Stress Management
“Five myths about stress”
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Five myths about stress
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Myth 1 - Stress is bad for us
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Myth 2 – Stress is easy to spot
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Myth 3 – Stress at work must be avoided
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Myth 4 – Stress at work = substantial damages
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Myth 5 – Coping with stress means massage and meditation
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Five myths about stress
There are five commonly held ideas about stress that are fundamentally wrong, and which cause problems
when we talk about stress in the workplace. These five myths are that
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stress is bad for us
stress is easy to spot
stress at work must be avoided
stress at work = substantial damages
coping with stress means massage and meditation
We’ll correct all of these misapprehensions in turn, and in doing so get a broad overview of stress in the
workplace and stress management
Myth 1 - Stress is bad for us
First of all a working definition of stress for this discussion – stress is where we find ourselves in a situation
where its demands exceed our resources and capabilities. This is an entirely neutral description of stress,
and it’s not meant to be seen in a negative light.
Why? Because not all stress is “bad” for us – there’s “good” stress too, called eustress. Eustress is the
stress that we feel when we enjoy watching a scary film or riding on a rollercoaster. It’s what we all need in
life to one degree or another to feel happy, motivated, and engaged.
Of course not everyone will enjoy a scary film, or a roller coaster, and for them these would be a source of
“bad” stress, called distress. It’s distress that people tend to mean when they talk about stress at work,
and the negative impact that long-term stress can have. However just as it isn’t possible to label any
activity like wholly “eustressful” or ”distressful” nor can we think of aspects of work as either inherently
“good” or “bad” for stress.
The level and type of stress that a task invokes will be determined by the individual involved and their
circumstances on the day. That in turn is determined by their background level of stress, whether from
their home life or from the workplace. Assessing someone’s level of stress however isn’t as easy as many
people assume.
Myth 2 – Stress is easy to spot
There is a common belief that the person under stress in the workplace will be overworked, on edge, and
short tempered. However stress behaviour is far more wide ranging than that stereotype allows.
Some of the physiological indicators of short-term stress include
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tightness of the chest, neck, jaw, face, abdomen, shoulder and back muscles
hunched posture
clenched fists
shaking hands
shallow /rapid breathing
headache
nausea
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Longer term physical signs include
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irritable bowel symptoms such as diarrhoea or constipation
sleep disturbances and fatigue
susceptibility to minor illness
chronic (long-term) pain
facial expression shows tension – frown, tightened eyebrows, clenched jaw, pursed lips
rashes
Some of the behavioural signs of stress include
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irritability and aggression
depression
anxiety, restlessness and impatience
withdrawal
increased break and lunch times
diminished initiative and lack of interest
narrowed focus or inability to focus
poor memory
inability to learn
over-eating
absenteeism
increased sleep and lethargy
diminished productivity
increased engagement with others
increased concentration on work
increased hours
reduced breaks and lunches
not taking annual leave entitlement
presenteeism
insomnia, broken sleep, early morning wakefulness
yielding to others
increased smoking, drinking, drug use
theft
vandalism
bullying
assault
As you can see the list includes some contrary behaviours – absenteeism and presenteeism, under and over
eating, aggression and withdrawal. There is no set pattern of “stress” behaviour, and the key to spotting
signs of stress in the workplace is to be aware of peoples’ ordinary behaviour, and look for any changes in
that.
The context that any subsequent conversation would be held in would have to include some knowledge of
that persons domestic circumstances, because once again stress from home will ordinarily be brought into
work even if it isn’t directly acted out.
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Myth 3 – Stress at work must be avoided
We’ve already seen from myth 1 that some stress is not just “good” but vital if we’re to be motivated and
engaged at work, and so it is not the case that all stress at work has to be avoided.
Stress in the workplace isn’t the subject of specific legislation. Instead minimising the risk of stress-related
illness or injury is covered by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and
Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
As with other legislation the employer’s and manager’s duty is to make sure that the likelihood of stressrelated illness or injury is managed – there is no expectation that stress can be removed entirely or that
adjustments to accommodate individuals should pass any other test than “reasonableness”, in a similar
way to adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act.
There is also an expectation in legislation, in common with other health and safety legislation, that
employees also share responsibility for managing their own stress, and should be able to start a
conversation about that themselves.
