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Managing Stress Risk Factors- Ill health

Ill health is one of the many risk factors that could cause an increase in stress. Watch this video to discover some things you can do to help if you are suffering from a period of ill health . . .

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Ill health is one of the many risk factors that could cause an increase in stress. In this video, we'll look at some things you can do to help if you are suffering from a period of ill health.


Unfortunately ill health can be a fact of life and it is something all of us are likely to experience at some time, including, sadly, more serious illness.


This can lead to feelings of 'why me' or that things are unfair - and this is natural and understandable. It's important that you take time to process these feelings and try to focus on what you should do to return to good health.


If you are feeling unwell for any length of time then you should seek help and a diagnosis, rather than hoping for the best.
Ill health often means time away from work. For those working in education this can often cause feelings of guilt and worries about the impact your absence will have on students or your colleagues having to pick up your workload. However, it's important to remember that will often make your illness worse if you continue to work without treatment. It's a false economy of likely poorer quality and outcomes.

If you are experiencing ill health it's important to kook after yourself and take breaks and time out when you can, otherwise your risk of developing more serious issues increases. There is no point in being a 'Martyr' as this helps no-one.

It is also important see your line manager, and school leadership, as an ally or supporter - they will want the best for you, and can often also offer additional support, including from your setting's occupational health provider.

If you are returning to work after a period of illness, this may need to be through a planned return to work schedule. It's important to take things slowly, break tasks into smaller chunks, don't work excessive hours, use shared resources and cut out anything that will not add value to the outcomes you need to deliver.


Overall, throughout a period of illness, it's important to focus your efforts on what you can control and actions, rather than worry about being ill or what is outside your control.


These suggestions are not exhaustive and are designed to help raise your awareness of possible actions in these and other situations. As with most stress risk factors, talking to a trusted friend can help. You can also explore other strategies for managing stress in the 'stress management' course which you can find on your 'my courses' page.

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