<p>Luckily, there are so many ways out there now that we can combat stress. Around 50% of consumers now report wellness as a top priority in their day-to-da life, this is a significant rise from the 42% in 2020 and highest it's has been since the pandemic,as this has become a key core focus for people. The moment we were all forced to slow down became super significant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We all have stress of some sort&hellip; and it can look different from person to person with regards to what they would categorise as stress.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Here&rsquo;s how we can help manage it:</h2>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Planning</h3>
<p>Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. If I don&rsquo;t have a week plan / day plan, I don&rsquo;t get as much done and the to-do list piles up, I miss stuff and I forget stuff. This helps prevent day to day stress for me and ensures my days run as smoothly as possible, with room for any reactive meetings that need to occur or responding to different situations such as running training sessions or helping a more junior consultant with a query for example. This is an essential part of my role and if I didn&rsquo;t plan, I wouldn&rsquo;t have time for this.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Exercise</h3>
<p>This is a must for me. That's 1-2 hours a day where I go on walks (I try to get at least 1 in nature per day as it keeps me grounded!!) and my training sessions which I complete. Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever, being active boosts feel-good endorphins as well as distract you from any daily worries. If you have something you are working towards with your fitness / exercise too and you have a plan in place, you keep the goal in mind, zone in and switch the rest of the world out.</p>
<h3>Meditation/Breathwork</h3>
<p>Yep. I&rsquo;m a spiritual lover sun worshipping one of them kind of gals&hellip; being mindful and any mindfulness techniques such as meditation helps us navigate stress with more ease and resilience. Try it! My favourite is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/GreatMeditation/videos">Great Meditation</a> channel on YouTube, it&rsquo;s free. Meditation doesn&rsquo;t only help relieve stress, but it also helps you change your reaction to it. It&rsquo;s key to keeping you grounded and I notice if I haven&rsquo;t taken the time to meditate when trying to focus.</p>
<h3>Take breaks</h3>
<p>These can help prevent stress and help maximise productivity, if you plan these into your day effectively. Taking breaks helps calm your central nervous system and it&rsquo;s also said that we can&rsquo;t focus for longer than 2 hours at a time - take a break!</p>
<h3>Listening to music or a podcast&nbsp;</h3>
<p>I have almost always got music in my ears when I&rsquo;m not talking to clients or candidates on the phone. Putting your favourite tune on can help you feel positive and optimistic about life,&nbsp; whilst slow music helps quiet your mind and relax your muscles. Free therapy :)</p>
<h3>Making time to unwind</h3>
<p>Planning your downtime is important - otherwise you won&rsquo;t get any!&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Do something you love</h3>
<p>Sometimes, if you&rsquo;ve had a belting day and got what you need to do done, it&rsquo;s best to carry on and crack through those errands. On the other hand, if you&rsquo;ve had a super stressful day, arrange to meet a friend, make a phone call etc. and abort your day. You&rsquo;ll feel so much better after!</p>
<h3>Talk to someone&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Probably one of the most important! Share the load. A problem shared is a problem halved and there&rsquo;s nothing worse than being in your own head. Chances are, the person you speak to can help you manage your stress or give you different strategies to do so.</p>
<h3>Journalling</h3>
<p>Write down all your feelings, in the moment, post moment or when you get a minute. Take a break and come back, just keep the pen flowing and you&rsquo;ll feel so much better after!</p>
<p>By <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-morgans-270aa0154/">Kelly Morgans</a></p>

We’ve all been there… Feeling overwhelmed, can’t sleep at night because you’ve got too much to do, and when you’re friend asks if you’re okay, you say ‘I’m stressed!!!’

