While working under pressure may be a catalyst to remain alert and stay motivated at work. It is important to have a balance between stimulation and rest. Working under excessive pressure can lead to stress if not properly managed. Stressors are events or circumstances that exceed a person’s physical or psychological stamina to cope with pressure.  Stress can affect your physical and mental health leading to poor work performance or even errors. Before we discuss how you can manage stress at work as a locum, Lets quickly look at the major causes of stress.

There are quite a number of factor that can put you under stress as a locum, these include but not limited to: 

• Poor work organization
• Poor communication between the management/supervisors/colleagues
• Long working hours with no break
• Lack of proper incentives
• Driving a long distance to and from work
• Lack of support from staff and store manager.
• Workplace politics
• Negative criticism or Feedback
• Other Factors outside the workplace include family problems, a second job i.e. locum, poor mental or physical health.  

Experiencing stress whether as a locum pharmacist, locum physiotherapist or locum optometrist is not altogether avoidable, especially when you have to deal with situations that are beyond your control. However, it is imperative to identify your own personal stress triggers and how you can properly manage them.

Here are some of things you can do to manage stress as a locum:

1. Design a Schedule to Follow

This will help you have proper time management of your Schedules and your daily responsibilities.  This includes checking your work diary and prioritizing what you need to do at work and at home. If you have too much on your plate, you can drop some tasks or eliminate them entirely to avoid stress. By managing your schedule wisely you will have absolute control over things within your reach and this would make you calmer and less stressed.

In addition to the above, outsourcing services or delegation of tasks also helps. You can manage your workload with a good booking schedule and agency. Our diary system is free of charge for locums to use. Manage your availability and plan your work-life balance at the palm of your hands. Our platform allows locums to mark the number of days they would be available for work so you are not disturbed with work-related calls or activity. If your schedule is too tight, you can reach out to any of our locum recruiters. We will help you manage your work diary and reduce this workload – free of charge, of course!

Eat Healthily

Eating a regular, well-balanced diet will help you reduce the risks of diet-related diseases. There is also, a growing amount of evidence showing how food affects our mood. Ensure you eat meals full of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein to increase your stamina and physical energy. Avoid skipping meals especially when you need to work.  It is not good for you and can put you in a bad mood, which can result in stress. Create a diet plan to follow to ensure your diet has the right number of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.

Exercise

Working out regularly is also one of the best ways to low lower stress and relax your body. Exercising will boost your mood and help you manage stress as a locum. However, to get a result you need to do it consistently. Engaging in 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise like brisk walks or 60 minutes of a more vigorous exercise like swimming laps, jogging, or other sports will keep you in shape and increase your stamina against stress. You can design fitness goals you can meet so you don’t give up. Most of all remember that doing any exercise is better than none at all.

Tolerance

Being a locum pharmacist, locum optometrist or locum physiotherapist means you will find yourself working in different locations with people from different backgrounds from you. Having empathy and the willingness to listen is a good way to get along with people. When you ask someone to do something, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of working together without stress.

Make Time for Hobbies

There is a saying that “all work no play makes Jack a dull boy”. In as much as you are trying to reach your goals taking some time off to engage in recreational activities is one of the ways of managing stress. Set aside time for things you enjoy. Try to do something every day that makes you feel good to relieve stress. It doesn’t have to be for a long time, you can take advantage of your lunch break if you are working to do whatever helps you relax for 15 to 20 minutes. Some Good Relaxing hobbies include:

• Reading
• Listening to music
• Watching a movie
• Knitting
• Doing puzzles
• Playing cards and board games

Get Some Restful Sleep

Ensuring a good night rest at the end of a day shifts plays an important role in your physical health. Sleep is involved in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels and not getting enough can lead to stress. Sleeplessness has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. If you are having trouble sleeping you should talk to a professional. if you have anything preventing you from having a sound sleep at night it might be best to put those things away. Switch off your phone (or put them on silent/sleep mode) and turn off the light to avoid been disturbed by night calls and text messages.

Discuss Your Problems

If you are bothered about something, talking about them can help lower your stress. You can talk to family members, friends, a trusted colleague, your doctor, or a therapist.

You can also practice mindfulness, Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to life that helps us to relate differently to experiences. It involves paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in a way that increases our ability to manage difficult situations and make wise choices

Try to practice mindfulness regularly. Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time. Research has suggested that it can reduce the effects of stress, anxiety and related problems such as insomnia, poor concentration, and low moods, in some people