Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6516
    -0.0020 (-0.31%)
     
  • OIL

    83.10
    +1.75 (+2.15%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,239.60
    +26.90 (+1.22%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    108,509.40
    +2,907.41 (+2.75%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6037
    +0.0006 (+0.10%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0904
    +0.0024 (+0.22%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,247.55
    -33.29 (-0.18%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,774.70
    +14.62 (+0.04%)
     
  • DAX

    18,492.49
    +15.40 (+0.08%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     

Hour of day Aussie workers reach out to psychologists the most

Exhausted student girl lying on the floor among textbooks, tests and gadgets, copy space. Woman holding head with hands, got tired while preparing for exams. Education and overworking concept
Aussies reach out to psychologists at this specific hour. (Source: Getty) (Prostock-Studio via Getty Images)

Australians are feeling anxious about starting work, with new data revealing that 7am is the most stressful time of the workday.

Virtual Psychologist, a 24-7 text-based psychology service that lets people chat with a qualified mental health professional, said it was seeing a 74 per cent rise in demand, particularly from those in their 20s and 30s.

“The busiest time people reach out for help is 7am, which we have labelled ‘stress o’clock’, with many young professionals too stressed to go to work,” said Virtual Psychologist founder Dervla Loughnane.

Young Aussies aged between 22 to 29 years old are using the service the most, the research revealed.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Often they have been awake all night, they are stressed, they don’t want to go to work,” Loughnane said.

“They are feeling work tension with bosses and feelings of work overload in the office – if working from home especially they are feeling a loss of boundaries and encroachment on personal space.”

Lunch breaks have proven to be the second-highest peak period during which Aussies turn to the service, the research showed.

Furthermore, Victorians are the most stressed Australians in the country, with nearly 40 per cent of texts coming from Australia’s south-eastern state.

Loughlnane said Australia was in the midst of a “mental health crisis” and described the psychology industry as “antiquated”.

“For a lot of young people it’s too confronting to speak with a psychologist face to face in a room and many psychologists have a six to eight week wait list,” she said.

“We need to look at delivering mental health support in different ways and people are embracing text based counselling.”

According to Asana, Australia had one of the highest rates of burnout in any country last year, with nearly four in five (77 per cent) of Aussies experiencing burnout.

A study of nearly 1,000 workers showed that poor workplace habits such as eating lunch at the desk, skipping lunch, and feeling unable to to control tasks or workload contribute to the feeling of burnout.

The Federal Government has signalled a funding boost of more than $350 million for women’s health, including $47.4 million for perinatal women’s health.

AccessEAP clinical director Marcela Slepica told Yahoo Lifestyle that communicating with your manager should be step one if you feel you’re reaching the point of burnout.

“Taking breaks, getting support if needed, and focusing on practical problem-solving solutions should be implemented rather than worrying,” she added.

“Manage workload volumes and control or negotiate deadlines.

“You cannot do it all and someone else may value the opportunity to help. It is not a failure to say no, it is realistic and key to looking after yourself in order to function.”

Don’t miss our Federal Budget coverage: Sign up to the newsletter here.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter.