People respond to stress in many different ways. Additionally,responses may alter depending on life influences. Some people are capable of dealing with tremendous pressure and can even thrive on it. Others, however, can find themselves overwhelmed by apparently minor developments or changes at work. Perhaps the most crucial indicator of how we deal with stress is the quality of our coping strategies. The more effectively we are able to respond to stress, the more we can minimise the anxiety associated with it, and the more resilient we will become in the long term.

Anyone finding work challenging will tell you that their stress levels start to rise just by thinking of the day ahead. The thought of planning their day’s work, taking notes at meetings, responding to emails, structuring reports, prioritising and organising information, can be a daily nightmare. Added to this, anxiety associated with perceived poor performance at work, can result in ill health and even long-term sickness.