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Knowing the signs, and what to do when things get too much

Signs to recognise when your job might be getting a bit too much and how you can manage how you are feeling.

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Following a shock announcement this morning, Nicola Sturgeon is stepping down as First Minister of Scotland. 

After serving in the role since 2014 the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party has said that the decision came as she felt she had less energy to give to the job, and wanted to spend more time with her family. 

During her speech, she also noted that leading Scotland through the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges over the past few years, is one of the toughest things she had to do, with the weight of responsibility having taken its mental and physical toll on her. 

The announcement comes after Jacinda Ardern also announced her resignation from her role as Prime Minister of New Zealand last month, citing burnout and also not having ‘enough in the tank’ to do the job justice anymore. 

While experiencing burnout and mental exhaustion from a highly stressful role are not uncommon, knowing when things get too much can sometimes be hard to recognise. 

With this in mind, Martin Preston, Founder and Chief Executive at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere has explained signs to recognise when your job might be getting a bit too much and how you can manage how you are feeling. 

What are the key signs of burnout in the workplace? 

Burnout is recognised in three signs; feeling exhausted, negative feelings about your job role and reduced effectiveness. The key component to preventing burnout is identifying the symptoms as early as possible before the demand becomes too much, leading to depression. 

Feeling worn-out is quite normal, but it’s easy to recognise when you or a colleague are beginning to display symptoms of burnout.

  • Feeling exhausted 

Employees on the verge of burnout, due to either stress or increased workload, can begin to experience and display emotional and physical signs of exhaustion. 

People begin to feel a lack of physical energy, but they also develop feelings of being emotionally drained and depleted. A common sign of exhaustion is the lack of motivation to get out of bed in the morning, or day-to-day work life becomes more challenging than normal. 

Over-exhaustion and extreme tiredness can result in sickness among employees. The shortage of energy from burnout can lead to common colds and cases of flu. 

  • Feeling sensitive and irritable 

Aggressive behaviour is also a common indicator, this could be both within the workplace and outside of office hours. Irritable employees may experience a level of sensitivity and aggression towards their family, friends and colleagues. 

While everybody experiences some negative emotions within their job roles, it’s vital to recognise when these feelings are becoming unusual. 

  • Feeling unmotivated

Employees may begin to feel more socially withdrawn and find themselves disconnecting within the workplace. This could be recognised as not getting involved with colleague discussions, negative attitude towards work and slipping job performance. 

Changes to work motivation can lead to employees having additional days off or turning into work late. This is something employers should look out for before it becomes untenable. 

How can you deal with burnout in the workplace? 

Recognising the three key signs are crucial, but there are five strategies and tools you can use to avoid burnout even before you’re burnt out. 

1. Finding the root of the problem 

Burnout is a response to stress, increased working hours, changes to the work environment and increased workload. But finding where the issue has stemmed from can be beneficial in helping you deal with the situation.

For example, if you are faced with unrealised working hours, it may be that you need to speak to your employer about decreasing your overtime and taking extended annual leave. 

2. Ask for help

Getting external advice can give you a different perspective on the situation. Counselling can provide you with a solution to the problem before it develops and help you to discover what is causing the burnout you are experiencing. 

If counselling isn’t an option for you, reaching out for help to your friends and family during stressful times can benefit the situation. Your employer may also be able to provide you with the support you need

3. Eat a balanced diet

Healthy body, healthy mind. Eating the right food, drinking water frequently and keeping a balanced diet is one step in the right direction. Foods are fuelled with natural vitamins and minerals that can give your mind and body a boost. 

4. Exercise and keep active 

Keeping active and regularly exercising can give you a physical and emotional boost. Take a short stroll during your lunch hour or spend 15-minutes stretching after work. You don’t need to hit the workout machines to feel motivated and enthusiastic, it’s as simple as heading outdoors for some fresh air. 

5. Correct your sleeping habits 

A lack of sleep or too much sleep can cause exhaustion and fatigue in the workplace, breaking out of this pattern can drastically improve your day-to-day mood and motivation. 

Drifting off at bedtime is a challenge for most people all around the world, during this unprecedented time. But there are simple ways you can improve your sleeping habits, try switching your nightly scroll on social media for a relaxing book or cut out coffee before bedtime. 

Martin and the team of experts at Delamere are also available to give exclusive commentary and interviews around this topic, if there is anything additional you need. 

