Stress Awareness Week

White thought bubble on a yellow background. Stress Awareness Week is written in yellow inside the thought bubble.

6-10 November 2023

The 6-10 November 2023 is International Stress Awareness Week and the University has created a programme of online and face to face events for staff to find out more about stress and stress prevention.

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed, and feeling under pressure is a normal part of life. But being overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental health issues and can make existing problems worse. A small amount of stress can be useful. It can motivate you to take action and get tasks completed. It can also make you feel alive and excited. But too much stress can cause negative effects such as a change in your mood, your body and relationship issues.

This weeks’ activities are designed to highlight ways that stress might affect people and help staff manage their stress before it becomes a problem. 

Workshops

Staff are welcome to attend these workshops designed to help you manage stress and build resilience.

View all the events taking place on Stress Awareness Week.

Identifying and managing my stress workshop

1 November, 7 November, 23 November 09:30 to 16:00
In-person

Understand what stress means to you and how your body reacts to stress. Learn about practical tools and techniques to reduce and manage your stress. 

Resilience workshop

9 November, 14:00 to 15:00
In-person

A session with Wellbeing Lead, Steve Randle. Find out what we mean by stress and resilience and how to improve your wellbeing.

#IamRemarkable

8 November, 15:00 to 17:00
Online

Boost your self-promotion with Emily Sandwell, International Careers Consultant in an #IamRemarkable workshop.

Online resources

Restore the Balance: mindfulness wellbeing programme

This virtual programme is a series of sessions that introduces key mindfulness concepts.  The core aim of this programme is to support participants to learn skills in how to slow their pace down, to better manage stress and anxiety, and to more effectively connect to them self and to others. It delivers over a series of short sessions that provide you to learn at your own pace and in your own time. 

 

Restore the Balance: mindfulness wellbeing programme

Well Online

Well Online is your comprehensive wellbeing resource, offering information, advice and confidential support as part of the University’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The site offers a wealth of practical tips, fresh ideas and stimulating reading. Whatever challenge you face, you will find help here.

You can access a range of online resources in relation to managing stress, understanding stress & anxiety, stressbusting tips, stress in the workplace, stress and nutrition using these login details at well-online.co.uk:

username: StirlingU
password: wellbeing

 

Find out more about the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Wellness Action Plans

The way employers view workplace wellbeing is changing. The focus is shifting from reactive management of sickness absence to a more proactive approach of prevention through promoting wellbeing and improving employee engagement.

In response to this changing approach, the mental health charity MIND has developed a Wellness Action Plan. A Wellness Action Plan is an optional and confidential tool which can help employees manage their mental health and wellbeing at work. The WAP is inspired by Mary Ellen Copeland’s Wellness Recovery Action Plan® (WRAP®): an evidence-based system used worldwide by people to manage their mental health.

Wellness Actions Plans are an easy, practical way of helping employees support their own mental health and allows managers to support the mental health of team members.

Anyone can complete a Wellness Action Plan. You don't need to have a mental health problem to feel the benefits. Having a plan just means that you have some practical steps in place to make sure you're supported when you aren't feeling great.

The mental health charity Mind have produced three guides which you can get from your manager on request, or download through the link below. Guidance on how these can be used can be found in the manager's and employee's guide.

 

Download the Wellness Action Plans