DeltaNet International Launches new Mental Health and Wellbeing eLearning Collection

DeltaNet International, a global eLearning provider of compliance and performance management training solutions, has today announced the availability of its Mental Health and Wellbeing collection of eLearning courses. The collection is designed to help organisations support their workforce with mental health awareness training and is the latest addition to the Performance suite, with a comprehensive collection of 19 courses.

Taking a holistic approach to its wellbeing offering, DeltaNet International tackles the most common issues facing workers’ mental and physical wellbeing. Created with the support of industry experts, the Mental Health and Wellbeing collection is a complete suite featuring all the engaging wellbeing courses in one set, with regular updates and automatic access to new courses as they are released. Organisations that look to get up to speed with just a few courses, will also have the option to ‘pick and mix’ between the courses offered. The new list of courses include:

Healthy Lifestyle
Leading a healthy lifestyle is crucial to maximising an individual’s wellbeing. DeltaNet’s selection of Healthy Lifestyle courses are broken down into four simple categories to help the learner understand how to make healthier choices.

  • Sleep
  • Food
  • Drink
  • Exercise

Mental Health

Mental Health issues are common in the workplace, so recognising the signs of mental health is the first step in getting support. DeltaNet’s selection of Mental Health courses highlights the importance of creating a workplace culture that promotes mental health and how to recognise the common signs that an individual or a colleague may need support with.

  • Supporting Mental Health at Work
  • Recognising Anxiety and Depression
  • What is Mental Health?
  • Spotting Mental Health Red Flags
  • Supporting your Colleagues’ Mental Health

General Wellbeing

The General Wellbeing courses introduce learners to the main concepts of online wellbeing and how they can better manage their online activity to reduce its impact on their wellbeing. The course on Resilience is ideal for learners to understand how to maintain emotional wellbeing and workplace performance. Drug and Alcohol addiction is also a complex issue, the courses on Drug and Alcohol Awareness support individuals in identifying and tackling the behaviour.

  • Drug and Alcohol Awareness
  • Online Wellbeing
  • Resilience

These courses will add onto the following pre-existing courses that have been updated to reflect changes in society:

  • Preventing the Spread of Infection
  • Managing Your Personal Stress
  • Managing Stress in Your Team
  • Managing Personal Stress Challenge
  • Managing Stress in Your Team Challenge
  • Identifying Stress in Your Team
  • Remote Working

“Physical and mental health issues are critical in the workplace. If business leaders don’t take these issues seriously, then it will not just impact productivity, but also the workforce in its entirety,” says Darren Hockley, Managing Director at DeltaNet International. “We are excited to launch our Mental Health and Wellbeing collection as part of our Performance eLearning courses to better support organisations to benefit from a happier, more productive workforce. Addressing mental health issues is necessary, and employees recognise and appreciate the organisations that offer them that support.”

For more information on DeltaNet’s Mental Health and Wellbeing collection, please visit: https://www.delta-net.com/performance-management/wellbeing. For more information on DeltaNet’s performance eLearning suite, please visit: https://www.delta-net.com/performance-management.

