Stress Awareness Month – April 2024

April marks Stress Awareness Month, this is an annual campaign to raise awareness of both the causes and solutions for modern-day stress. In a world of information overload where we are bombarded with negative comments and news, it has a knock-on effect on how our minds are programmed.  The content we are listening to and looking at online needs to be balanced. We need both negative and positive news.

Managing the underlying problems is crucial for maintaining good mental health. This month allows us to open conversations about the impacts of stress. In today’s fast-paced society, people often feel overwhelmed with information and struggle with stress-related issues. Don’t lose hope. Focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. We need to fill our lives with things that make a positive difference to us as individuals.

The Stress Management Society emphasises how small steps towards self-care and stress reduction can yield significant improvements over time. With this in mind, this year’s campaign theme is ‘Little by Little‘. It highlights the power of small, everyday actions in combating stress and improving mental well-being. They encourage us to focus on making manageable adjustments to our daily routines. Their recent survey supports the importance of adopting short daily actions to aid well-being. The findings were that 60% of people said stress-relieving hobbies improved their productivity and confidence. 54% agreed hobbies reduce employee burnout from work-related stress.

30-day habit challenge

Doing something daily for 30 days is proven to create a habit. First, make a daily commitment, and add one new positive thing to your daily routine. Keep it small and achievable. Choose one thing to start with for the challenge and do it well. Then adopt another in 30 days – Little by Little.

• Set Realistic Goals
• Start small and manageable
• Do Something you Enjoy
• De-stress, Don’t add Stress

Help minimise your stress – 5 Daily Essentials

• Water – stay hydrated, it improves your brain function, concentration and memory.
• Sleep – repairs our body, memory and mind. Lack of sleep affects our mood and mental clarity.
• Exercise – releases feel-good chemicals, serotonin and endorphins, to boost your mood.
• Diet – digestive health is directly linked to mental health.
• Socialisation – we need to feel connected. Socialise with friends/family that make you feel good about yourself.

Available resources at Natta

At Natta, we prioritise a supportive work environment for better employee mental health. We encourage open conversation amongst staff and offer ‘Toolbox Talks’ to raise awareness amongst site teams. People in Construction are particularly at a higher risk due to the industry demands. Therefore, we aim to create a workspace where staff can have open discussions without facing stigma. For staff well-being, we host monthly ‘Staff Socials’ at our Head Office and provide access to a gym and breakout room. These offer opportunities for relaxation and interaction. An annual Wellness Week is also organised to encourage staff to take part in a range of activities. Each day has a different wellness theme, and we share relevant posters, flyers, and videos on our company Intranet to raise awareness about these important topics.

Natta has signed up to The Mental Health Charter to provide cohesive awareness and understanding of the importance of poor mental health. Our Partner, the Lighthouse Club, offers wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. We are proud to be a ‘supporter’ of this charity for a second year running! They provide a free and confidential helpline including an app, wellbeing & mental health training, SMS service, master classes and access to their drop-in centres. We have rolled out the Construction Industry Helpline App on our staff mobiles.

Sources: The Stress Management Society