Stress can have all sorts of effects on us, seen and unseen. A new study by HR software provider Ciphr out this week revealed that most people feel stressed at least once a month (86%), with almost a quarter telling pollsters they are stressed on more days than they are not
I often wonder if part of the reason we are all super stressed is the cacophony that surrounds us all the time, from constant notifications pinging on our smartphones to the blood pressure spiking doom scroll through social media before bedtime. Back in April, I wrote about going on holiday for almost a week without my phone, and I can tell you that was the most chilled I've felt in years. It feels like a lifetime ago now, sadly.
Small acts of kindness can go a long way, and I try to practice what I preach on that score. It's lovely when a message comes into Tameside Radio from someone listening and enjoying what we do on air. I'm not saying this to trawl for compliments (but obviously I won't turn them away!), but it really makes a difference. Similarly, if I've had good customer service, I'll always endeavour to let the organisation know. We are all so fast to 'take to Twitter' to complain (I know it's X now, but I'm a luddite), so it's nice to mete out some praise as a counterbalance to this carping.
Back to stress, and the top ten causes make for interesting reading. Let's go through them in reverse order, along with the percentage of UK adults affected by them.
Busyness of life / busy work schedule (23%). There's been a lot of talk of the right to switch off, or moving to a four day week. Certainly since the pandemic, hybrid working has helped many achieve a better work/life balance, but clearly there's a lot more that can be done.
Cleaning / household chores (23%). As long as I do the bins, housework rarely causes many ripples of anger in our house.
My weight (25%). Having lost three stone and then regained two and a half stone of it during 2023, I can relate to this one. I think about losing weight a lot, but also rather enjoy naughty food. The quandry of life!
The news / what's going on in the world (27%). I'm quite fanatical about keeping up with events in the news, and devour newspapers, especially on a weekend. It can make one feel quite bleak about the world, but I can't imagine not knowing what's going on. Each to their own, I guess. The fact you're reading this now suggests you're on my side on this one!
My workload (28%) and work in general (30%). Every job has its moments, but if you're lucky enough to do something you love, it never really feels like a chore.
My health (32%). As I get older, my fear of losing those close to me occasionally keeps me awake at night. That's a very honest confession for you. As for my own health, a lower BMI would probably not be a bad thing!
My family / personal relationship (34%). I've had toxic relationships many moons ago, but am very lucky on that score, so I wouldn't count myself in this one.
Money / state of my finances (38%). Before a radical overhaul, my finances were almost as bad as a Liz Truss mini budget once upon a time. Thankfully, things are a lot less lettuce like now compared to the days when I spent on credit cards like water. Not proud, but it's an easy slope to fall down, and I'd never be judgemental of anyone for it. I'd love to see less "buy now pay later" options being aggressively marketed on big retailers' websites.
And to the number one in our survey...it's feeling tired / not getting enough sleep (41%). I've done breakfast shows for almost eight years, so a six hour sleep is considered luxurious in my world! Who has time for 8 hours' kip anyway? I think I spend more time worrying about getting enough sleep than actually just going to bed and topping up my depleted slumber reservoir. I don't think I could get up at 5am without my espresso machine, to be honest. If you're an early riser and you don't drink caffeine, you're clearly an AI robot.
If any stress triggers are missing from this list, I'd love it if you let me know! My E-mail is alex.cann@notreallyheremedia.com.
Alex's Weekly Blog - 21st November
