back in people
Article

Putting human back in people

Mar 13, 2023
Next Post
Reflections for leading well in a diverse world

Reflections for leading well in a diverse world

Topics

  • Culture and Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Employee Wellbeing
  • Events
  • Inspire
  • Learning and Performance
  • Reflection point
  • Sponsored Article
  • The Hybrid World of Work
  • Tools & Tips

Important Links

About Talenttalks

FAQ

Contact Us

Recent articles

Quick Menu

  • About
  • Culture and Engagement
  • Learning and Performance
  • The Hybrid World of Work
  • Employee Wellbeing
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • FAQ

© Talenttalks Evolve Thinking  |   Privacy Policy   |   Terms and Conditions   |   HTML Sitemap

  • About
  • Culture and Engagement
  • Learning and Performance
  • The Hybrid World of Work
  • Employee Wellbeing
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • FAQ

© Talenttalks Evolve Thinking  |   Privacy Policy   |   Terms and Conditions   |   HTML Sitemap

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.