It's helpful to learn how to manage stress caused by work and/or study.

The main thing to know is that you don't need to cope alone.

Many of us may experience these common stressful situations in the workplace or while studying. The important thing is understanding how to manage them. This Stress Awareness Month (April) we wanted to share some advice with you.

Apprentices can often feel like they have a lot riding on their course, particularly regarding their career advancement and workplace expectations. When End-Point Assessment (EPA)comes around, it’s important to make sure you manage your stress levels and take precautions to help yourself de-stress when you can.

Feeling stressed will only have longer-term negative effects if you don’t deal with it properly, making the run-up to your EPA more stressful than it needs to be.

Here are some general ideas you can try to help you manage:

Recognising the signs of stress and learning about their causes is a great place to start.
Once you find out the causes of your stress compare it with what makes you feel well. Make a list showing cause and effect. Once you have the full picture, talk to your employer or learning consultant but what is happening. They may be able to make some changes to help you.
Everyone deals with stress differently, so take time to find methods that work for you. This could be taking a short break outside, having something to eat/drink, or a chat with a coworker… whatever it is that you find helps, use it as soon as you start to feel the pressure building.
Try practising mindfulness (see mind.co.uk website) or meditation. These practices are about focusing on the ‘here and now’ and might help you to find calmness and clarity to respond to stressful situations or reframe the worry caused by overthinking. See our blog on meditation.
Don’t forget to look after your physical health. Try and eat and drink well and try and take a gentle activity like going for a walk (see mind.co.uk website) or doing a chair-based exercise (NHS website) during your workday.
Download free guides like these Stress Fact sheets (Stress Management Society) or mediation apps like Headspace or Insight Timer.
Get support from other apprentices. They will know what you are feeling and what you are going through.
Make use of the help offered by your employer
Make use of the help offered by Umbrella Training. Talk to your Learning Consultant and or your Functional Skills tutors. We are here to help.

Remember you can only do your best. If you tried your hardest but didn’t pass your EPA, don’t worry, you can resit the assessment. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself, there is always a way around the obstacle or challenge you are facing.

Problems with your workplace

Ask your manager or learning consultant for help. Discuss your workload with your manager, if you have one and your LC. Try setting realistic targets and talk about how you can solve the issues you're having.
Try and balance your time. You might be doing too much at once. If you don't give each task your full attention, it can take longer. Try to claim your time back if you ever need to work extra hours to get something done.
Reward yourself for achievements. Rather than only focusing on work that needs to be done next, reward yourself for tasks you’ve completed! Your reward could be taking a break to read, chatting with co-workers or spending time outside.
Be realistic. You don't have to be perfect all the time. You might find that you're being more critical of your own work than you need to be. Work within your limitations and try to be kind to yourself.
Find out about services in your workplace. Some organisations have employee assistance programmes (EAPs) which offer free advice and counselling. Others have internal support systems such as mentoring or buddy systems.
Tell someone that you feel unsupported. You should be able to discuss this with your manager or Learning Consultant. If you feel you can't talk to them, speak or write to someone else. This could be your human resources department or our Safeguarding Lead.
Develop good relationships with your colleagues. Connecting with people you work with can help build up a network of support. Having connections with co-workers can also make work feel more enjoyable.

Exam stress - EPA or Functional Skill Maths and English

Exams can come with a lot of pressure and make us feel really stressed.

If you're struggling to cope, you're not alone. Exam stress can be more than feeling nervous on the day of an exam. It can also be how you feel building up to exams, during exams and when waiting for results.

Exams in any form can be stressful on their own, but other things might cause you to feel worse. These might include:

Feeling like you're not ready or prepared for exams, like leaving revision too late.
Worrying about how you'll feel and perform during the exam, especially when you don't know what will be in it.
Pressure from others, like parents, carers or teachers.
Pressure from yourself to get certain grades.
Comparing yourself to others, like believing you have to get the same results as your friends.
Worrying about the future, like getting a qualification or getting a job.
Having difficulties at home or in your relationships with family, friends or partners.
Having caring responsibilities for a family member or someone you live with.
Coping with physical or mental health problems, which could include worries about arranging reasonable adjustments for your exams.
You may also feel stressed for reasons that aren't listed here. We're all different and that's okay

Preparing for an exam

While you're preparing for an exam, you could try lowering stress levels by:

Finding the time to study.
Making a study/revision timetable. This helps organise your revision/learning, and work schedule and still make sure you have time for your breaks.
Working in the best way for you. Be creative or active if it helps, like rehearsing your discussions in the mirror or making up charts and songs to remember facts for a math exam. Try being open to different types of studying and revision.
Revising in the best place for you. You might prefer the quiet or being around others. If you don't have a space to study at home, you could try at a library or a cafe.

Remember: feeling stressed about exams is normal.

On the day of your exam

To help cope with stress on the day of your exam, you could:

To help cope with stress on the day of your exam, you could:

Prepare the night before. Get everything you need ready to take with you, like pens and water for your exam. Remember there might be items you can NOT take like smartwatches.
Start your day the best you can. Try to eat a good and healthy breakfast and make sure you have enough time to arrive at your exam without rushing.
Try to ground yourself with a breathing exercise. If you feel overwhelmed during an exam/presentation, try to breathe in through your nose for four counts, hold it for two counts, and breathe out through your mouth for seven counts. If you repeat this, it can slow your breath and help keep you calm. (See our blog on meditation.)
Take your time. Read the exam carefully and plan what you need to do before answering.
Remind yourself that you've done your best and that's all you can do.

After your exam

To cope with stress and feelings after an exam, you could:

Reward yourself. Think of something to do afterwards that you enjoy. You could go out with your friends, play video games, or eat your favourite food.
Focus on your next steps. Plan what you'll do next, like going home, doing something fun, and then revising for the next exam. Think ahead in a positive way – if you have another exam, focus on the time and date that it'll be over.

Remember: you can only try your best.

Ways we can find balance in work and study to help with stress levels.

Take short breaks. Make sure to do these throughout your working day, as well as at least half an hour away from your desk at lunch. Spend some time outside if you can. Make this time about your needs.
Talk to someone you trust, like a family member, partner, or friend.
Take some time off. Try to use any holiday you're entitled to. If things get too much, a few days off or a long weekend can help you feel refreshed. This can even increase your productivity in the long run.
Focus on your life outside work and study. Nurture relationships with people you don't work with. Develop interests and skills that you don’t use in your job. This can help you see the difference between your personal life and your working life.
Develop end-of-day habits. Finish your working day by tidying up your work or study space or making a to-do list for tomorrow. This can help you switch off from work, especially if you're working or studying from home.

Thanks for mind.org.uk