Psychology first aid kit
at work

Stress is a reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. Our bodies react to these changes with thoughts, emotions, and physical reactions. Stress is not entirely a bad thing. It’s normal for us to feel stress now and then. Sometimes it can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and excited about what we are doing. Stress becomes negative when we face constant challenges without a time-out to pause and recharge.

The human body is designed with a system that responds to stress differently. These responses cause physical changes inside our bodies, preparing them to overcome these stressful situations. This system is called “fight or flight.” If our system is activated for a prolonged period, we start feeling the outcomes of negative stress: headaches, stomachaches, elevated blood pressure, chest pain; sleeping problems, sweatiness, muscle tension; depression, anxiety, excessive worrying, panic attacks, and relationship problems.

Research suggests that stressed employees:

• • • • • Are less engaged
        • Are less productive
        • Have a higher absenteeism level

Of course, most of us already know that. Especially nowadays, it’s almost impossible to find a stress-free job. In this direction, many companies offer employees various wellness solutions such as sports benefits, medical care, coaching sessions, wellness presentations, comfortable chairs, fruits, flexible schedules, home office, and many others.

What can we do as employees to keep away from stress?

Try a science-backed mindfulness meditation. Research shows that mindfulness meditation can reduce stress and has a significant impact on the workplace. How does it do that? Mindfulness works by teaching you how to:

• • • • • Regulate your emotions
        • Change your brain to be more resilient to stress

Psychology first aid kit at work. Guess what? You don’t have to light candles and sit on a yoga mat to do this. You can do it online through a mobile app while you drink coffee during the break.

• • • • • Download the Headspace app on the App Store or Google Play
        • Log in with Facebook
        • Try the Foundation level (it’s free)
        • Get your daily 3 minutes of headspace