How to manage stress in your team

Related Courses

According to Perkbox‘s UK workplace stress survey, in 2020, 79% of British adults commonly experience work-related stress, which is 20% higher than the findings in 2018. The most common causes of work-related stress included ‘work-related office politics’ (at 37%), then a ‘lack of interdepartmental communications’ (at 34%) and ‘the work and performance of others (at 33%). The research also revealed that 55% of respondents experience anxiety because of work stress, more than two-fifths (43%) lose sleep, and a third of respondents turn to comfort eating.
With stress having such a negative impact on employee’s physical and mental wellbeing, business leaders and team leaders must understand how to manage stress in their teams and find ways to alleviate that stress.
1 – Create a healthy wellness culture
When employees feel stressed it can cloud their judgement and affect their decision-making skills, as well as their creative ability. Organisations should create a culture that encourages good mental health and wellbeing. Managers should encourage staff to leave their desks during lunchtime and go for a walk to get some fresh air, as it helps to clear the mind. Organisations can also encourage healthy wellbeing by subsiding gym memberships, hosting (in-person or virtual) yoga or Zumba sessions or even team walking activities, aiming to hit 10,000 steps a day.
2 – Build a better working environment
Organisations should try to improve the atmosphere of the workspace because it’s no surprise that the working environment can impact a staff member’s stress or mental health. Business leaders can make small changes, e.g. if the office environment is genuinely dull, add some colour to the walls to brighten them up. Different and bright colours are known to lift moods, so add a splash of paint to the walls to improve the atmosphere. According to Erika Woelfel, a yellow hue is sure to brighten up your workspace because it infuses energy and optimism into a room to infuse creativity.
If painting walls might be a bit difficult, add some life into the office by getting your team some plants. Indoor plants are a great addition to creating a harmonious work environment as they emit oxygen, so why not try adding an Aloe Vera plant or a Snake plant to help reduce anxiety and stress? Although if you don’t have green fingers, fake plants can give the space a boost too. Make improvements to the work environment, such as organised desks and communal areas – all of which can add up to make an employee’s day less stressful.
3 – Have a flexible or hybrid working culture
Employees feel more responsible when they’re trusted to get on with their work when and where possible. This independence can help reduce stress levels in teams as employees can be more productive and happier working in a work environment that suits them. Research from Gartner revealed that 48% of employees are likely work remotely, at least part of the time after Covid-19.
Remember that employees have personal lives too so, sometimes this means allowing employees to work around their commitments such as school runs or family doctor appointments. Allow employees to work earlier or make up the time later in the day. This flexible approach can help them to become more productive and reduces stress about working around other commitments. Allowing people to work remotely can also help by removing the commute, as this can be a stressful activity trying to beat the traffic to get to work on time.
4 – Encourage company social activities
Employees can feel stressed when they’re trying to juggle their personal and work lives, trying to keep them separate. However, not talking about employees’ personal lives and understanding what’s going on creates barriers. To improve communications on the team, encourage company social activities such as going for a meal or a coffee together, or doing a team sport such as football.
Everyone has different personalities and commitments outside of work. So, getting to know each other in an informal setting can help cultivate these relationships. This way, managers can work with their employees to find any solutions to alleviate stress.
5 – Allow for quiet time
Employees can become disengaged or stressed if they have back-to-back meetings. Not only is this unproductive, but some meetings are not needed. Consider doing them over email or communication platforms such as Slack or MS Teams. Also, create dedicated slots where meetings aren’t allowed to take place, e.g. Wednesday afternoons. This quiet time can help employees to get in some focused time to get work done. Managers should work with their teams to understand where time is wasted and help them manage their workload to improve efficiency – overall, reducing their stress.
If budget allows, some large companies offer company benefits to help relieve stress, such as offer staff a head and neck massage or even days off due to staff burnout.
6 – Provide access to mental health and wellbeing services
Many organisations now provide access to external services such as healthcare or mental health apps to support employees. This allows employees to access virtual appointments with GPs, mental health services or wellbeing support such as nutrition.
Various factors can add up to stress for employees and having this on-demand access where employees can speak to a third-party confidentially over the phone and in personal time means more people are likely to make the most of this offer to reduce their stress.
7 – Provide training on stress management
Support staff with training that can help them pinpoint the reasons for their stress. This way, they can act on addressing it and feel much better about it. Organise activities to relieve stress, such as nature walks or playing with puppies to take their mind off things.
Stress can also be caused by poor time management and organisational skills, so if staff learn how to manage their time effectively and learn how to say no, or push back on deadlines, they are less likely to feel stressed. Managers must help staff manage their workload.
8 – Maintain transparency and encourage communication
Managers should keep team members updated about what’s going on in the business because leaving people out of the loop can create a disconnect and major “FOMO” (fear of missing out). Employees feel stressed about the future of their job security if senior management doesn’t communicate to the rest of the company what’s happening.
Maintain frequent communications with the team and share goals and values from the top-down – this will help them understand why their work is vital. But equally as important is to encourage communication both ways. Find out if an employee needs to care for an elderly member at home or drop their children off at school. It’s crucial to be respectful of one another and ensure everyone feels welcomed and recognised for their work. Communication is key to helping reducing stress in teams.
9 – Encourage plenty of sleep
While it’s tempting to stay up late to have a “Netflix binge”, it’s not healthy. Sleep deprivation is linked to lower productivity at work. In the UK alone, it costs the economy £40.2 billion in loss of productivity and a loss of 200,000 working days a year. Employees must get enough sleep since inadequate rest can adversely affect employee physical and mental health. This is also where stress and a lack of sleep feed into each other. Employees may be unable to sleep due to feeling stressed at work or inability to concentrate and likewise, they may be unable to feel productive at work due to sleep deprivation. It’s a never-ending cycle.
10 – Encourage staff to take breaks
It’s vital to take breaks away from work and mentally shut down your brain from work activity. According to a study by Spana, British employees feel the need to take a break every 43 days to avoid total burnout. The top tell-take signs of a holiday being due, include feeling stressed (56%) and finding mental wellbeing is starting to suffer (53%). Therefore, encourage staff to take a holiday – even if they don’t go away to another city, planned rest and recuperation time is necessary.
Hopefully, these tips can help you manage stress in your team. But, why not take our ‘Managing Stress in Your Team‘ course to further help understand how you can improve the wellbeing of your staff? Enquire with us today to book a free demo.

