Stress Awareness Month

Today, April 1st, marks the beginning of Stress Awareness month.

The last two years have shown us how quickly everything can change, and how stress levels can soar overnight. The ability to be flexible and adaptable is almost essential today. This is especially true within the pharmacy and nursing world, where you are constantly in a high-paced environment, working irregular hours, caring for multiple patients. You may feel overwhelmed, tired and generally burnt out. These feelings can fester and affect your daily tasks – maybe you don’t feel like you’re performing at the top of your game, leading to an increase in stress.

It’s important to acknowledge when this stress is creeping up and learn how it’s best for you to handle it – taking moments throughout the day to pause and check in with yourself.

One method you can try your hand at is the “S.T.O.P” approach.

Every time you enter a room follow these steps:

• S – Stop what you’re doing.
• T – Take a few deep breaths.
• O – Observe what is here right now; taking a quick scan of your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations.
• P – Proceed only after you have asked yourself “What do I most need now?”

This exercise only takes 5 minutes and it gives you an opportunity to refresh and collect yourself before moving on to the next task. Plus, you can apply it anywhere at any time.

Other tools:

The HSE has a fantastic online resource that equips you with the necessary skills to fight off stress and improve your wellbeing. The conductive live, online classes and also have a bank of informative booklets to help you.

Access HSE StressControl.ie here