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Too much for some, just right for me – The truth about dating while plus-size

What is dating like for a plus-size woman? We don’t get the fairytale, the montage-worthy meet-cute in the bookstore, or the sweet swipe-rights with guys who use words like “connection” and “vibes.” What we get is a mixed bag of awkward encounters, accidental comedy, the occasional ghosting, and sometimes, someone who sees us as the whole damn package.

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By: A Curvy Queen Who’s Seen It All

Let me be real with you: dating as a plus-size woman isn’t for the faint of heart. We don’t get the fairytale, the montage-worthy meet-cute in the bookstore, or the sweet swipe-rights with guys who use words like “connection” and “vibes.” What we get is a mixed bag of awkward encounters, accidental comedy, the occasional ghosting, and sometimes, someone who sees us as the whole damn package—not just the size of it.

Photo by @canweallgo from Unsplash.com

I’m 33, a size 20, and I live in a city where everyone seems to be on a green juice cleanse or training for a marathon. My idea of a perfect day includes a cheese board, a crime documentary, and wearing something soft and oversized. I’ve been dating online for years now—Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, even a brief stint on Bigger Lover (don’t judge). I’ve had first dates that turned into second dates, and others that ended before the appetizer even came. But through it all, I’ve learned some hard truths about dating while plus-size.

The Fetish Factor

Let’s start with the obvious: there are guys out there who fetishize plus-size women. They love our bodies—but only in private. They send you those thirsty DMs like, “I’ve always had a thing for thick girls.”

I used to think that was a compliment. But it’s not, not when it’s the first thing they lead with, not when you realize they don’t care about your name, your career, or your sense of humor. Just your body.

I once met a guy off Tinder who spent our entire date talking about how much he “loved curves” and how he’d “never dated a big girl before.” He kept asking if I was into feederism (I had to Google it when I got home). I never heard from him again, which was fine—I didn’t need to be someone’s body experiment.

The Grateful Gambit

Then there’s this weird idea that plus-size women are supposed to be grateful for attention, as if someone choosing to date us is some charitable act. It’s subtle sometimes, but oh, it’s there.

I had a guy once tell me, over drinks, “I like girls who are a little bigger. They try harder, you know? They’re just more appreciative.”

I blinked. Tried harder at what? Breathing through my rage?

I wanted to ask him if he’d ever considered that maybe I’m not grateful to be on a date with him either. But instead, I left.

Online Dating – A Love-Hate Situation

The apps are their own beast. My profile is cute, funny, and unapologetically me. I mention that I love bookstores, brunch, and body positivity. I always include full-body pics, because I refuse to trick anyone—but I also refuse to hide.

And still, I get messages like: “You’re actually really pretty for a big girl.”

Sir, would you be willing to grow a personality for someone you really liked?

But it’s not all trash. I’ve had some sweet, genuine conversations and some fun dates. Not every guy is clueless. Some are kind, open, and emotionally intelligent.

The good, the bad, and the big truth

Dating while fat is exhausting. You have to weed through people who want to fix you, people who want to hide you, people who only want to sleep with you, and people who see you as their emotional support girlfriend.

But I’ve also never been more sure of who I am. I’ve learned to ask better questions, to take up space, and to walk away when someone doesn’t see my worth.

I’ve cried after bad dates, yes. I’ve called friends from bathroom stalls and whispered, “Why is this so hard?” But I’ve also danced in my kitchen with someone who made me feel radiant, kissed under streetlights, and been told, with complete sincerity, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

The truth is, being plus-size in the dating world means you see people for who they really are, faster. It forces you to develop an inner filter. You learn to walk away without guilt. And when you do meet someone who loves you not in spite of your size but as a part of your magic? It’s that much sweeter.

So to every plus-size woman out there who’s ever felt invisible, unworthy, or too much: you’re not too much. You might just be too real for the wrong person.

Keep showing up. Keep swiping. And keep loving yourself like you deserve to be loved—because trust me, you absolutely do.

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More than 70% of young women suffer from itching, irritation, pain, other symptoms in genital area

Although these symptoms negatively affect quality of life and sexual health, they have largely been normalized.

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A study conducted by researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) found that 72.5% of young Brazilian women suffer from symptoms such as itching, discharge, and pain during intercourse. The study, which included 313 volunteers in their 30s, showed that, although these symptoms negatively affect quality of life and sexual health, they have largely been normalized. The data were published in the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy.

According to Ana Carolina Beleza, one of the authors of the article, there is still a strong taboo surrounding the subject. This leads many women to underestimate the impact of these symptoms on their health, daily life, and sex life. The research noted the contradiction between the prevalence and consequences of vulvovaginal problems. This is because, in addition to asking the participants if they had the symptoms, the questionnaire included scores on how they impacted different aspects of life.

