Stress Down Day
22nd July 2011
What is Stress Down Day?
Stress Down Day is an annual national event organised by Lifeline. Dedicated to reducing the
burden of stress on our community, Stress Down Day encourages people in schools and workplaces
to have fun with their fellow students, co-workers, friends or family to reduce stress levels while
raising much needed funds for Lifeline. The event encourages people to dress up or dress down
and even wear slippers at the same time. The money raised will go towards helping run Lifeline’s
vital 24 hour telephone support services, a service that is literally life saving for thousands of
Australians every year.
Understanding Stress
The current climate in our society is one that presents us with a multitude of stresses. The need to juggle so many priorities means
that we can often forget to think about our own wellbeing. Research conducted by Lifeline found that 93% of Australians experience stress in their life due to the pressures relating to work, their family, their future, health and financial pressure.
Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become
a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But
when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. You can protect yourself by learning how to
recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.
What is stress?
Stress is a feeling that’s created when you react to certain events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a
challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened
alertness. The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps
you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving
you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid
an accident.
While stress can be a great catalyst to push yourself harder, it can become a serious problem if
you are overly stressed. Beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major
damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.
Your day-to-day life can be extremely disrupted if you continue to over-stress and this is when
stress becomes unhealthy.
Stress is like most things in life – healthy in moderation. Without stress, we would not be able to
achieve our very best at everything we do. The key is putting things into perspective and understanding how to manage your stress in order for it to benefit you in the long run.
What are signs and symptoms of stress?
It’s important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The signs and symptoms of stress overload can
be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behaviour in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently. The
following are some of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress. The more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself,
the closer you may be to stress overload.
• Memory problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Poor judgment
• Seeing only the negative
• Anxious thoughts
• Constant worrying
• Moodiness
• Short temper
• Inability to relax
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Depression
• Isolation
• Aches and pains
• Nausea, dizziness
• Chest pain
• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from others
• Procrastinating
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
• Nervous habits
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Stress Down Day
22nd July 2011
What causes stress?
The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an
exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be
stressful. This includes positive events as well. Some stressors are listed below:
• Getting Married • Buying a house • Going to college • Having a baby • Going on holiday • Relationship difficulties • Financial prob-lems • Substance / gambling addiction • High demanding job / Working late • Receiving a promotion
Work Place Stress
In Australia, the total cost of workers compensation claims for stress-related conditions is estimated at over $200 million every year. Work-related stress accounts for the longest stretches of
absenteeism and sickness. It is important for employers to recognise work-related stress as a significant health and safety issue. A company can and should take steps to ensure that employees
are not subjected to unnecessary stress. Some of the many causes of work-related stress include
long hours, heavy workload, job insecurity, and conflicts with co-workers or bosses.
How to manage stress
While the thought of stress can be unsettling, there are several ways to manage stress whether you are over-stressed or simply
feeling a little overwhelmed. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your
schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
• Avoid unhealthy methods to cope with stress – smoking, drinking, over eating/under eating, sleeping too much or too little
• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them
• Avoid people who stress you out – Limit the amount of time you spend with these people or end the relationship entirely
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list
• Scale back your to-do list – Analyse your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks
• Surround yourself with friends and family – they can act as a way to get some downtime
• Learn to relax and enjoy other activities – Get involved in sports, spas/massages, reading, dining out, theatres, sight seeing
• Eat a healthy diet - Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat
• Talk to someone - speaking to someone about what is stressing you will help you put things into perspective and take the load
off your shoulders. Go to someone you trust such as friends, your partner or family.
• Professional Support - IPS Worldwide can help support you emotionally through times of need and explore possible strategies
that will assist you to re-balance your life as soon as possible. No matter how small or large your life events are,many of them are
an inevitable part or everyday life and can cause high or low levels of stress. IPS Worldwide can help you identify, predict and
plan for these life events. Knowing how to deal with them will help you stay happy, healthy, fully focused on life and work and
most importantly - stress free.
Australia - 1300 366 789 (Business Hours) New Zealand - 00 800 3667 8910
For more details on our services, visit our website: www.ppconline.info/au
Sources: www.helpguide.org | www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au | www.au.reachout.com | www.stressdown.org.au
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