One in five still aren’t ready to get back to normal life – and that includes the office

Over a third (37 percent) of Brits say they have felt more stressed since the lifting of lockdown restrictions in July, and one in five (21 percent) still aren’t ready to get back to normal life – and that includes the office – claims a new study for World Mental Health Day.

The research by Reassured claims that over a quarter (26 percent) of UK adults are currently feeling ‘very stressed’ (at least 8/10), with parents of young children particularly frazzled. The pandemic continues to be a massive stress trigger across the nation, with ongoing uncertainty around Covid-19 coming out as the top cause for concern (24 percent).

Many are also worried about their own health (18 percent) or personal finances (18 percent), while one in seven (14 percent) admitted that leaving the house for any reason was still distressing for them (14 percent) and something that left them feeling pressured and hassled.

Commuting again was also a big concern for around one in ten (11 percent), with those using public transport more nervous about this. One in seven parents with young children (14 percent) said that being at home wasn’t any easier though, and that juggling work and childcare had them at their wit’s end.

According to the data, the UK’s most stressed city is currently Edinburgh, with one in three residents (32 percent) feeling ‘very stressed’. A similar number of people living in Cardiff (31 percent) and Leeds (31 percent) said they are also experiencing high levels of anxiety and frustration.

Those working in hospitality, media, design, marketing and business consulting are among the most stressed industries right now.

Monday morning was voted the most stressful time of the week across the nation, suggesting that while work may not be the main cause of high stress levels, it’s a contributing factor.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”It can often feel as though being stressed at work is part of our routine”[/perfectpullquote]

Kelly Feehan, Services Director at CABA, a wellbeing charity commented on stress in the workplace, saying: “It can often feel as though being stressed at work is part of our routine, and a perfectly normal emotion to feel during working hours. And in short infrequent bursts, it can be. However, recent research has found that 73 percent of us feel stressed at work, with the bulk of us feeling that pressure for up to 30 minutes of each day. Whilst a certain amount of stress is good for us, too much can begin to impact our mental and physical wellbeing.

“For some, a degree of pressure can be motivating and can help cross items off the to do list, but if these levels are excessive, we risk reaching a stress overload or even burnout, and that’s bad news for our health.

“Stress causes our adrenal glands to produce the hormone cortisol – and too much of it in our system puts us at increased risk of impaired cognitive performance, high blood pressure and heart disease. So, while a certain amount of pressure and stress may be part and parcel of modern life, it’s important to keep an eye out for the early warning signs that things are getting too much.”

Steve Marshall, CEO for Reassured concluded: “Despite a summer free of Covid restrictions, it appears many across the UK are still dealing with high levels of stress. According to our data, the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic is still a major cause for concern, and those struggling the most are parents with young children, and adults aged 25 to 34.”

Image by mohamed Hassan