The days when eating was a time for relaxation and communication need to revisited. For example, turning the TV and radio off when the family eats dinner not only improves the physiological ingestion of food it also improves the communication between families. The importance of this function is demonstrated by the need this group has shown for a social coffee break during our lectures.
Similarly, stressed people with a high blood/sugar level do not sleep well. This means that we are not giving our bodies time to recuperate from one day’s stresses before meeting the new day’s stressors.
POSTURE & ERGONOMICS
When we sit at a desk or at a computer for regular periods of time our muscular support system gets fatigued and we start to slump. This constricts the space available for vital organs and affects our breathing, circulation, digestion and blood pressure. For example, some people note a rapid improvement simply by changing the chair they sit in to work for some 7 hours per day. Sitting in one position for long periods affects back strength and hip flexibility. The human body was simply not designed to sit in one position for long period of time.
LEISURE
Anyone under stress needs to get serious about leisure. Do not postpone your dreams. How many people on their deathbeds wish they had done more Excel worksheets ?.
RULES FOR SURVIVAL
Dr Scott Wallace – clinical psychologist and management consultant specialising in stress management (www.virtualpsych.com).
- Maintain a healthy work and family balance.
Make sure you are there for your family when you say you will be. For example, meal times without the TV.
- Separate work and family concerns
Discuss business problems in business settings and family concerns in family settings.
Learn time-management strategies
Don’t’ waste time and energy trying to be all things to all people. For example, create lists of priorities and delegate wherever possible.
- Delegate
No-one is an expert in everything – allocating work to others can serve to create a supportive work environment where everyone feels their particular skills are valued.
Resentment, a regular indicator of interpersonal stress, is less likely to occur when people feel valued and their skills respected. Stress in the Australian workplace is present in over 50% of organizations and accounts for some 30% of why people leave jobs. That is why feedback is so important; a positive f/b interview can work to improve productive skills whilst addressing the intrinsic need of people to be a valued part of a social group.
- Develop a sense of “fun” in the workplace
Employees value a workplace which they can “connect” to. A boss without a sense of humour is unlikely to keep his staff either happy or productive. Larger businesses – such as Westpac (surprise movie tickets, mystery flights with a personal thank you from Bob Joss), MLC (provided breakfast) & Yahoo (weekly yoga sessions for all staff) – have for some time offered staff fun incentives as a softer alternative to financial incentives. This allows staff and management to relate to each other in ways work does not normally allow.
“It can act as a release from everyday pressures – an enjoyable work environment is seen to be a significant factor by staff. You can be as hard as nails, but if you have’nt got people who want to work with you, then you won’t have a great business” (Garry Brack of the Employers Federation, Sun-Herald, 7/9/00).
Golden Rules for office fun:
1 let staff know what fun is planned
2 do not underestimate the power of fun
4 use fun to develop relations and help improve morale
5 Fun works best in small doses
6 Be sensitive to the impact of change
7 Don’t forget anyone.
- Know the signs of stress
.insomnia, drinking regularly and/or excessively. Emotional stress ie mood swings, sensitivity to criticism; psychological stress – negative attitudes, feelings of worthlessness and behavioural indicators of stress – isolation – denial – avoiding responsibilities – avoiding being close to others – lack of libido.
- Take care of yourself
Exercise daily – walk the dog – eat regular meals – develop a sleep routine – watch the sunset with your partner.
- Know when to seek professional help.
When your feelings overwhelm you, talk to your doctor or seek out a friend or psychologist to talk things through. Sometimes all that is needed is the opportunity to be listened to, to ventilate without being judged.
Sun-Herald 8/10/00
S T R E S S I N T H E W O R K P L A C E
W H Y I T I S I M P O R T A N T T O D E A L W I T H I T
WHY ARE YOU HERE – WHY DOES THE COMPANY WANT ALL EMPLOYEES TO DO THIS STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ?
Because stress is affecting lots of Australian workers. Workcover statistics that show stress claims are on the rise and those most at risk are people working in professional and semi-professional ranks – particularly those who deal with other people such as community workers and health care workers.
