The Stress of Summer
Mid-August: a time that is both relaxed AND intensely stressful at work.
You may have already been on a Summer Holiday yourself, or you may be just about to go...or you may not have the funds or time to have a break of your own.
And if you work in a team, chances are that you have already had to cover someone else’s work while they are away, fielding phone calls, overseeing emails, resisting the urge to contact them with questions, and having to get your head around their workload on top of your own - in the hope that they will return the favour when it is your turn to be away.
The weather is either glorious OR stifling, depending on your personal preference and how much access you have to air con.
…and, for anyone in a target-driven role, SEPTEMBER is looming.
Things may have become ‘quieter’ for a few weeks, and so much is hinging on September, when everyone is back. Recruitment processes should speed up….new projects should be coming in….decisions should be made…and there will be nowhere to hide. It will be crunch time for many.
As a counsellor who helps people in pressurised jobs, I have found this summer fascinating so far. There are some of my regular clients who have wanted to pause their sessions until September, in order to give themselves a break. …And yet, alongside this, new enquiries have gone through the ROOF from recruitment and sales-focused businesses, who are concerned about the wellbeing of specific individuals in their teams.
The fact that some people want more counselling in the summer, while others want less, tells me that everyone is affected in DIFFERENT WAYS by the summer period. It is important to remember this, when thinking about how you interact with other people (your teammates, your manager, external clients, suppliers etc) at the moment. Some people are feeling incredibly stressed and pressurised, either by their current workload or the impending barrage of work that September is going to bring.
If you are feeling carefree, relaxed and ‘summery’, please remember that there are many others who aren’t.
And if you are finding things a struggle right now, help IS available. Talking things through with someone who is completely separate from colleagues, family and friends can be one of the healthiest things you can do.