Managing Stress | Kelly

<p>It&rsquo;s safe to say I am absolutely loving discovering the recruitment world at SR2. As someone who&rsquo;s never done recruitment before I couldn&rsquo;t have asked for a better support network showing me the ropes. As well as having an epic manager &ndash; Charles; Franqui &ndash; my dedicated learning director has been unbelievably helpful with structured and interactive training sessions but also all the blonde questions I&rsquo;ve inevitably asked too!&nbsp;</p>
<p>As well as the awesome team of people showing me the ropes, I think my competitive and driven spirit outside of work goes hand in hand with the traits needed in recruitment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In 2021 I wanted a goal to strive for as the COVID lockdowns were driving me crazy! As someone who doesn&rsquo;t do things by halves - I signed up for an Ironman 70.3 &ndash; my first-ever triathlon. I finished second in my age group and consequently qualified for the World Championships the following year where I then finished in the top 14% in the world. As someone very new to triathlon this was a huge shock! However ultimately &ndash; I put the training in and stayed consistent. The strong resilience and determination I use in my sports training are essential to implement in my job as a recruiter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At the end of the day - you don&rsquo;t get the results without putting in the work. Just like triathlon &ndash; recruitment is like a solo sport where I&rsquo;m accountable for the results I deliver.</p>
<p>Showing up and being consistent is vital &ndash; in the recruitment world, this means always picking up the phone, chasing leads and constantly hunting for clients and doing business development. SR2 has harnessed my competitive spirit and helped me use it in my career. The company culture, support and leadership have resulted in an amazing first month in recruitment which I am absolutely loving!&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-beaver-9795b424a/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>By Ella Beaver</em></a></p>

Meet Ella who explains the similarities between training for an Ironman and beginning a career in Tech Recruitment! 

From Fresh Grad to Tech Recruitment Beginner: Two Months of Laughs and Lessons | Ella

<p>As the leaves start to change colour and the weather transitions from summer to autumn, it's the perfect time to reflect on the achievements and milestones of the past quarter. At our agency, the third quarter of this year has been an exciting and transformative period. We've dedicated our time to making a positive impact in our community, celebrating sustainability, and engaging with inspiring individuals. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at our Q3 journey, which was marked by 214 hours of volunteering, a prestigious award, enlightening interviews, and our commitment to reforestation.</p>
<h2>Community Engagement</h2>
<p>One of the core values that drives us is the desire to give back to our community. During Q3, we dedicated a whopping 214 hours of our time to volunteer work, primarily with the Gympanzees Charity in Bristol. Gympanzees provide inclusive and accessible play and exercise opportunities for children and young people with disabilities. The experience of working with this beloved charity has been incredibly rewarding, reminding us of the power of empathy and collective effort.</p>
<p>We also rolled up our sleeves and got our cook on at Refugee Kitchen in London. This initiative is all about preparing and sharing delicious meals with refugees and asylum seekers. It was a heartwarming experience, filled with compassion, and the shared love of food.</p>
<h2>Celebrating Sustainability</h2>
<p>We are thrilled to announce that we won "Most Sustainable Recruitment Agency" award at this year's Recruiter Awards. This accolade reflects our dedication to promoting sustainable practices and making environmentally conscious decisions. Sustainability is not just a buzzword for us; it's a way of life.</p>
<h2>Inspiring Interviews</h2>
<p>We also had the opportunity to engage with nine remarkable individuals through Women Rock. Among the amazing folk we spoke to was <a href="https://sr2rec.com/community/womenrock/melody-sylvestre-io-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melody Sylvestre</a>, who recently graduated from the iO Academy. Her path to tech, originating from a career in astrophysics, serves as a testament to the limitless possibilities in the world of technology. Melody's story, along with those of other incredible women, reminds us of the importance of diversity and perseverance in the tech industry.</p>
<p>Finally, in collaboration with the Future Forest Company, we planted a total of 93 trees during Q3 - we thought the air was smelling fresher this quarter!&nbsp;</p>
<h2>BRING ON Q4!</h2>

How did we do in Q3?

When we aren't recruiting we like to roll our sleeves up and get down and dirty...

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Down & Dirty | Steph

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Managing Stress | Kelly

From Fresh Grad to Tech Recruitment Beginner: Two Months of Laughs and Lessons | Ella

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