Related Courses

How to spot signs of stress at work

Employees suffering from stress will find it has significant detrimental impacts on their mental and physical wellbeing. According to the Health Safety Executive (HSE), 1.6 million workers in the UK suffered from work-related ill health in 2019/20 – more than half (51%) of these cases were due to stress, depression, or anxiety. 55% of all working days were also lost due to work-related ill-health. The predominant cause of work-related stress, depression or anxiety was tight deadlines, lack of managerial support, organisational changes at work and workplace harassment.

Stress can be an unbearable burden, and all too often, employees continue suffering without recognising it or treating it. If employees are feeling stressed, it can significantly impact the whole team, affecting productivity, and it can also cause conflict and tension between colleagues. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to assess the risks to the health and safety of employees from the hazards of work. This act includes the risk of employees developing stress-related illnesses because of their work.

Organisations and their line managers must do all they can to promote high levels of wellbeing in their teams. Providing managers with training gives them the confidence to engage with mental health and wellbeing and the opportunity to support those employees who need some extra help. According to HSE, here are some ways to spot if your colleagues or employees feel stressed at work. Usually, it involves a change in behaviour or the way they think or feel, resulting in them:

  • Taking more time off
  • Arriving for work later or working longer hours
  • Becoming more twitchy or nervous
  • Mood swings and becoming increasingly irritable
  • Being withdrawn – shying away or socially isolating themselves
  • Loss of motivation, commitment, and confidence
  • Increased emotional reactions – becoming overly sensitive

If some employees do feel stressed, they might not be the only ones and it is worth finding out if stress is affecting the whole team. If the reason for the stress is not found and addressed, then not only does the team suffer, but so does the company. Here are some signs if the team is feeling stressed (HSE):

  • Arguments within the team
  • Higher staff turnover
  • More reports of stress
  • More sickness absence
  • Decreased performance
  • More complaints and grievances

It takes time to find the right members of staff who are a good cultural fit with the rest of the team and have the right level of knowledge to fulfil the role. Not addressing the reasons for stress and nipping them in the bud will cause employees to feel irritable or overworked, especially if it’s due to too much workload. These effects can have a detrimental impact on the organisation. Resulting in not just a loss of valuable staff, but also time and financial loss.

If do you spot these signs of stress in your employees or your team, then business leaders must make it a priority to speak to them individually and as well as a team, to find out the reason for the way they are feeling. Transparency is key to understanding your employees and your team. Having a heart-to-heart with employees allows trust to build, so employees don’t feel worried or scared to confide in their business leader.

If the cause for stress is a work issue such as dealing with short deadlines or client demands, then support your team by helping them to prioritise their work. Speak to the client directly to ask for extensions and highlight the time taken for particular projects, so employees don’t feel like they are constantly chasing the clock. If employees feel stressed because of increased workload, then it’s crucial to ramp up recruitment efforts as quickly as possible to reduce the likelihood of losing valuable members of staff.

If employees feel stressed due to a personal issue, speak to them on a one-to-one basis and offer advice on what to do, or be supportive or empathetic, if you’re unable to provide support. Alternatively, if you think the employee may benefit from professional expertise, it’s recommendable to share a list of resources the employee can access inside or outside of work. For example, this could mean employees attending a mental health discussion group, support from a mental health and wellbeing charity, using an app, or perhaps taking up an activity such as yoga to relieve mental stress.

If you are worried about your colleagues or employees feeling stressed, why not take our course on ‘Identifying stress in your team‘? Don’t forget to check out the rest of our eLearning solutions in the Stress Management collection and speak to our team to book a demo.