Stress costs more than $50 million pa and accounted for 5.4 % of overall claims in 1998-99, compared with 2.7% 10 years earlier. The upward trend has continued despite a tightening of the eligibility criteria in 1994-95 that stipulated that work had to be a significant factor in the complaint, rather than aspects of the worker’s personal life.
Stress overload can flare during a crisis – even a welcome circumstance such as getting a promotion, or less dramatically, it can creep into the bones of someone who is exhausted by weeks, months or even years of being overloaded. “Too much stress can lead a person to become anxious and extreme stress can wear down even the most resilient person to the point where they develop an actual problem with anxiety. When someone is in a severe situation and are unable to escape or get support, they can cross the line.” Dr Erica Frydenberg, a clinical and organisational psychologist at the University of Melbourne.
Anxiety of sufficient strength to warrant a medical diagnosis affects 1 in 10 adults, that is nearly 1.3 million people – females are affected twice as much as males. More than 2.7 million work days are lost annually when people cannot perform their usual activities because of disabling anxiety, according
THE CHALLENGE
… the key to managing stress
The key to managing stress is to use the “fight or flight” response to prepare to embrace and excel. We can use our adrenaline rush to fuel positive action. And we can use our emotions as signals to tell us what is wrong with our life so that we can take action to change it.
Are we at the whim of history and biology ?. Certainly not. Stress management is about finding a level of stress with which you feel comfortable and enacting strategies of thought and action to keep yourself there.
So, next week we will do the Quiz to see how you doing in making lifestyle choices to help manage stress. Hopefully, we may be able to identify some lifestyle strategies to build your resistance to stress that you would enjoy building into your life.
As people are different, stress that may intimidate one person can invigorate and challenge another. What seems to matter is whether the individual in the stressful situation believes that they have the resources to cope, to maintain a sense of control.
This is particularly so with adults who have a developed sense of their own autonomy and may explain why so often people do not seek help until they are on the brink of a ‘stress breakdown’. The problem is that when it’s easier to salvage, people are soldiering on and are not so willing to talk about it.
STRESS – AN INTERACTIVE RESPONSE
Personality:
Personality style can relate to susceptibility to stress related illness such as heart attack and stroke, as with stress Type ‘A’ people. For people who obsess about achieving or if we notice ourselves becoming a bit of a perfectionist, ask this simple question “Would it really be the end of the world if you made a mistake?”.
Biological:
Sensitive temperament – these people are sensitive, nervous and easily hyped up and can be over sensitive to the expectations of others. A sense of control can be an important issue. However, sensitivity can have advantages; these people are more aware of their own emotions and are able to sympathise with other people’s emotions. (Professor Ron Rapee).
Social Factors:
. situations may ‘trigger’ existing potential
Life History:
Internal Resources:
This trend is supported by to last year’s National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing Report.
Mental health is enhanced by situations that promote personal control. For example, men in jobs characterised by high demand and low control were at twice the risk for heart attacks in comparison to men of the same age (40-50 years) who were employed in jobs where they felt they felt more control.
OVERHEADS AND TALK NOTES
TRAINING SESSION NO: 2
. FIRST OF ALL WHAT IS STRESS AND WHY ARE YOU HERE.
BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL IN CHARGE OF STAFF AT XYZ LIMITED &
OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN RESIGNATIONS AND ABSENTEEISM.
(O/H 1: WORKPLACE STATS)
. WHAT IS STRESS ? 10 minutes max
Because of the complexity of modern life where we all play several roles – mother, worker, wife, friend – so we all have competing deadlines to meet – and so we all end up being a bit ‘stressed out’ like poor old Minnie when we have so many things to do we just get swept along (O/H 2: MINNIE ON BOOK) .
But stress is more than having a headache or being tired Stress at times can become debilitating and even threaten your life or career. Taken to the extreme worst case scenario stressors can accumulate until we can’t cope anymore - feel debilitated to the point where we become so anxious we cannot function like poor little mousie (O/H 3: MOUSIE DOWN WELL)
Have you heard of the flight or fight response ?
