A stress-free look at your finances
Millions of people around the UK experience stress and the lasting damage it can cause to our health and well-being can be devastating. To give you an idea of the issue at hand, research has shown that the rising levels of stress in the teaching profession, including that the number of headteachers who report being stressed, has risen to 84%* this year – up from 80% the previous year.
For those of us who live with a mental illness, stress can exacerbate the symptoms and make the illness even worse. Stress can also be a major driver behind mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. The current unprecedented events of the coronavirus are something that has affected everyone around the world in some way or another. Understandably this period of worry will also have a huge impact on the levels of stress we experience.
A month to help each other
Stress Awareness Month can help all of us realise what is causing us personal stress and identify the necessary steps in order to reduce our levels of stress and for those around us.
Stress Awareness Month has been running every April since 1992, with the aim to increase public awareness of both the causes and treatments for stress.
One such contributor to stress can be managing your finances, especially if you don’t have the time or lack the investment knowledge needed to make the key decisions.
There are many reasons why stress can play a negative part in the management of your finances. A lack of focus can make it harder to keep track of your money, and perhaps lead to unwise decisions on investments. Getting help from the experts can go a long way.
Getting expert guidance
Our long-standing partners, NAHT Personal Financial Services, recognise that asking for advice regarding your finances may be difficult, but it really is something that can benefit you and your family going forward.
By arranging a financial review with one of their nationwide team of financial advisers, you can benefit from personalised recommendations. Everything will be explained to you in clear and honest terms. They’ll make sure you’re fully happy with any decisions made and won’t pressure you to act on the advice provided.
Coping with financial stress
Learning to cope with financial stress and effectively managing your financial situation, can really help you feel more in control. Here are some tips that might help:
Declutter your budget, declutter your life
- Life moves at a mile a minute sometimes and taking stock of your finances can be very cleansing at times. Making sure you regularly look at your budget and ensuring you set aside some time to schedule, organise, and declutter your incomings and outgoings can help. Remember, the more control you have, the less stress you will feel.
Don’t forget general stress management
- As you work on improving your financial clarity, it always helps to reduce stress by making other changes to your life. Try eating healthier, exercising more or taking short breaks from work when times get tough. Sometimes you have to look after number one before you can help others.
Talking can help
- If you feel that the stress of your situation is too much for you to handle alone, it’s important to share your concerns. Talk about your problems with trusted friends and family. The more you talk about your concerns with your support system, the less isolated and stressed you will feel. Your loved ones may even be able to offer a new perspective on what you could do differently.
Here to make your life easier
We fully appreciate that travelling for a financial review meeting may not be ideal at the moment, which is why Skipton Link, NAHT Personal Financial Services’ video facility may be able to help.
Skipton Link is an award-winning video service that means you can have those important appointments from the comfort of your own home. This service will also allow easy access to any documents you wish to share or receive. All you’ll need to get started is a computer or tablet which supports video calls and access to a secure internet connection.
To find out more about this service and to make an appointment, call 0800 121 4596.
Experience matters
NAHT Personal Financial Services has a strong track record of helping generations of people across the UK. They have been offering a financial advice service for over 30 years.
It doesn’t cost anything to see if they could potentially help you with your future plans Call 0800 121 4596 for a free initial chat to see if you could benefit from financial advice. Alternatively click here for more information.
Capital at Risk
* www.tes.com/news/huge-rise-teachers-welling-work
NAHT Personal Financial Services is a trading name of Skipton Building Society. Skipton Building Society is authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, under registration number 153706, for accepting deposits, advising on and arranging mortgages and providing Restricted financial advice. Principal Office, The Bailey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1DN.