The month of April is Stress Awareness Month, building awareness regarding both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic
Around the UK, millions of us are experiencing high levels of stress and it is damaging our health. This feels especially true having just passed the year mark of the Coronavirus pandemic. Independently we need to recognise what is triggering our personal stress and learn what changes we can make to reduce it for ourselves and others around us.
Here at Story Events we have been working with some fantastic suppliers to deliver our clients virtual events with a focus on some stress-relieving activities. Below are just a few ideas, focusing on the different stress categories:
Physical Stress
Exercise is one of the best ways to relax the body and mind. Plus, working out will improve a person’s mood. Why not organise a Mindset and Movement with Olympian Leon Taylor. Create a shared experience for your employees aimed at improving their health, their happiness and their physical performance. A class open to all abilities which allows staff to move their body, change their state of mind, boots mood plus so many other health benefits.
Mental Stress
Deep breathing is a fantastic way to manage mental stress. Breathing is a basic, natural act that is both voluntary and involuntary. It happens whether we think about it or not – but it can be controlled. It influences every part of our mental and physical state. If we begin to do it more consciously, we can access deeper parts of ourselves. Organising a companywide virtual Breathwork class provides staff with a safe space to develop this practice.
Emotional Stress
Mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience, without judgement. Organise a 60-minute Meditation session for your employees to introduce meditation and mindfulness and explore the benefits. The focus could be on self-esteem, positive thinking, self-compassion, cultivating happiness or kindness-based approaches. Help teams become more aware of their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Creative Stress
Everyone needs to set time aside for things they enjoy. Perhaps your company could partake in organising a 30-day challenge; this encourages staff members to do one action every day for themselves to relieve their stress. Relaxing hobbies could include reading, doing an art project, watching a film, doing a puzzle, board games etc. This is about creating ‘me’ time.
Finally, another brilliant way to connect during Stress Awareness Month is to send a wellness giftbox to your valued employees. There’s no denying that the past year has been a struggle for all, but with some of Story Events amazing Artisan gifts you can help give people the tools to have a much-needed breather.