This is a good way to think about stress and stress management. It seems a bit simple but it helps explain where stress comes from - (O/H 4 – MEN FIGHTING BEARS) -
The stress response is when our nervous systems rev up and alert us to danger. It is our body’s attempt to cope – to maintain control when threatened. “Stress is usually created by a perceived threat to physical or psychological well-being and is increased with the feeling of helplessness” (Pfister, 1994, p.17).
What we call the flight or fight response, is your response to fight the beastie bear or flee. And fight or flight reflects your body’s stress reaction.
When you feel stress, you are feeling the effects of your body’s preparation to cope – your body becomes motivated and energised so that it can maintain control - to fight something or run away. Of course this chap down here doesn’t look as though he has much choice – but who saw the Edge on Sunday night ? – he might be laying a trap for the bear so that he can stab him like Alec Baldwin did.
In that case the stress of having the bear attacking would be giving him energy to make quick decisions – lots of adrenaline & lots of endorphins the body’s natural opiate to kill the pain in his leg from falling on the rock.
The fight or flight response involves your brain, your body and your emotions. It begins in the hypothalamus. That is why prolonged stress weakens our immune system. It is a well know fact that when we are stressed out, we are more likely to get a cold – the domain of psychoneuroimmunology.
So stress, in and of itself is not a bad thing. It is simply a reaction to situations or events or people. Some of these events and/or people can cause or contribute to our experiences of stress.
So how do we reconcile the good and bad sides of stress
In spite of it’s ability to fracture working lives, anxiety was designed to help human survival. We are without doubt, biologically prepared to cope with very stressful situations. This is important because it keeps us alert and alive. In minor to moderate doses, this nervous tension provides the clarity to screen out distractions and meet deadlines, to concentrate and avoid errors and stay on track – for example - me giving this talk.
Yet, this same preparedness works against it if we let it go unchecked and we react without conscious thought to the challenges of everyday living.
(O/H 5) : SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
POSITIVE ASPECTS OF SHORT-TERM STRESS
. INCREASED MOTIVATION & DRIVE
. A SENSE OF CHALLENGE / EXCITEMENT / RENEWED ENERGY
. INCREASED CONCENTRATION SO MORE
ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND ACCURACY
. A SENSE OF GOAL AND PURPOSE
NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF LONG- TERM STRESS
CHANGES IN YOUR BODY
. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
. MUSCLE TENSION
. DISTURBED SLEEP
. HEADACHES/ NAUSEA
CHANGES IN THINKING
. TROUBLE CONCENTRATING / EASILY DISTRACTED
. LAPSES OF MEMORY
. POOR JUDGEMENT
. UNDUE FEELINGS OF BEING UNDER PRESSURE
. LOSS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE
CHANGES IN EMOTIONS
. RESENTMENT
. MOODINESS/ IRRITABILITY
. FEELING ‘ON EDGE’
. FEELING DOWN OR HOPELESS
CHANGES IN BEHAVIOUR
. INCREASED SMOKING/ DRINKING/ GAMBLING
. WITHDRAWAL FROM OTHERS
. NON-STOP TALKING
. FIDGETING
. ABSENTEEISM
STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE
. STRESS COSTS MORE THAN $50 MILLION PA AND ACCOUNTED FOR 5.4% OF OVERALL CLAIMS IN 1998-99
. ANXIETY OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO WARRANT A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AFFECTS 1 IN 10 ADULTS, THAT IS NEARLY 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE – FEMALES ARE AFFECTED TWICE AS MUCH AS MALES.
. MORE THAN 2.7 MILLION WORK DAYS ARE LOST ANNUALLY WHEN PEOPLE CANNOT PERFORM THEIR USUAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF DISABLING ANXIETY ACCORDING TO THE 1999 NATIONAL REPORT INTO MENTAL HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA
. The National Survey of Mental Health (1999) estimates that some 30% of people will experience a full blown panic attack at some stage in their lives with some 3% of this number developing bouts with such regularity that it becomes a matter for psychiatric intervention.
(0H1)
.
TRAINING SESSION NO: 3
SO NOW WE KNOW THAT STRESS BREAKDOWNS OCCUR BECAUSE OF AN ACCUMULATION OF STESSORS WITHOUT ADEQUATE PERSONAL AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT.
