Stress
Adapting to a whole new way of life, forced new work-life habits and little balance.
I am sure by now you have heard of 'Zoom-exhaustion' or new similar terms used to defined the dramatic increase in time spend online. With many people forced to work from home for many months and having to adjust their day-to-day lives, it appears that stress and nationwide anxiety is not going to go away any time soon.
People who were not able to work from home have probably lost their jobs. For example, barista, chefs and waitress and other people working in hospitality and tourism, retailers and their multitude of high-stress shops closed. The economy is still not recovering with threats of lockdown still ongoing, as well as service cuts affecting every sectors, including GP surgeries and hospitals.
Many people are now forced to keep their job to provide for their family, fearing that they will not be able to find another job as easily, they may also be asked to work more and longer hours, to deliver despite shorter and shorter deadlines, and increase revenue and add value to the stakeholders. Feeling trapped, the majority of people (globally) have to redefine their lives from the ground up, even more so if they are still working from home.
It is thus vital to separate work from your home, your sanctuary, in every way possible. Keep working in the same room all the time. NEVER bring work to the bedroom and certainly not to bed. NEVER EVER check emails right before bed. This should be done at the last hour of paid-time. If you are obliged to reply to emails, then do this before you go to bed, before you enter the bedroom. To make sure you are not disturbed and your brain stimulated at a time it should be resting, focusing on healing and repairing tissues and cells.
As a rule of thumb, you should keep electronic devices out of the bedroom. Your bed should only be for sleeping (and adult activities, and working is not one of them).
“Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom. Your bed should only be for sleeping.”
LET'S REDEFINE STRESS
In previous article, I have shared a lot of information on the impact of stress on our lives, when we are no longer able to cope — the tipping point — which can lead to burnout, breakdown and health problems.
Stress is an adaptive response to our external environment, our internal environment, as well as other factors like toxins, infections, inflammation and much more.
Indeed, we feel stressed (or stressed out), whenever we are no longer feeling in control, when we feel overwhelmed, no longer able to cope.
Because stress can affect our circadian rhythm, our sleep and quality of sleep, and chronic lack of sleep contributes to poorer coping mechanisms, creating a self-perpetuating cycle with poor health at the end result.
STRESS
Experts agree that people often feel stress when many changes occur in — feeling they are losing control over — their lives. Of course, to live is to experience change and there is no way to avoid stress. While some stress is inevitable and may even add zest to life (stress is key to increase focus and productivity), there is certainly a point beyond which more stress can be unhealthy, even harmful. When too many changes take place too fast, people may feel more stress than they can handle.
A stressful event means different things at different times in our lives. Other stressors we face, how severe the event is, and how long it lasts all influence what it means to us. How well individuals and families can manage the impact of stress also depends on the resources they have available such as:
What they’ve learned from past experiences
How family members relate to each other
Support from relatives, friends, or the community
Financial resources
Skills (e.g., coping mechanisms)