“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.” Quote from Rocky Balboa
The latest facts and figures on UK graduates indicate that “A typical graduate cohort will see around 82% enter into employment or further studies within a year.” This statistic indicates that the majority of graduates are successful with progressing within their job careers after leaving University. Despite this, graduates go through immense stress, both while searching for a job and starting their first job. For this reason, recruits should be provided with the skills on how to reduce stress in their first graduate role, whilst they adjust to meeting challenging new targets and goals.
How To Reduce Stress And Anxiety
“Do or do not. There is no try.” Quote from Yoda
Self-help techniques are important methods on how to reduce stress and anxiety. There are particular self-help techniques that can calm graduates down, helping them to stay present in the moment. The NHS suggests that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques should be applied by everyone in job roles. Reformulating negative thoughts by solving issues helps graduates manage them more successfully. Graduates should confront concerns so that anxiety can be relieved and controlled. A useful resource such as the health brand Verywell Mind provides graduates with techniques on how to reduce stress and anxiety.
These techniques are guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation and breath control.
Guided imagery involves visualisation in a happy place such as relaxing on a beach with the sun shining. A further example of where this technique can be applied is through a recording, listening to someone as they talk through a relaxing scene. Closing eyes, walking around and imagining all the senses. This begins to feel more realistic.
Progressive muscle relaxation consists of relaxing all the muscles in the body. Start off with a few deep breaths. Tighten and relax each muscle, beginning with the forehead through to the toes. This uncovers where the tension is and allows relaxation to surge through the body.
Breath control is an extremely important relaxation technique because it has a huge impact on reducing stress levels. Not only does it calm the body but it also calms the mind in just a few minutes. The first breath control technique is breathing in through the nose and observing the belly filling with air, counting to three when breathing in, holding for one second and then slowly breathing out through the nose whilst counting to three again. The second breath technique consists of breathing in through the nose and picturing the inhalation of relaxing air moving around the body and then exhaling stress and tension. The final breath technique is to go on walks, as exercise is an effective method for reducing stress and anxiety. Having a change of scene helps graduates appreciate life and it is a great way of revitalising the mind and body.
How To Reduce Stress Through Meditation
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Quote from Ferris Bueller
Knowing how to reduce stress through meditation, whilst using breath control techniques, is vital for graduates to improve overall job performance.
Five meditative exercises that should be incorporated into first-graduate job roles are mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, qi gong, tai chi and transcendental meditation.
Mantra meditation is about repeating a relaxing word, thought or phrase to avoid any invasive thoughts.
Mindfulness meditation is being mindful, living in the here and now rather than the past. Achieving this through widening the consciousness and honing in on the skills.
Qi gong consists of meditation, relaxation, physical exercise and breath control exercises that recuperate graduates and manage balance.
Tai chi is a method of martial arts where you deliver postures and a series of movements in your own time. It is performed in a slow and graceful way and uses deep breathing techniques.
Transcendental meditation involves quietly repeating a personal mantra. Repeat a word, sound or even a phrase. This method helps find inner peace without needing to focus too much.
How To Reduce Stress At Home
“It is not our abilities that show what we truly are … it is our choices.” Quote from Dumbledore
If graduates are feeling stressed in their first graduate role, the parent coach should acknowledge this and look at methods for supporting the graduate if negative thoughts become more apparent. Knowing how to reduce stress at home can help graduates thrive in job roles and provide the confidence to take on any challenge.
Listening and showing compassion as a parent is the first method that should be used to help. Being an active listener ensures that young people feel listened to.
Creating safe environments is effective. Make sure quiet areas are used when having discussions because this encourages the graduate to open up more.
A parent should not provide personal judgements. Be aware of the graduate’s feelings and respond in the appropriate way. For example, avoid using phrases like, “You shouldn’t feel that way” or “It’s not a big deal.” Instead say, “I understand why you might feel that way.”
Parents should understand the root cause of why the graduate trainee is feeling unhappy. If it is linked to daily tasks and requirements, break it down for them. What does the graduate enjoy? What don’t they enjoy? If it relates to disagreement with colleagues or management try understanding if the graduate is unhappy with someone in particular and map out solution strategies to resolve this conflict in a professional manner. If their unhappiness is linked to the payment of the job or how the organisation is progressing this could be disappointing also.
Ensuring that a work-life balance is included within a graduate’s lifestyle will provide satisfaction and happiness. This strategy not only improves the graduate’s mental health but it also will improve physical health.
Set boundaries, making sure that they don’t work overtime and take on additional work at home not too often. Encourage the graduate to take regular breaks, including stretching, walking or even disconnecting from the outside world. Utilising a vacation period allows the graduate to recuperate after a stressful time in a first-graduate job role.
Your Health Comes First
“If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.” Quote from Gusteau
In conclusion, knowing how to reduce stress through coping strategies builds resilience. Life and work will always throw up stressful moments. Stress is a good thing in short bursts as graduates become focused and active for the task ahead. However, sustained challenging environmental factors lead to chronic stress and this can lead to physical illness.
Stress causes many short-term physical effects such as sweating, a faster heartbeat, a spike in a graduate’s blood pressure, skin rashes, muscle tightness and even headaches.
In a stressful situation, such as presenting to the board of directors on a new project, the heart rate goes up, the hands become sweaty and the mouth becomes dry. Ideally, a manager will recognise that this was a stressful situation and will encourage low-key and easy-to-manage tasks immediately afterwards, allowing the necessary recovery.
Managing stress involves individual self-awareness and proactivity, the understanding of those close to the graduate and the awareness from the employer in factoring in recovery.
There are many self-help techniques that graduates can incorporate into their daily lives. The visualisation example, such as guided imagery, provides positive affirmation before and after busy work schedules.
Meditation is a fast and effective way of managing stress in a productive way and creates inner peace before graduates begin busy work schedules, focussing on the here and now rather than the past or future.
Furthermore, meditation improves a graduate’s overall performance in current job roles. By incorporating meditation in a slow, relaxed pace you can reduce stress quickly. As a graduate, reducing stress through meditation can be beneficial for your mental and physical health.
Graduates should look at whether an organisation aligns with their values in their first graduate role. If the organisation is unable to adapt to different social styles or does not stay true to their company values then these are huge red flags.
Furthermore, if graduates experience the early warning signs of psychological stress before or after work, take some time to figure out the appropriate strategies to combat it. Finding solutions to stress are simple and improving a graduate’s longevity within an organisation will have a greater positive impact on future employability.
Featured image by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Written by Charlie Blackwood
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