Business Mentality

There are many definitions of stress. The Health and Safety Executive defines it as follows:

'Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them'

This definition distinguishes between the beneficial effects of reasonable pressure and challenge ( which most people thrive on) and work-related stress caused by demands or pressure with which the individual perceives they are unable to cope.

Stress is a natural part of life and has been since time began. Of course no one can be completely free of stress, nor would we want to be. If we were, we would never achieve anything. Some types of stress can be a positive force in our life, giving us that extra boost to perform to the max or motivate us to achieve our goals.

Stress is a normal physiological response that occurs when the body reacts to a stressor. It is mostly charactised by a feelings of nervousness, apprehension and tension. When there is a constant overload of stressors and one has no strategies for dealing with them, problems begin and chronic stress develops.

Stress is linked to the "Fight or Flight" response, a primitive unconscious reaction (triggered by the autonomic nervous system) which can be lifesaving in times of danger. The brain releases the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the system. Blood pumps faster and is directed to the organs that are most needed to respond to an attack (the limbs and the brain) while other non essential organs and systems (eg the immune system and the digestion system) are starved or shut down.

An excess of workplace stress can therefore have detrimental effects on people - both physical and mental