Mental Health – Top Tips to Support Employees

Mental Health issues are not something we ought to treat lightly. Recent research by the ONS revealed that around 1 in 5 (21%) adults experienced some form of depression in early 2021 – an increase since November 2020 (19%) – and more than double that seen before the pandemic (10%).

For organisations, it’s crucial mental health is prioritised as it affects employees’ wellbeing and productivity. Worryingly, the latest findings by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England found that a quarter of employees had not received a mental health check-in since the beginning of the pandemic, and 29% of those surveyed said they have never had a conversation with their line manager about mental health.

Mental Health Awareness Week serves as a reminder for organisations to consider their mental health and wellbeing policies and initiate conversations not just with colleagues but also with loved ones.

Organisations and HR teams must recognise that their duty of care not only extends to compliance and health and safety training, but to taking responsibility for mental wellbeing too.

Here are some top tips organisations can do to support employees with mental health:

1) Remember to check-in

It may sound simple but checking in with your employees and colleagues to find out how they’re doing is important. Many of us will simply reply with “I’m fine”, but as a line manager, get to know your staff better and understand if they really mean it or if they’re brushing off something they don’t want to talk about. The fact that 41% of respondents revealed they had none or less frequent wellbeing check-ins is worrying. Employers need to encourage their managers to regularly have a wellbeing check-in with their employees. The pandemic has taken its toll on most of us, and the anxiety around it has affected our personal and working lives.

2) Encourage leaders and managers to undertake training

Organisations that provide the training and resources for their leaders and managers around mental health and wellbeing will be able to better support their employees overall with guidance. Unfortunately, according to a study by IOSH, 62% of line managers are not receiving enough help from their organisation to support their staff’s mental wellbeing. In addition, only 31% of respondents said they feel they have been sufficiently trained to recognise the signs of poor mental health in their direct reports. It’s clear that organisations need to be doing more, and ensuring your leaders and managers understand the signs to look out for means they can start supporting their staff to get the help they need.

3) Support employees with mental health and stress training

Self-care goes a long way when dealing with mental health issues including stress and anxiety. Providing a training course for your employees to take part in can help them recognise if they need help or understand how to cope with it. Dealing mechanisms for stress such as learning to be better organised with work priorities or learning to communicate with colleagues and managers can be the first step in the right direction for them.

4) Create a mental health culture

Creating a culture that is supportive of mental health in the organisation is important. Put up posters around the office or in the kitchen about mental health and make it clear who they can reach out to if they want to discuss issues. Normalise discussing topics in the open, bringing up mental health in team meetings. This will make employees feel more at ease to discuss their worries more openly.

5) Go outdoors

This year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week centres around connecting with nature. Over the past year with the various lockdowns, unfortunately, it’s been hard to get out and about. Organisations need to encourage their employees to go for a walk during lunchtime (whether at home or in the office), stretch their legs and get fresh air. Not only is it good for them and encouraging exercise but having some reflection time in green spaces can bring a sense of calmness. This is ideal for those with stressful jobs.

Don’t forget to check out our training courses on stress management for both managers and employees. Keep an eye out on the site for our upcoming mental health courses.

What Does Stress Feel Like?

What Does Stress Feel Like?

This Mental Health Awareness Week, many of us will be giving our mental health more thought than ever before.

With COVID-19 bringing unexpected bereavement, health anxiety and worries about our physical and financial wellbeing well into the future, it can seem we’re being bombarded with stress from all angles. At the same time, many of the activities, hobbies and relationships we relied on to calm us down are no longer available due to the restrictions.

In this series of blogs we’re exploring the most common mental health issues, including something many people will be struggling with in these uncertain times: stress.

What does stress feel like?

Stress can be defined as “the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures that are unmanageable”.

COVID-19 and the lockdown have made many people’s lives considerably more stressful. Alongside the associated health anxieties, there has been a loss of physical contact with our wider networks of loved ones who can support us. Many of us are caring for children and juggling that with full-time work. It’s natural to feel stressed at this time – but how do you know when stress is becoming a mental health issue?

Signs that stress may be getting out of control include:

  • Physical problems: If you’re getting minor illnesses such as colds more often, that can be a sign of stress wearing you down. Headaches and muscle pains may also suggest you’re under stress, especially if they’re happening more often than usual.
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions: When we’re overwhelmed, it can feel impossible to function at our normal levels. If you’re anxious, struggling with motivation and finding it hard to continue your day-to-day tasks, your stress levels could be getting out of hand.
  • Coping mechanisms: Most people use coping mechanisms of one kind or another to get through the harder parts of life. These can be healthy, such as exercise or a creative hobby. They can also be destructive, like drinking to excess regularly. With many of the usual routes to de-stress taken away because of the coronavirus, many are finding it harder to handle their stress.