SO NOW LET US CONSIDER SOME QUICK TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESSORS TO AVOID THEIR BECOME A FULL ON STRESS ATTACK.
THIS INFORMATION IS ABRIDGED FROM THE WEB PAGE OF DR SCOTT WALLACE A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST WHO IS ALSO A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT WHO SPECIALISES IN STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE (O/H : 5)
LAUGHTER
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS – PSYCHOLOGICALLY & PHYSIOLOGICALLY.
WHEN WE SMILE WE STRETCH CERTAIN MUSCLES WHICH ACT TO RELEASE NEUROTRANSMITTERS, SUCH AS SERATONIN, IN THE BRAIN WHICH ACT TO IMPROVE OUR MOOD – HENCE STICKING A PEN IN YOUR MOUTH A GRIMMACING ACTUALLY DOES WORK.
FLEXIBILITY
WE ARE ALL UNIQUE BEINGS WITH DIFFERING PERSONALITY STYLES – WHAT IS A STRESSOR FOR ONE PERSON MAY PRESENT AN EXCITING CHALLENGE TO ANOTHER.
THE WAY YOU TYPICALLY SEE THE WORLD AND RESPOND TO IT IS CALLED YOUR PERSONALITY. A SURE-FIRE WAY TO MANAGE STRESS IS TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOUR PERSONALITY.
TRY THINKING OUTSIDE OF YOUR USUAL SQUARE BY DOING WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE A WIN-WIN SITUATION OUT OF ANY CONFLICTUAL ENCOUNTER.
BEING FLEXIBLE HELPS TO MANAGE STRESSFUL ENCOUNTERS BY ALLOWING YOU TO TRY DIFFERENT WAYS OF TALKING TO PEOPLE AND DEALING WITH EVENTS RATHER THAN ACTING OUT OF HABIT THAT IS, DOING WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE.
BREATHING
WE BREATHE TO FILL OUR LUNGS WITH OXYGEN. WHEN WE BECOME STRESSED OUR BODIES DEMAND CONSIDERABLY MORE FUEL. HENCE, WE START TO BREATH MORE RAPIDLY AND OUR RATE INCREASES. HOWEVER, WE ALSO BREATHE MORE SHALLOWLY SO THERE ISN’T A VERY EFFICIENT AND HEALTHY EXCHANGE BETWEEN GETTING FRESH OXYGEN IN AND GETTING WASTE GASES OUT. PORR BREATHING CONTRIBUTES IN THIS WAY TO ANXIETY AND FATIGUE, ANDMAKES STRESSORS HARDER TO COPE WITH.
RELAXED BREATHING IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO MANAGE STRESS. BE AWARE OF YOUR BREATHING. THINK “MY BODY CAN RELAX” – INHALE SLOWLY AND PURPOSEFULLY NOTICING THE BREATH AS IT ENTERS THROUGH YOUR NOSTRILS AND FILLS YOUR LUNGS. EXPAND YOUR ABDOMAN AS YOU BREATHE TO THE COUNT OF 4, HOLD YOUR BREATH TO THE COUNT OF 2, AND SLOWLY EXHALE TO THE COUNT OF 4.
FOR YOUR SECOND BREATH, VISUALISE WARMTH AND RELAXATION ENTERING YOUR BODY AS YOUR INHALE, TENSION EXITING YOUR BODY AS YOU EXHALE; TENSION EXITING YOUR BODY AS YOU EXHALE. THIS IS A GOOD TECHNIQUE TO USE WHEN YOU GET A STRESSFUL ‘PHONE CALL. SO, PUT THE PERSON ON HOLD, TAKE YOUR BREATH, RELEASE IT SLOWLY AND THOUGHTFULLY, THEN RETURN TO THE CALL.
THIS ALSO
BAD POSTURE – COMMON SITTING AT A DESK , AT A COMPUTER OR AT THE WHEEL OF A CAR - FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME - ALSO AFFECTS BREATHING BECAUSE THE SPACE AVAILABLE TO VITAL ORGANS IS CONSTRICTED AND THIS AFFECTS OUR BREATHING, CIRCULATION, DIGESTION AND BLOOD PRESSURE.
