Handling work stress as a contractor: Stress awareness month

April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to recognise stress's impact on our lives. As contractors, dealing with heavy workloads can be stressful and at Giant Group, we are always here to support. Let's explore some simple ways to manage work stress and prioritise our mental health and well-being.

What is stress?

Stress varies from person to person. While Google might offer one explanation, healthcare professionals might provide another. Broadly speaking, stress encompasses the emotional and physical strain experienced when faced with challenging situations, both in professional and personal lives.

" Let's prioritise our mental health and well-being as we navigate our work lives together. By managing stress effectively, we can create a healthier work environment and improve our overall quality of life. Remember, you're not alone, and taking care of yourself is important."

Identifying stressors:

For contractors, stress can come from tight deadlines, demanding clients, financial worries, and the uncertainty of freelance work. Knowing what stresses you out is the first step to managing it.

How to spot what is causing you stress can be difficult, but identifying these stressors can help you tackle them head-on, making it easier to manage your stress levels.

Pay attention to feelings: Notice when you're feeling tense, anxious, or overwhelmed. These emotions can signal stress.

Track triggers: Keep a journal or note on your phone. Write down what you were doing and how you felt when stress hit. Look for patterns.

Notice physical signs: Stress can show up in your body, too. Do you get headaches, stomach aches, or muscle tension when you're stressed? Pay attention to these signals.

Reflect on situations: Think about specific situations that leave you feeling stressed. Is it certain tasks, deadlines, people, or environments?

Listen to feedback: Sometimes, friends, family, or colleagues may notice stressors you haven't realised.

Easy stress relief tips:

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for well-being, especially for contractors facing the challenges of freelancing and project-based work. Here are some practical strategies to help you navigate your professional life while safeguarding your mental and physical health.

Set boundaries: Define your work hours and stick to them to avoid burnout.

Manage time: Break tasks into smaller parts, prioritise them, and use tools like calendars to stay organised.

Get support: Talk to other contractors or mentors for advice and encouragement.

Take care of yourself: Make time for activities you enjoy, like hobbies or exercise, to relax.

Communicate: Keep clients updated on your progress and any issues you face.

Take breaks: Step away from work to recharge your mind.

Seek help: If stress becomes overwhelming, consider talking to a therapist for support.

At Giant, we're always here to support and advise you. Let's prioritise our mental health and well-being as we navigate our work lives together. By managing stress effectively, we can create a healthier work environment and improve our overall quality of life. Remember, you're not alone, and taking care of yourself is important.

We work with Business Psychologist DH Consulting to deliver webinars to our contractors on topics including how to best manage stress. To register for the next webinar in our Giant Develop series or find out more, please get in touch at hello@giantgroup.com