The NHS website has a list of the signs of stress. It can be helpful to look out for these signs in ourselves and also in our loved ones. Stress can increase gradually so it can be quite severe before we even realise there’s a problem.

What helps with stress?

Even with extreme cases of stress, there are things you can do to control it. They won’t magically make the stress disappear (and it’s important to get medical attention if you think your stress is beyond your ability to cope with it), but they might make it easier to manage.

During this pandemic, self-care can seem like a luxury with all the other demands on our time. But it is in fact a necessity: we can’t look after others if we’re burnt out ourselves. Making time for yourself should be a priority, whether that’s taking time to read, indulge in a hobby or just to relax alone.

Keeping active is always a good antidote to stress. If you’re strapped for time, even a half hour walk can be beneficial. Reaching out to loved ones virtually, while not as good as the real thing, can be a great way to de-stress and take your mind off the causes. Likewise, there has never been such a need for volunteers. If it’s physically safe to do so, there may be opportunities to drop off supplies for local people in need who are self-isolating. The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week this year is kindness and spreading some kindness around in the form of volunteering can help our own mental health immensely.

Remember that if you’re stressed, you’re far from alone. In a 2018 study, 74% of people said they had felt so stressed they felt unable to cope in the previous year. Opening up to someone you trust can be the first step towards feeling better – and what better time than Mental Health Awareness Week?

Getting help

Please note that the information provided is for reference only and does not constitute medical advice. If you or someone you know is in crisis please visit this page for guidance.

Samaritans

https://www.samaritans.org/

Telephone: 116 123

Shout UK (Crisis Text Line)

https://www.giveusashout.org/

Text Shout to 85258

Mind – the mental health charity

https://www.mind.org.uk/

Your Mind Plan – interactive quiz with tailored suggestions from Every Mind Matters

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/your-mind-plan-quiz/

NHS – Mental Health and Wellbeing information

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/

The Mental Health Foundation – your mental health – information

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health

Depression: You’re Not Alone

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and it has never felt so timely.

COVID-19 has had a huge effect on people’s mental health. There are people struggling with unexpected bereavement, worries over their own health and anxiety about the wellbeing of their loved ones. The usual coping mechanisms many relied on – spending time with friends, playing team sports or attending a place of worship – became unavailable just at the point when many needed them. Though of course physical health had to come first during a pandemic like this, mental health should not be forgotten.

In this series of blogs we’re exploring the most common mental health issues, beginning with the most widely reported mental health condition worldwide: depression.

What does depression feel like?

“I was so depressed when it rained on my holiday.” “I don’t like that film – it’s depressing.” We hear terms relating to depression every day but sadly, the inaccurate way they’re used contributes to misconceptions about what depression actually is.

There’s a huge difference between feeling temporarily “down” – which happens to everyone – and depression, which is a medical condition requiring treatment. People with depression can’t “snap out of it” or think themselves better. Their condition is the result of a complex mixture of circumstances and genetics, though even the most severe cases can be treated. Depression can affect anyone of any age, gender, race or nationality.

Depression can manifest in different ways for each person but some common symptoms are:

  • Loss of interest in fun things: Activities that used to bring you pleasure or give you a sense of achievement no longer seem worthwhile. This can lead to guilt, which feeds the depression further. If you’re no longer getting any joy out of hobbies you used to love, this could be a sign of depression.
  • Feeling low, sad or anxious: When most of us think of depression, the first sign we think of is of a persistent low mood. However, this is not always visible to others, as people who seem outwardly very cheerful can be masking their real feelings.
  • Withdrawal: Avoiding friends and family can be a key signal of depression, especially if it’s out of character. Likewise, sleeping or eating significantly more or less than usual can be a warning sign. Unfortunately, this can add to the vicious cycle of depression, since self-care and good nutrition are great ways to combat depression.

A comprehensive list of depression symptoms can be found on the NHS website. Though we should avoid self-diagnosing or putting a label on our loved ones due to their behaviour, these can be signs that someone’s mental health is suffering. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, the weeks of isolation may well have caused some to develop depression or for their existing depression to get worse, so we need to look out for each other’s mental health.