THE HUMAN BODY WAS SIMPLY NOT DESIGNED TO SIT IN THE ONE POSITION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
SAYING “NO”
STRESS MANAGEMENT IS SOMETIMES A MATTER OF REDUCING THE DEMANDS THAT ARE PLACED UPON YOU. HOWEVER, MANY OF THESE DEMANDS COME FROM SAYING “YES” TOO MANY TIMES – “YES I CAN WORK OVERTIME FOR THE 17TH TIME THIS MONTH” - I MEAN HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO THEIR DEATH REGRETING THAT THEY DID NOT FINISH THIS MONTHS FIGURES OR LEARNT THE LATEST COMPUTER PROGRAM -
THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND BEGIN TO SAY “NO” TO SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS OTHER PEOPLE PLACE ON YOU – REMEMBER THE MORE TIMES YOU SAY “YES” THE MORE PEOPLE WILL EXPECT YOU TO SAY “YES” SO THAT WHEN YOU DO FINALLY SAY “NO” THEY WILL BE RESENTFUL IF NOT OUTRIGHT ANGRY.
A CAUTIONARY NOTE
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT WE DON’T LIKE DESPITE TEMPORARY FEELINGS OF DISCOMFORT. YOU ARE THE BEST JUDGE. DO WHAT TAKES CARE OF YOU, YOUR CAREER, YOUR FAMLY AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. EVERYTHINGS ELSE YOU AGREE TO IS A BONUS AND SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF YOU HAVE THE TIME – THE ENERGY AND/OR THE INCLINATION.
MAKE MISTAKES AND LEARN TO LIVE WITH THEM
FEAR OF FAILURE DRIVES A LOT OF PEOPLE BEYOND STRESS INTO ANXIETY AND FULL ON PANIC ATTACKS.
BEING PERFECT YOU DO IS VERY TAXING AND STRESSFUL – SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO SET VERY HIGH STANDARDS FOR THEMSELVES (TYPE A PERSONALITY) GET CAUGHT IN A “PERFECTIONIST” TRAP. WHEN THEY SUCCEED AT MEETING THEIR PERSONAL STANDARDS, THEY ONLY SET THEIR STANDARD HIGHER NEXT TIME AROUND . THE RESULT OF THIS IS THAT THEY ARE NEVER SATISFIED THAT THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.
SET REASONABLE GOALS FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS AND STRIVE TO DO YOUR BEST. LEARN FROM FAILURES BUT DON’T BEAT YOURSELF OVER THE HEAD WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. BE A BIT EASIER ON YOURSELF.
PLAY WITH A PET & EXERCISING
PETS ALWAYS LOVE US ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR US AND NEVER JUDGE US. SO RATHER THAN RUMINATE AND FEEL STRESSED, FOCUS YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR PET - AND BETTER STILL IF YOUR PET IS A DOG TAKE IT FOR A WALK. A ½ WALK 3 TIMES A WEEK WILL IMPROVE YOUR CIRCULATION AND HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
THE GREATEST BENEFITS OF EXERCISE OCCUR WHEN YOUR HEART BEATS TO WITHIN 50% TO 75% OF ITS MAXIMUM. (THE MAX HEART RATE FOR MEN IS 22 BEATS/MIN MINUS THEIR AGE; FOR WOMEN MAX IS 200 BEATS/MIN – THEIR AGE). THE BENEFITS OCCUR IF THE ACTIVITY IS SUSTAINED FOR A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTE IN ONE DAY, 3 TO 4 DAYS PER WEEK.
ENJOY YOUR PARTNER – TALKING WITH A FRIEND
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS IS TO SHARE YOUR FEELINGS IWHT OTHERS. SO IT’S A VERY GOOD THING FOR A LOT OF REASONS TO DEVELOP SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE.
GETTING THINGS OF YOUR CHEST CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR BODY’S PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A SOLUTION EITHER. SIMPLY TALKING TO OTHERS WITHOUT GETTING ANY ADVICE OR SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM CAN MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER. THAT IS WHY TELEPHONE TALK LINES SUCH AS LIFELINE AND THIS KIDS CRISIS LINE ARE SO POPULAR. AND AN IMPORTANT ADJUNCT TO ANY COUNSELLING SESSION IS NEVER TO JUDGE OR OFFER ADVICE.