One area where people often overlook stress is in mundane or repetitive tasks. Work that doesn’t stretch
people or is consistently beneath their level of ability will cause long-term stress in people. In a similar way
having too little work or responsibility can also cause stress, and as a result these sorts of tasks and roles do
not lend themselves to forming any long-term approach to managing stress in those who are over-worked.
There is one other aspect of the definition of stress that has a particular application in the workplace. If
stress is the lack of resources to meet demands then stress can be caused by people misunderstanding
what is expected of them. All too commonly overlooked are checking that the person understands
correctly what is expected of them, and that they have considered experience and transferable skills that
they already possess.
Myth 4 Stress at work = substantial damages
Under English law there is no absolute right to claim compensation for stress. The reason that high awards
of damages make the headlines is because of their very rarity.
To award compensation the courts require the individual’s case to pass four tests
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they must demonstrate that they have suffered from a recognised psychiatric illness
they must show that the psychiatric illness was caused by stress at work
they must show that the exposure to stress at work was as a result of negligence
they must show that their psychiatric illness is a direct result of their employer's negligence
If one of these tests isn’t met then the claim will fail. As a broad rule if you comply with the HSE
Management Standards around workplace stress your position will be a lot stronger.
These can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm.
Myth 5 – Coping with stress means massage and meditation
Much of the stress industry invoke ideas about at desk massages and meditation or yoga classes at lunch
times. In fact the best ways to avoid and manage stress are both more accessible and more effective
overall.
One of the best means of coping with stress is exercise. Aerobic activities such as running or swimming are
great ways to increase your energy levels and help you to feel more relaxed. A good tip is to try to build
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regular exercise into your day, perhaps by going to the gym before work or simply taking a walk during your
lunch break. Desk workers who sit at their desk don’t get anything approaching the benefit of their break
even if they don’t work
Eating well is important too. Eating healthily can reduce the effects of stress, and make you more resilient.
Don’t rely on caffeine or sugar to give you energy, or for fatty and sugary foods to help your mood. Don’t
let being busy become an excuse to eat poorly, and have a breakfast – unless you want to have mood
swings later in the day.
Just as some people use eating badly as a way of coping with stress so others drink more. Alcohol is false
friend to the stressed – it can feel like you’re taking the edge off of it, but in reality you’re using a
depressant to try and stabilise your mood.
Exercise, eating well, and drinking sensibly will all help your sleep pattern. With stress we can see people
sleep a lot more (as a result of mental/physical exhaustion, or as a defence mechanism and way of hiding)
or sleep less (insomnia, broken sleep, or early morning wakefulness). If you can’t sleep then adopt good
sleep hygiene – for instance don’t use a mobile phone or tablet for two hours before bed. With seven
hours or less sleep per night you’ll be affected by sleep deprivation, and the effects can be so insidious that
people don’t realise the capacity and abilities that they are losing. - Develop a routine as well and stick to it
throughout the week and weekend – ideas about banking sleep at weekends, or learning to make do with
less in the week, are simply nonsense.
Work / life balance is important too. It’s not just about amount of time you spend at work, but about the
quality of your time away from work. Make sure that you set time aside for yourself and for things that you
enjoy – feeling more in control of your life is great for stress, and developing or learning another interest or
skill can be much more beneficial psychologically than relaxing.
Think about how you approach and react to events – do you see threats or challenges? If you automatically
see the downside of every situation and interaction, you’ll find yourself drained of energy and motivation.
Try to think change your mindset and think positively about your own work, avoid negative-thinking
colleagues and take time to reflect upon and congratulate yourself for small achievements, even if no one
else does.
Don’t be a perfectionist! No project, situation, or decision is ever 100% perfect, so striving for absolute
perfection will just add unnecessary stress to your day, as well as affecting your colleagues. Research shows
that while perfectionism can sometimes be a good thing, it also has a dark side which can drive people
towards impossible goals.
Don’t be a control freak! Many things at work are beyond our control - particularly the behaviour of other
people. Rather than stressing out over what people say and do, try focus on the things you can control,
such as the way you choose to react. Getting into this mindset can help you detach from a lot of the stress
that may be going on around you, allowing you to focus on getting your work done.
Learning to become more accepting of uncomfortable and distressing feelings is helpful as well because the
harder you try to avoid or minimise them the more stressful this activity becomes.
Finally watch or listen to something or someone that makes you laugh. Laughter requires us to have a
sense of perspective or expectations that are disrupted, and so laughter is not only enjoyable and
beneficial, but it’s a good indicator that your sense of perspective and proportion is still working.
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