If you ever find yourself having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, seek medical help immediately. A list of crisis services can be found here.

About depression

If you have depression, you’re not alone. In fact, it is the predominant mental health problem worldwide. 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem in their lifetime.

Some people only suffer a single bout of depression, perhaps brought about by bereavement or another difficult event. For others, it can reoccur multiple times over their life, sometimes for no clear reason. It’s important to remember depression is a treatable condition and full recovery is possible.

With the enforced solitary lifestyle of COVID-19 and its lockdown, some people may be experiencing a worsening of their symptoms. Conversely, others may be finding the slower pace of life, homeworking or increased time with immediate family has helped their condition. We’re all individuals and depression affects people in different ways.

This year, the topic of Mental Health Awareness Week is kindness. With the impact of the virus and lockdown on mental health still to be fully understood, we can all practice kindness by reaching out (virtually) to loved ones and making sure we watch out for each other’s mental health.

Getting help

Please note that the information provided is for reference only and does not constitute medical advice. If you or someone you know is in crisis please visit this page for guidance.

Samaritans

https://www.samaritans.org/

Telephone: 116 123

Shout UK (Crisis Text Line)

https://www.giveusashout.org/

Text Shout to 85258

Mind – the mental health charity

https://www.mind.org.uk/

Your Mind Plan – interactive quiz with tailored suggestions from Every Mind Matters

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/your-mind-plan-quiz/

NHS – Mental Health and Wellbeing information

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/

The Mental Health Foundation – your mental health – information

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health

What Does Anxiety Feel Like?

Anxiety can be defined as:

‘a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.’

It is important to remember than anxiety can be a perfectly natural reaction or response to certain events in life, such as a job interview or sitting an exam for example.

If these feelings persist once an event has passed, there is no obvious reason to feel anxious, or if the reaction is excessive, anxiety can become a problem.

Some common symptoms of anxiety (please note this is not an exhaustive list):

Physical

  • a churning feeling in your stomach
  • faster breathing
  • a fast, thumping, or irregular heartbeat
  • sweating or hot flushes
  • problems sleeping
  • nausea (feeling sick)
  • needing the toilet more or less often

Psychological

  • feeling tense, nervous, or unable to relax
  • having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst
  • feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down
  • feeling like other people can see you are anxious and are looking at you

Anxiety shares many symptoms with stress, but anxiety is generally a more intense and longer lasting feeling. The symptoms of anxiety can impact on aspects of daily life and interfere with the ability to function ‘normally’. At this point it can be said that an anxiety disorder is present.

There are many different types of anxiety – far too many to list in this article, however, some of the most frequently encountered include GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and Phobias. Further information on individual types of anxiety can be found at AnxietyUK.

Whatever specific type of anxiety an individual encounters, all have many common symptoms and it is important not to be too concerned with attaching a specific label to a condition.

What happens when anxiety is triggered?

An anxiety response is fundamentally the ‘fight or flight’ response the body responds with when facing something that is perceived as a threat. The body is flooded with adrenaline which is triggered by the part of our brain which has recognised a threat. This is a primitive response dating back to early man and which exists to protect us and give us the strength to either fight the threat or run from it – either way, the response helped us to survive and so our brain/body thinks it is helping us.

Anything other than an immediate threat to life that provokes this response is a false reaction from the brain. This is often as a result of a learned pattern of fear or an overstimulated nervous system, and it can occur following a prolonged period of stress resulting in the fight or flight switch being left in the ‘on’ position.

First and second fear- the cycle of anxiety

A major problem faced by those suffering from anxiety is not knowing what is happening.

The feelings brought about by anxiety can be uncomfortable and scary. What happens when we face something uncomfortable and scary? Additional fear is created, and the original symptoms are exacerbated. This is known as ‘second fear’. First fear is the initial anxiety response, such as weak legs or increased heart rate, for example. Second fear comes from the reaction to those feelings, a kind of ‘oh no what’s happening?’ ‘something really bad is happening’ which, if you are in an anxiety state already, is likely to happen. Thus, anxiety can become part of a cycle of fear.

Understanding

A very effective first step to breaking this cycle is to develop an understanding of what is happening to you. In time this will help reduce the level of fear to a point where, whenever you feel anxious, you will simply acknowledge those feelings and not be so fearful of them. You will begin to see that they are harmless feelings that will pass – and they always do if you let them.