(O/H No: 5)
QUICK TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS
. LAUGH MORE
. BE FLEXIBLE
. BREATHE
. SAY “NO”
. MAKE MISTAKES AND LEARN TO LIVE WITH THEM
. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR DIFFICULTIES.
. TAKE TIME OUT:
. PLAY WITH A PET
. DAYDREAM/ GO TO A MOVIE
. ENJOY YOUR PARTNER
. GARDENING
. EXERCISE
TRAINING SESSION NO: 3
- INTRO
- QUIZ
- TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS
- RULES FOR SURVIVAL IN THE WORKPLACE
- CONCLUSION – DISCUSSION
SO NOW WE KNOW THAT STRESS BREAKDOWNS OCCUR BECAUSE OF AN ACCUMULATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS WITHOUT ADEQUATE PERSONAL AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT LETS DO A LITTLE QUIZ THAT I GOT OFF THE INTERNET. IT WAS DEVISED BY DR SCOTT WALLACE A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT WHO SPECIALISES IN STRESS MANAGEMENT. THE ADDRESS IS . THIS DOCTOR LIVES HALF THE YEAR IN COFFS AND HALF IN CANADA WHERE HE ORIGINATES FROM. THERE IS A LOT ON THIS SITE ABOUT STRESS AND DEPRESSION AND IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH LOOKING AT.
(O/H NO: )
IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE HOW THE QUESTIONS RELATE TO MASLOW’S HIERACHY OF NEEDS. THESE LAYERS OF MOTIVATIONAL NEEDS ARE NOT DISCRETE CATEGORIES – THAT MEANS THAT SOME QUESTIONS MAY FIT INTO MORE THAN ONE LEVEL.
Q 2 & 3 RELATE TO PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
Q 5, 8, 9 TO SOCIAL NEEDS
AFFECTION/BELONGING
Q 7,8,9,10 TO SELF-ESTEEM NEEDS ACCEPTANCE/SUCCESS
IN LIFE
Q 10,11 TO SELF-ACTUALISATION NEEDS WHICH IS
WORKING TOWARDS ONE’S FULL POTENTIAL
SO, WHAT DO WE ALL THINK OF THAT. ANY COMMENTS ?
PLEASE HAVE A THINK ABOUT THESE FOR NEXT WEEKS SESSION – MAYBE YOU MIGHT LIKE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THIS COMPANY CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU MANAGE THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE THAT MAY BE GENERATED IN THIS WORKPLACE ENVIRONMEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD YOU LIKE A YOGA SESSION EVERY MORNING – THEY DO THIS AT YAHOO, OR PROVIDE BREAKFAST AND MASSAGE SESSIONS AT YOUR DESK – MLC DID THIS - OR PERHAPS PERSONAL THANK YOU’S AND A SURPRISE FROM THE MD – BOB JOSS AT WESTPAC USED TO DO THIS – THANK YOU’S HAND WRITTEN BY HIMSELF WITH A MYSTERY FLIGHT OR 2 TICKETS TO THE MOVES WERE REALLY POPULAR WITH STAFF.
WE NEED TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE A happy workforce spells healthy profits. A recent survey by M & B compared what workers wanted out of their jobs with what their managers expected and ranked the results from 1 – 10.
Employees ranked appreciation of their work the most important while management ranked it 9th. A conclusion of this report was that “good trainers or mangers are very much aware of what the person is going through, what their emotional state is” (‘My Career’, SMH, p.2). Another conclusion was that for effective teamwork to occur, open communication must occur.
