Take Our Stress Test

Due to the ever increasing pace of modern life, most people are totally unaware of just how much stress they suffer from.

Our free stress test will give you an idea of the levels of stress you may be feeling.

While there is no such thing as a stress free life these days the course and pace of modern life means stress is a condition everybody has to live with to some degree. Stress is usually described as a perceived feeling of tension that can be emotional and also physical and often therefore an inability to cope. However, what one person finds stressful another will not - making stress a complex health issue. Most people can cope with minor stresses, in fact some people thrive on stress.

However, this said stress is now recognised as a major health and safety concern.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work states that:

28% of workers claim to be affected by occupational stress.
Slightly more woman than men experience stress
Over 50% of employee absenteeism is caused by work - stress
Common causes of stress are job security and control, work load, monotony, tight deadlines and bullying
An estimated 16% of male and 22% of female cardiovascular diseases are due to work related stress

How Stress Can Affect You

Positive aspects of stress include:

Increase motivation and drive
Sense of challenge and excitements
Increase in self-confidence
A sense of purpose

Negative aspects of stress include:

Increased blood pressure
Muscle tension
Disturbance in sleep patterns
Headaches
Lack of concentration
Loss of self-confidence
Anger and irritability
Mood swings
Feeling of hopelessness
Resentment towards others

Intermittent absenteeism and even long-term illness can be the result of combinations of these symptoms.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work defines that work related stress is:

"stress that is experienced when the demands of the work environment exceed the employee's ability to cope with or control them."