Stress is one of the most common and insidious factors which affects the health of individuals. It delivers a one-two punch of negatively impacting mental and physical health. That’s why National Stress Awareness Month is a vital highlight on the calendar. Stress hits us all at some point. Being aware of its dangers, and the resultant problems it can cause is the best way to avoid the short- and long-term repercussions.

In the workplace, stress management is a key factor in employee wellness and it can be developed through training sessions that are based on solid, well-rounded courseware, such as Velsoft’s soft skills course Managing Pressure & Maintaining Balance.

Stress can be acute such as when a deadline gets moved up significantly and you’ve got to get the work done right away, or chronic, which is consistent pressure over a longer term. Acute, or rapid onset, stress comes and goes quickly while chronic stress lingers and can cause significant emotional and physical health issues.

Pressure is an unavoidable part of modern society, especially on the job, but that doesn’t mean emotional well-being is out of reach. It’s possible to minimize the impact of the constant need to be productive, complete paperwork and hit sales targets while at the same time juggling the push and pull of daily life.

It’s essential for employers to offer wellness initiatives, for physical and mental health, to help workers cope with all that life can throw at them. Those initiatives can include courses such as Conflict Resolution: Getting Along in the Workplace and Stress Management.

A positive work environment is not one that’s completely devoid of stress, that’s not realistic, but it is possible to minimize stress by providing employees with the skills they need to cope. Such tools can be found in various soft skills courses, like Successfully Managing Change, Problem Solving and Decision Making, and Managing Pressure and Maintaining Balance.

Coping with change can be stressful. Being confronted with significant decisions can be stressful, and striving for balance can be a handful as well. Sure, April is National Stress Awareness Month, but it’s good to remember to practice self-care and develop a work-life balance the other 11 months of the year too, so that stress is kept at bay throughout the year.