Portia - Victorian Women Lawyers

• Job insecurity and lack of career opportunities.
This includes anxiety about job loss, constant
changes to job description and expectations.
These people reported experiences of
headaches, indigestion, high blood pressure
and depression.
• Constant organisational change.
The latest Australian Workplace Industrial Relations
Survey (AWIRS) reported that stress is a significant
and growing OH&S issue in Australia today. Stress
at work is having negative impacts on the health
and well being of thousands of Australian workers.
Results of the AWIRS survey found that 50% of
Australian employees experienced increased stress
in their jobs over the previous 12 months. Almost
60% reported increased effort and 46%, an increase
in the pace of work. In addition, 43% of employees
reported that they had no say in the way in which
work is organised or over decisions at work which
affect them.
Recent overseas research suggests that lack of
control over the factors which impinge on people’s
working lives leads to feelings of powerlessness,
which translates into stress. The resulting changes
in the psycho-neuro-immunilogical system
produce health outcomes, including coronary
heart disease.
Stress, both good and bad is a way of life. So what
can you do if you are feeling negatively stressed?
Here are some ideas.
• Stop! Take a minute to catch your breath.
• Consider the things in your life that you cannot
change and instead try to change your
perception of them.
• Work on your time management skills. Look at
the big picture, make a list, prioritise your work
and home commitments, set realistic and
achievable short and long term goals and tackle
one thing at a time. Accept that you may not be
able to get everything done!
levels of good chemicals in the brain that enable
people to cope better with stress.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Eating healthy food
replenishes energy. Consumption of high fibre
foods and plenty of water aids the chemical
cleansing process of harmful stress chemicals
from the body.
• Your annual leave entitlement is there for you to
take regular breaks. We encourage you to take
time out on a frequent basis.
• Make time for play during the week and on
weekends.
• Walk away from a person or situation if it is
causing you undue stress, and revisit the
situation when you are better able to cope.
• Laughter is a great way to dispel stressful
situations and feelings.
• Communicate with your supervisor if your
relationship is stressful. Communication can be
a very effective way to sort out issues.
Unfortunately, people often say too little, too
late.
• Talk to a colleague about how you feel - you
may learn that others feel the same, and this in
itself can provide relief.
• Participate in mediation or yoga. Followers
swear by its positive effect on stress.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help - either from a
professional counsellor, mentor, trusted friend,
family member or appropriate advisor at work.
Talking out issues can help you to sort things
out in your mind and will give you another
person’s perspective.
Finally, be aware of signs of burnout which are
listed above. If you are experiencing these
symptoms, then you may need to consult your
health professional for advice on coping with stress.
• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Exercise. Physical or emotional stress produces
chemicals which are detrimental to the body if
produced in excess. Excess chemicals need to
be pumped out of the body which is aided by
sweating through exercise. Exercise also raises
Anna Rosemeyer
Human Resources Manager
Arthur Robinson and Hedderwicks
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