SO FINALLY, DR WALLACE LISTS SOME RULES FOR SURVIVAL IN THE WORKPLACE AND HERE THEY ARE :
(O/H NO: )
RULES FOR SURVIVAL
- MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WORK AND FAMILY BALANCE
- SEPARATE WORK & FAMILY CONCERNS
- LEARN TIME-MANAGEMENT SKILLS
- DELEGATE
- DEVELOP A SENSE OF “FUN” IN THE WORKPLACE
GOLDEN RULES FOR OFFICE FUN:
. LET STAFF KNOW WHEN FUN IS PLANNED
. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FUN
. USE FUN TO DEVELOP RELATIONS & HELP
IMPROVE MORALE
. FUN WORKS BEST IN SMALL DOSES
. BE SENSITIVE TO THE IMPACT OF CHANGE
. DON’T FORGET ANYONE
- KNOW THE SIGNS OF ‘STRESS’ IN YOURSELF & OTHERS
- TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF (& THOSE WHO LOVE YOU)
- KNOW WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP
WHAT ACTIONS ARE YOU TAKING TO MANAGE THE
STRESS IN YOUR LIFE ?
ARE YOU MAKING POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHOICES THAT WILL HELP YOU MANAGE STRESS ? TRY THIS QUIZ ?
STRONGLY STRONGLY
LIFESTYLE CHOICE DISAGREE DISAGREE AGREE AGREE
1 Alcohol & mood-altering 1 2 3 4
Substances
I drink alcohol in moderation or not
At all. I do not abuse mood altering
Substance
2 Diet / Nutrition
I eat nutritional foods each day. I 1 2 3 4
Drink 2 (or less) caffeinated drinks/day.
I avoid excess fat, salt and/or sugar
I drink 8 glasses of water/ day.
3 Exercise
I exercise at least 3 times /week for at 1 2 3 4
Least 30 minutes.
Expression
I express my needs and assert myself 1 2 3 4
.
Friendships & Family
I have good social support, friends 1 2 3 4
And/or family.
I can ask for assistance from others.
Goals
I have reasonable and clear goals for 1 2 3 4
Myself.
Humour
I can laugh at myself each day 1 2 3 4
Pleasure Time
I make time for myself each day 1 2 3 4
________________________________________________________________
STRONGLY STRONGLY
LIFESTYLE CHOICE DISAGREE DISAGREE AGREE AGREE
9 Reward 1 2 3 4
I pat myself on the back for a job
Well done or whenever I am pleased
With my efforts.
Self-care
I honour myself and tell myself that I 1 2 3 4
Am a good and trustworthy person.
I take responsibility for my actions.
Spirituality
I fulfil my spiritual needs through 1 2 3 4
Reading, reflection, ceremonies etc.
Your score can range from 0 –33. The higher your score, the better the lifestyle choices you are making.
These positive choices will act as a buffer against stress.
If you score between 0 – 10 you need to review your lifestyle and begin to make significant improvements. You are vulnerable to the unhealthy effects of stress.
If you score between 11 – 22, you are making lifestyle choices that will help buffer you against the negative effects of stress - however, there is room for improvement.
If you score between 23 – 33, you are making wise lifestyle choices. You are improving your chances that you will not experience long-term negative effects from stress.
This test is available on the web :
Dr Scott Wallace. Phd., R. Psych.
____________________________________________________________
THE HOLMES RAHE SOCIAL READJUSTMENT RATING SCALE
LIFE EVENT MEAN VALUE
1 Death of spouse 100
2 Divorce 73
3 Maritial separation from mate 65
4 Detention in jail or other institution 63
5 Death of a close family member 63
6 Major personal injury or illness 53
7 Marriage 50
8 * Being fired from work 47
9 Maritial reconciliation with mate 45
10 * Retirement from work 45
Major change in the health OR behaviour
of a family member 44
12 Pregnancy 40
13 Sexual difficulties 39
14 Gaining a new family member (birth, adoption) 39
15 * Major business readjustment eg reorganisation, 39
merger, retrenchment)
16 * Major change in financial state (lot worse/better) 38
17 Death of a close friend 37
18 * Changing to a different line of work 36
19 Major changes in number of arguments with
(eg either a lot more or a lot less than usual) 35
20 Taking on a mortgage greater than $10,000 31
21 Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan 30
22 * Major change in responsibilities at work
(eg promotion, demotion, lateral transfer) 29
23 Son/daughter leaving home 29
24 In-law troubles 29
25 * Outstanding personal achievement 28
30 * Trouble with boss 23
41 Vacation 13
42 Christmas 12
43 Minor violations of the law (eg speed ticket) 11
_____________________________________________________