“Even women who reported pain during sex rated the problem as having a low impact on their lives. The scores used to measure the impact of this and other symptoms were much lower than expected, revealing a worrying normalization. It’s important to note that experiencing pain during sex isn’t normal and should be investigated through clinical approaches. The tendency to normalize vulvovaginal symptoms underscores the need for more intimate health education, whether in schools or in healthcare,” argues Beleza, who coordinates the Center for Studies in Physiotherapy in Women’s Health (NEFISM) at UFSCar.

This study, supported by FAPESP, is the first to demonstrate the prevalence of vulvovaginal symptoms in young Brazilian women. According to the results, the most commonly reported symptoms were vaginal discharge (63%), itching (54%), burning (31%), vaginal dryness (30%), vaginal odor (28%), irritation (27%), and pain during intercourse (20%). Fewer than 30% of the participants reported having none of these problems.

The reported issues can have various causes, such as infections, as well as hormonal, dermatological, or muscular changes. While treatable, they can negatively affect emotional well-being, sexual function, self-confidence, and social life.

“This is an issue that requires a more global view, as it involves other aspects that go beyond health, such as cultural and emotional questions and a lack of knowledge about one’s own health,” says Clara Maria de Araujo Silva, the first author of the article and a researcher at NEFISM-UFSCar.

The taboo surrounding vulvovaginal symptoms is reflected in the limited number of studies on the subject. “This is the first one carried out in Brazil and for this age group. Even so, it was a surprise to see the high prevalence of vulvovaginal symptoms among young women. In this age group, symptoms such as pain and burning aren’t expected, since there are no hormonal changes associated with menopause, for example,” says Beleza.

Social determinants of health

The study suggests that, although symptoms are prevalent across all social and educational strata, they may be even more prevalent among women with lower incomes and education levels.

“This opens up a series of questions that we can investigate in future studies. We want to identify other factors, such as income, education, employment, housing conditions, and access to health services, that could influence the occurrence of symptoms. Based on this understanding, it’ll be possible to devise measures to reduce this prevalence and strategies so that these symptoms are no longer normalized,” predicts Beleza.

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Coffee too weak? Try this!

The thick water jets typical of standard gooseneck kettles are ideal for achieving this necessary height and laminar flow. Strong — but focused — water jets create an avalanche in the coffee grounds. Displaced grounds recirculate as the water digs deeper into the coffee bed, allowing for better mixing between the water and the grounds, and thus, results in a stronger coffee with fewer beans. If the water jet is too thin, it cannot adequately create this interaction to achieve a desirable strength and sensory experience.

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Tens of billions of kilograms of coffee are consumed around the world each year. However, due to its very specific agricultural needs, coffee can be difficult to cultivate, and ongoing climate change threatens its growth.

To efficiently meet the high demand for coffee grounds, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania worked to optimize their use in pour-over coffee. They presented their suggestions in Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing.

“What we recommend is making the pour height as high as possible, while still maintaining a laminar flow, where the jet doesn’t break up when it impacts the coffee grinds,” said author Ernest Park.

In particular, the group found the thick water jets typical of standard gooseneck kettles are ideal for achieving this necessary height and laminar flow. Strong — but focused — water jets create an avalanche in the coffee grounds. Displaced grounds recirculate as the water digs deeper into the coffee bed, allowing for better mixing between the water and the grounds, and thus, results in a stronger coffee with fewer beans. If the water jet is too thin, it cannot adequately create this interaction to achieve a desirable strength and sensory experience.

“If you have a thin jet, then it tends to break up into droplets,” said author Margot Young. “That’s what you want to avoid in these pour-overs, because that means the jet cannot mix the coffee grounds effectively.”

The dark color of coffee beans — and of coffee itself — makes it hard to demystify. Along with creating pour-over drinks with actual coffee grounds, the scientists supplemented their study with laser-illuminated transparent particles in a glass funnel to help thoroughly visualize the mixing dynamics and understand how the liquid jet affects the grains.

Though the group does not plan further studies related to coffee, they say there are many other parameters left to explore, such as the impacts of the size of the coffee grounds on the interplay between the physics and chemistry of the brewing process. When it comes to easy, accessible kitchen science, the researchers have some unorthodox advice: Do try this at home.

“We can really learn something from both the chemistry and physics point of view by looking at the kitchen,” said author Arnold Mathijssen. “It leads to new science where you didn’t expect it.”

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