The anxiety paradox

It is natural when we feel fear and the uncomfortable symptoms it brings that we will want it to go away and do whatever we can to make it go away.

Paradoxically this produces completely the opposite result that we want. Doing this tells the brain that there is indeed something to fear and it gives the body more anxiety as a result.

Whilst understanding how difficult it is to do, the only way to overcome anxiety is to go through it; and that means facing the fear. By becoming accustomed to the feelings that anxiety brings, and understanding that they will pass, the brain gradually learns that there is no reason to continue to produce the anxious response.

Acceptance

This is commonly referred to as the ‘acceptance’ method. Accepting the feelings and letting them pass with time.

Many people see this methodology and instantly dismiss it on the basis that they cannot possibly cope with the symptoms. This is completely understandable as the symptoms of anxiety can be extremely distressing. However, acceptance is a proven method of overcoming anxiety.

Anyone interested in learning more about this method could read the works of Australian psychologist Dr Claire Weekes who pioneered the acceptance method.

What else can I do about anxiety?

There are of course many things that you can do to help alleviate anxious feelings. A small selection is featured below.

Relaxation

Commonly used methods of relaxation include meditation, yoga, indulging in hobbies that focus the mind such as reading or creative activities.

Medication

Medication is commonly prescribed to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety. For more information about medication please contact your GP. This article provides a summary of potential options

Exercise

Exercise is commonly used as a means of providing relief. This works by burning the excess adrenaline released into your body during periods of anxiety. Accordingly, the period following exercise is frequently a period of relief as the build-up of adrenaline has been removed from the body, and a period of calm can often follow. Exercise is also said to produce endorphins and create improved mood.

Therapy

Therapy can be very effective in treating anxiety, it gives sufferers a safe space in which to discuss their feelings and help them to make sense of what is happening to them. Common therapeutic approaches to anxiety are CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which looks to help by changing the way you think and behave and Exposure Therapy which works on the basis of facing your fears and reducing their impact on you.

Therapy can be accessed on the NHS via your GP or there is a vast number of private therapists available.

Summary

The symptoms of anxiety can have devastating effects on people and developing an understanding of these is a good place to start.

Relief is available in many forms and anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health conditions.

Please note that the content in this article does not constitute medical advice and anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their GP. In urgent cases or times of crisis this web page contains links to a number of resources.

The charity Mind also has an Infoline where you can access information about mental health problems, where to get help near you and treatment options. The number for this service is 0300 123 3393.

Useful resources

NHS

Mind

Mental Health Foundation

Samaritans

Anxiety No More

No More Panic

Calm Clinic

WonderBro

The New Workplace Problem: Leaveism

The New Workplace Problem: Leaveism

When you imagine your next days off, what do you see yourself doing? Taking a holiday away, indulging in your favourite hobby or spending time with loved ones? According to the increasing popularity of leaveism (or leavism), many of us will be using our next precious break from work to catch up… on more work.

The other side of the coin to presenteeism, leaveism is the misuse of annual leave or other designated “rest and recharge” time to keep on top of work. Using annual leave to cover up an illness, whether mental or physical, also falls under this banner. And its use could be setting unrealistic expectations for us all, leading us towards burnout.

Why Does Leaveism Happen?

According to the statistics, we’re a stressed-out nation – and our workloads are making us this way. 44% of people suffering with work-related stress, depression and anxiety cited workload as the main reason, with 14% saying it was lack of support.

Like it or not, we’re a hyper-competitive culture. The pressure to always feel “on top of everything” is overwhelming. There can be a lot of shame involved in admitting we can’t cope with the work on our plates, even if rationally we know this shouldn’t be the case. Unfortunately, there are also long hours cultures where asking for help is stigmatised – although increasingly, discussions around mental health at work are tackling this attitude.

All these factors can make us feel like we must use our spare time to work more. We might even think that if we just use this one day to catch up, we’ll be back on track and won’t have to worry about that ever-busy “to do” list piling up – at least until the next time it happens.

Sadly for the person feeling pushed into working all hours, leaveism doesn’t work. Overworked people are less happy, less productive and less protected against mental illnesses, which can often result from too much work stress and not enough time spent doing leisure activities.

Getting the Balance Back

Managers and business leaders play a huge role in reducing leaveism. After all, if an employee is so overworked that they don’t feel they can even take a long weekend, the responsibility for that falls to their manager – because clearly, something in that scenario isn’t right.

