Take a Break: April is National Stress Awareness Month

Help staff and customers unwind with stress-busting gifts.

We are stressed out.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, U.S. residents report higher stress levels than those living in other countries.

Covid-19 made a bad situation worse. The APA's October 2021 survey reported that one-third of adults are so stressed out by the pandemic they find making basic life decisions challenging.

What are the effects of stress on a person?

According to Mayo Health, ongoing stress leads to mental health problems, heart disease, eating disorders, skin problems, hair loss, digestive problems, and a host of other physical issues.

In the most extreme cases, long-term psychological stress also can lead to PTSD.

How can you deal with stress?

You can do things to help relax your brain and relieve some of the stress that can negatively affect your life.

The Mayo Clinic suggests reducing stress with these tips:

• Eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise and get plenty of sleep.

• Practice relaxation techniques. That can include yoga, deep breathing, massage or meditation.

• Keep a journal. Write about your thoughts, what makes you happy, or tell a story.

• Take time for hobbies that make you happy. That can include reading, listening to music, cooking, gardening, watching TV or movies -- any project you enjoy.

• Foster healthy friendships. Talk with friends and family who support you.

• Keep a sense of humor and find things that make you laugh. Watch a comedy special on Netflix, or find YouTubers who make you smile.

• Volunteer. Giving to others can be very therapeutic.

• Organize and prioritize what you must accomplish both at home and at work. Eliminate tasks that are not essential, and ask for help when needed.

• Seek counseling. These professionals can help you develop specific coping strategies to manage stress.

There are also many phone apps for stress reduction, including some free ones. They remind users to eat well, meditate, stretch, sleep better and otherwise de-stress.

What can employers do to help reduce stress in the workplace?

Why should employers work to reduce stress in the office? Relaxed employees work better. They make fewer mistakes, are more productive, and generally feel good about being there.

If we have learned anything from "The Great Resignation," it is that people leave workplaces where they do not feel supported or are otherwise toxic. Show employees you value their work. Give them tools to cope with stress and time off to recharge. That helps retain staff.

There are times when work can just be stressful. Big projects loom, or staff leaves. People may find themselves struggling to cope.

For Stress Awareness Month, we suggest giving your employees branded corporate gifts. Gifts say "thank you" for their work throughout the year. These products are a great idea during, or after finishing, big projects.

Encourage staff to use these products as needed and to use their PTO. They come back to work refreshed. Everyone will be better for it.

Stress-busting promotional product ideas:

Customized Stress Balls

Squeezing a promotional stress ball can build hand strength, improve blood flow, and relieve tension.

There are more ways to use a stress ball than squeezing it. Other suggestions include:

• Roll the ball on a flat surface. Curling your fingers towards your palm, hold for a few seconds and release your fingers.

• Place the ball between your hands with your arms in a vertical position. Press your hands together for five seconds and relax. This motion stretches your shoulders and relieves tension.

Promotional Bubbles

Yes, blowing bubbles.

We think of bubbles as an activity for toddlers or entertaining our pets. But pursing your lips and blowing into the wand increases pressure on the airways. That helps keep them open, more thoroughly exhausts the air in your lungs, and leaves room for freshly inhaled air.

Keep a small bottle of bubbles in your backpack or purse. They come in handy waiting in line at the DMV or other stressful times. Bubbles also entertain children in line with parents.

Customized bubbles are affordable. Buy bulk bubble bottles and hand them out at your next department meeting, personalized with the company logo. Encourage your staff to blow bubbles. It gets them laughing. You will have a productive meeting after.

Branded Fidget Spinners

When introduced in 2017, there was a debate whether or not fidget spinners were helpful for people with ADHD.

Researchers found that fidget spinners help fidgety people. These people find that fidgeting -- playing with a toy, doodling or clicking a pen -- helps them stay focused. It distracts just enough of their brain to pay full attention.

If you can focus on a task, you will be less stressed out. So these toys do serve a real purpose for the workplace.

