Stress is a major factor affecting the physical and mental health of Australians, and Stress Down Day is a great way to raise awareness about the need for stress management.
What better way to raise awareness about stress management than by sending a Stress Down Day video to a friend who needs a bit of stress relief!
We interview Bupa health ambassadors, Guy Leech and Matt Welsh about how they handle stress in their lives. Guy and Matt share a range of stress busting tips showing us that stress management doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Guy Leech, Bupa’s Health and Wellness Advisor, rose to fame as a teenager with an extraordinary victory at the Coolangatta Gold Iron Man race in 1984. Having won seven Uncle Toby’s Iron Man Championships and the World Iron Man title, Guy remains a permanent fixture on the Australian sporting, health and fitness scene.
The dedicated father of two remains as passionate as ever about addressing the health issues affecting people of all ages in the country. In his role as Health and Wellness Advisor, Guy’s passion for fitness and belief in the benefits of regular exercise aligns with Bupa’s core mission of helping Australians to find a healthier version of themselves.
On a day-to-day basis, what tends to stress you out the most?
I work hard at keeping my stress levels low and I’m generally good at controlling my emotions. However, one thing that can get me stressed is monetary situations. The responsibility of being the bread winner in the family, worrying about our kids and the mortgage can sometimes be overwhelming.
How do you cope with everyday stress?
Early morning exercise is how I like to combat stress. I find that if I get my endorphins kicking from early on, my day is usually a good one.
What defines a healthy lifestyle?
I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve exercised regularly from a young age, but I think that doing something physical for 30 minutes a day is a great start to a healthy lifestyle. I also believe if you try to maintain a positive attitude and keep a smile on your face, you have a higher resilience to stress.
What signs show you that you’re stressed?
Everyone is different, but for me personally, stress tends to relate to how well I’m sleeping at night. I also find it hard to concentrate – it’s difficult to focus on what’s in front of you when you have other things on your mind.
Do you find fatherhood stressful?
Personally I don’t find fatherhood stressful. Having said that, my eldest daughter has just turned 13 and I’m bracing myself for what’s ahead. Friends of ours who have teenage children have given me a bit of an indication of what’s in store and I think my stress levels will be rising!
What’s your number one stress busting tip for Dad’s?
I always come back to doing some form of exercise because I know how good it makes you feel and believe in the benefits. As a family we try to engage in exercise as much as we can together, with a mixture of fun activities, such as swimming and long walks on the beach.
According to research, men find it harder to talk about stress, do you agree?
I’d agree that generally speaking most men internalise their feelings of stress more so than women. The whole mentality of being strong is probably why men tend to just take stress on board and keep it to themselves, which is not the best thing to do.
When you’re feeling stressed, who’s the first person you talk to?
I talk with my wife Helen about whatever is stressing me. I think that when you’re in a good relationship and you’ve got someone who is there for you, you should always try to talk to each other about what’s on your mind.
Matt Welsh’s expertise in the areas of health, fitness and stress management led him to partner with Bupa as its Corporate Health and Wellness Consultant in 2008. A key part of this involves working with companies to help increase resilience to stress through solutions, such as ergonomics, risk assessments and fitness.
Beginning his professional swimming career relatively late at the age of 18, Matt represented Australia at the highest level of international competitive swimming for 10 years. The father of three has over 30 Olympic, World and Commonwealth medals to his name.
What do you think of when you hear the word stress?
Stress definitely has negative connotations, but I don’t think it’s stress itself that harms, rather the negative effects of not managing it well.
How do you cope with everyday stress?
I don’t stress a lot, but when I do, I find it helpful to have priorities and perspective on things. It’s very easy to get bogged down on details. Instead I try to appreciate the smaller things in life.
What defines a healthy lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle to me is about decision making. It’s about having a purpose and a reason to actually look after yourself and deciding to do the right thing now, rather than trying to fix it later.
What signs show you that you’re stressed?
I tend to lose clarity in the way I’m thinking. I can also get a bit grumpy, and perhaps get a bit short with those around me because I do start focusing solely on the cause of stress and not everything else that’s really important. We often do make poor decisions when we’re under stress.
What steps do you take to overcome this state of mind?
If I’m stressed, when I do have the chance to stop and think about what I’m doing I ask myself ‘Why didn’t I do that differently?’ You really don’t have the same level of mental sharpness as you would if you were in a better state of mind.
Do you find fatherhood stressful?
To be honest, I do at times. I love my kids and spend as much time as I possibly can with them. For all the enjoyment that they give me, they do require a lot of my time, attention and focus. Although fatherhood can be stressful, I see parental stress as an important part of life which can actually make you do a better job.
What’s your number one stress busting tip for Dad’s?
Talking about your stress definitely minimises that ‘stressing about stress’ cycle. The release of getting someone else’s opinion and sharing your thoughts with someone else is really important, whether that’s your wife, or your friends.
According to research, men find it harder to talk about stress, do you agree?
I think it’s a pride thing, and while it’s great to be proud, I think that men who don’t want to talk about their stress need to embrace the fact it’s a good thing to reach out, get help and talk about whatever is on their minds.
When you’re feeling stressed, who’s the first person you talk to?
My wife is usually the first person to tell me that I’m stressed, as it’s usually those around you who detect your stress before you do. Rather than just keeping everything on board to myself, I like to get as much advice and guidance as I can.
Stress Down Day is on Friday 27 July. You can stress down at work by wearing slippers, pyjamas or a fun costume. We’re encouraging companies to get involved by holding a fundraising day, encouraging their workers to dress up or dress down, while raising money for Lifeline. Please visit www.stressdown.org.au for more information including fundraising suggestions.
