Looking after yourself
Have a go at these self-help techniques to quieten a busy mind, release pressure and create a sense of control. While they might seem small, they work. They can help you feel better in the moment and even develop healthy coping habits for the future. Small steps can have a big impact.
The resources below are all bitesize content taken from wider courses, meaning you can start to explore the topic with only 5 or 10 minutes to spare.
Together, the resources present a selection of techniques and strategies to help you manage feelings of anxiety and/or overwhelm at work. They may not all work for you, so we encourage you to explore one or two at a time to consider which you could find useful in your current context.
Resources
Connect to where you are now
A self-reflective activity encouraging you to consider how you are feeling in the present moment. We would recommend completing this exercise before engaging with any of the resources below.
Duration: 2 minutes
Breathing to reduce stress and improve wellbeing
A short breathing exercise that you may find useful in moments of acute stress or overwhelm.
Duration: 3 minutes
Breathing to reduce stress and improve wellbeing
Our Employee Assistance Provider, Health Assured, includes a range of guided breathing exercises in their app and browser platforms.
Connect to the present moment
A simple grounding exercise to help you to disengage from the thoughts that are causing you to feel anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, and instead connect to the present moment.
Duration: 3 minutes
Walking mindfulness for wellbeing
A simple grounding exercise to help you to disengage from the thoughts that are causing you to feel anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, and instead connect to the present moment.
Duration: 3 minutes
Walking mindfulness for wellbeing
Our Employee Assistance Provider, Health Assured, includes a range of guided meditation exercises in their app and browser platforms
Reframing your situation from a different perspective
Recognise how you think and talk about situations and consider how to label them in different ways to reframe your perspective on the issue.
Duration: 4 minutes
Reframing your situation from a different perspective
Identifying manageable ways to tackle the task at hand
Take small, considered steps to make progress on tackling complex issues or difficult situations.
Duration: 4 minutes
Identifying manageable ways to tackle the task at hand
Finding your Circle of Control
Identifying which aspects of an issue or situation are things that you simply have to accept, and those which you can directly influence.
Duration: 3 minutes
Finding your Circle of Control
Using strategic distractions to recharge and refocus
Identifying which aspects of an issue or situation are things that you simply have to accept, and those which you can directly influence.
Duration: 3 minutes
Using strategic distractions to recharge and refocus
Health Assured Podcast on Work-Related Stress
This podcast features a professional counsellor providing a comprehensive overview of work-related stress, including:
- Signs of work-related stress and overwhelm
- Asking for support and creating opportunities for that
- Setting boundaries and saying ‘no’
- Identifying what is within your control
- Identifying what helps
- Guidance on how to approach being signed off
Duration: 35 minutes
Health Assured Podcast on Work-Related Stress
Health Assured Webinar on Burnout
This short recorded webinar provides a good introduction to the topic of burnout, including:
- What it is
- Common signs and symptoms of burnout
- How to tackle burnout yourself
- How to support others
Duration: 10 minutes