The iceberg concept is probably a familiar one. It is a visual tool for showing how the behaviours we can see are affected by what is going on beneath the surface.
The signs of stress can be vast and include some of the following (this list is not exhaustive):
- Not sleeping
- Excess worry or anxiety
- Feeling rundown, getting colds more often
- Light-headedness, feeling dizzy or sick
- Sweaty hands
- Increased anger or being ‘snappy’
- Feeling unable to relax or focus on what you are currently doing
- Difficulty concentrating
- Unable to learn new things
- Unwillingness to learn or do new things
- Feeling lonely or isolated
What’s going on beneath the surface
All of these and more signs of stress may be causing you to be less productive, take time off work and give you that feeling like you cannot cope with life.
Looking at what is causing you the stress and identifying triggers is the first step, awareness really is key to overcoming those feelings. Once we have identified what is happening we can look at how we change our life to reduce our stress levels.
Stress may be an everyday occurrence and something which seems to be part of life, however lifestyle changes can help.
Stress may also be the result of a significant life event, like moving house or changing jobs.
Everyone is different and will respond differently too. It is important to remember that everyone’s worries are relative to them.
Try not to compare yourself to others and focus on you!
There is sometimes even more going on and specialist support may support you to overcome those feelings and succeed in a way that you want. This might come from a GP, a coach or counsellor. Being able to ask for help is crucial.