Personalized Yoga Mats

As practiced in the West, yoga differs from its ancient Hindu ritual roots. Their commonality is connecting mind and body.

In the U.S., yoga is often a form of low-impact exercise. It helps increase flexibility, strengthen core muscles, improve metabolism, and manage stress.

Giving padded yoga mats is an excellent way to encourage this activity. Not sure where to start? Find teaching videos on YouTube, paid apps for smart TVs, or free phone apps. These tools can help anyone learn yoga at any age or body type.

Some offices and office complexes offer on-site yoga classes. A promotional yoga mat, given as a gift to employees, may encourage them to try it.

Customizable Fitness Accessories

A healthy workplace means fewer days lost to illness, lower insurance rates, and a happier workforce. That includes mental health as much as physical.

Exercise helps clear out the mind. When you are working out, listening to music or even watching TV can help you forget about the things stressing you out.

While not everyone may have the time or desire to hit the gym, you can encourage employees to take small steps -- or just more daily steps.

Consider gifting customized fitness trackers, pedometers, fitness balls, resistance bands or even personal safety lights for running at night. Create an office challenge, where people receive points for logging their exercise or daily walking. Office challenges can be private or public, depending on how competitive your staff is. Then, provide prizes to those reaching their personal fitness goals.

Branded Hot and Cold Gel Packs

With a new fitness plan may come a few muscle strains. Customized hot and cold gel packs work well for easing muscles, headache relief, and overall wellness.

The Mayo Clinic recommends warm compresses to help relieve tension headaches. Warm it up in the microwave and place it on your shoulder or neck. If cold works better for you, keep one in the freezer but wrap it in a towel before placing it over the forehead.

Include a personalized gel pack in a gift bag with a stretch band and gym bag for customers or employees.

Promotional Coloring Books

Coloring books for adults hit the mainstream a few years ago. How did adults all over rediscover coloring?

It's a great distraction, according to The Cleveland Clinic website. Coloring takes your attention away from things stressing you out. That forces you to focus on something outside your brain.

Coloring has low stakes. No one cares if your color choice is not just right or if you drew outside a line.

The health care group noted that, like art therapy, coloring or making other art is a healthy pastime.

We can customize adult coloring books, colored pencils, crayons and markers for your promotional event or giveaway. They make a thoughtful gift for both adults and children.

Personalized Journals

Journaling can help people work out the stress in their minds by writing their thoughts on paper.

The website www.stepupformentalhealth.org suggests writing out what you are feeling. That allows you to express emotions without sharing them with another person.

The mental health advocacy group also suggests options for those who do not enjoy writing. You can type a journal on a screen or record your thoughts aloud.

Sticking to a daily, weekly or monthly journaling schedule also helps navigate negative emotions.

We have many personalized journals to pick from, including lined and unlined pages. Refillable journals allow you to shred the page after writing it -- another way to let go of those negative feelings.

Branded Sports Water Bottles

How does drinking water help reduce stress? When dehydrated, your cortisol levels -- the stress hormone -- rise.

Cortisol itself is not bad. It is sometimes called the "fight or flight" hormone. It kicks in when your body needs it. But, when stress is ongoing, and you feel "under attack," the fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on.

It does not help when work or life stresses keep you too busy. You might not get up from your desk to refill your water bottle when you are under pressure.

Having a branded sports water bottle at your desk can help remind you to get up, fill it up, and rehydrate.

Custom Duffel and Gym Bags

Why a branded duffel bag? Because vacations are an effective way to reset your brain and relax. Even a three-day weekend getaway helps reduce cortisol, according to some studies. Duffel bags are the right size for a short trip. It promotes packing light and not overthinking for your time away.

Like the previously-mentioned fitness accessories, going to the gym also helps relieve stress. Package a branded gym bag with hot and cold gel packs, customized socks, resistance bands and headphones. That promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Encourage your staff to take their vacation time, rest, and return with less baggage.

Do you want to encourage your staff, giving them ways to deal with stress? Contact your Logotech Account Manager today to get started. We promise it will be one of the least stressful purchases you ever make.