Just like with all forms of work/life balance, modelling a good example can be very powerful. A manager working themselves to burnout and making a point of being available always, including at weekends and on leave, can give employees the impression they’re under the same obligation.

Just like presenteeism, leaveism must be strongly discouraged. Since a company’s culture can be so affected by the managers in it, this too falls to those in positions of authority in an organisation. If they hear about an employee using their free time to catch up on work, they should talk to them about it – not in an accusing or negative way, but with the attitude of “what’s going wrong, and what can we do to better help you with your workload?”. This should of course be followed up by concrete actions which bring the employee’s workload under control and improve their mental health.

Work and Life Split

Working remotely or from home brings so many benefits. However, it can also blur the lines between home and work life, especially if people are working in the same space as they spend their leisure time. This can lead to problems such as social isolation and make leaveism more of an issue – especially if they want to make it known that they’re being productive during their time away from the office.

Remote workers aren’t the only ones who might be particularly prone to leaveism. People whose jobs have recently become busier (for example, through a promotion or a company restructuring that has left them with more to do) should be offered support if they need it.

Managers need to be alert for the signs of leaveism. If they receive an email sent during an employee’s day off, they should check in with them to make sure they’re coping with their workload.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that a happy, rested workforce is not only morally the right thing to aim towards. It’s also best for business. Overworked, unhappy staff make more mistakes and are less productive. Huge numbers of younger workers in particular have left jobs due to mental health concerns, so companies that want to retain talent need to tackle these problems.

Britain’s Favourite Office Snacks – The ULTIMATE Ranking

It’s a conversation that sparks disagreement in the office time and time again, but the debate can finally be put to rest.

Here at DeltaNet International, we’ve pulled data from more than 60 ‘top UK snack’ rankings to devise the list to end all lists. The ULTIMATE snack ranking, if you will.

The Results

The full list of top 10 crisps, biscuits, and chocolate bars can be seen below, although the results may prove divisive.

Walkers Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli bagged first place for crisps – and Brits are also loving Quavers and Pickled Onion flavour Monster Munch.

When it comes to the age-old debate of Dairy Milk versus Galaxy, we can report that Cadbury bagged the honour of first place, closely followed by its Wispa bar in third place.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that Mcvitie’s famous chocolate digestive finished in first place for biscuit rankings, although coming in at number two, the Jaffa Cake is bound to reignite the ‘cake or biscuit?’ debate.

Promoting Wellness

Snacking at work is a hot topic for organisations interested in prioritising employee wellness, particularly since junk food consumption has links to stress (both as a symptom of and a catalyst for).

With this in mind, it’s important we indulge in our favourite treats as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle – rather than a reaction to stressful working environments or means of comfort.

Indeed, alongside more traditional health and safety training, many organisations are promoting stress management initiatives that help empower the workforce by getting them involved in their own physical and mental wellbeing.

Some Practical Tips for Businesses:

Encourage physical activity – Given that we spend about one third of our waking hours working, initiatives like walk-to-work and cycle schemes have helped UK workers fit physical activity around their employment. It’s encouraging to report that many UK workers now have access to onsite shower facilities and/or lockers to make it easier to be active whilst still getting the job done and maintaining professionalism. From boardroom workouts to lunchtime yoga and discounted fitness apps, encouraging physical activity can help promote productivity and maintain the good health of your workforce.

Offer healthy snacks – As our rankings prove, Britain loves sweet and salty treats! However, these aren’t the only delicious snacks health-conscious organisations have to offer. Initiatives like fresh-fruit deliveries can help employees make beneficial choices, as can recipe swapping clubs and team lunches aimed at raising awareness about nutrition.

Keep employees moving – Office workers often sit for hours in front of their computer – sometimes spending as much as seven or eight hours a day completely sedentary, which puts both physical and mental health at risk. Simply encouraging employees to take short but regular breaks can help, as can raising awareness about display screen equipment (DSE) use and what office-based exercises they can do to help reduce fatigue, pain, and discomfort.

Final Word

Whilst our snack rankings were a bit of fun for the DeltaNet International office, we can’t ignore the fact that workplace health and wellbeing is a very serious issue as we move into 2020. It’s important that employees are empowered to make good choices and that awareness training and information about healthy workplace initiatives are available and suitable for everyone.

See below for the UK’s ULTIMATE snack rankings in full: