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COPING WITH WORKPLACE STRESS

Presented By: Judi GissyPCC, LICDC, NCAC II, SAP

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“© 2015 Bethesda Healthcare, Inc. All rights reserved.

Copying or reproducing this document is strictly prohibited."

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• CONCERN is a part of the Corporate Health division of the TriHealth Healthcare System. We provide:

• Assessment

• Referral

• Counseling

• Crisis Intervention

• Work/life services

• Management Consultation

• Workplace Training

STRESS

• Anxiety caused when situations and responsibilities are greater than our coping abilities

• A combination of physical, behavioral, thinking and feeling factors.

• There are 3 types of stress: “eustress,” “crisis stress,” and “wear and tear stress.”

• Stress is a normal fact of life• The key to managing stress is

how we react and cope with the pressures we experience.

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STRESSORS IN THE WORKPLACE

• Lack of control over work process-limited or no input as to how their job should be done

• Unresolved conflict in the work place

• Pressure to perform-deadlines, limited resources, quotas, consequences for failure to meet goals

• Dealing with angry customers and clients

FLIGHT OR FIGHT

• When the brain perceives a threat, the body reacts by increasing the heart rate, the blood rate, the muscular strength, the perspiration levels, and glucose levels.

• The body calms & resumed normal functioning once the threat is gone.

• It responds in proportion to the perceived danger.

MANAGING OUR STRESS

• Stress management is a comprehensive set of techniques that addresses the physical, thinking, emotional, and lifestyle factors that constitute stress.

• It is an ongoing process, of changing and adapting to different situations and life stages

• The effective strategies are individual to each person

• Different strategies are often needed for different situations

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“That the birds fly overhead, this you

cannot stop. That they build a nest in

your hair, this you can prevent.”

----- Ancient Chinese Proverb

7 STRATEGIES FOR

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Attitude Rethinking

Time Management Skills

Assertiveness Skills

Support System Use

Ventilating Feelings

Health ManagementRelaxation Exercises

• A series of strategies to organize your work and home tasks in an more efficient and integrated way.

• Includes skills such as organizing, prioritizing, and combining tasks to “work smart, not hard.”

TIME MANAGEMENT

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NAVIGATING OUR SCHEDULES

3. Rely on Routines -- Make a schedule, and stick to it.

4. Synchronize Events--

Get several chores done simultaneously.

5. Make Contingency Plans --

Have a “Plan B” ready.

1. Prioritize -- Schedule the essentials first.

2. Negotiate -- Arrange flexible time on the job and at home, have the ability to change and rearrange times.

OTHER TIME

MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

• Keeping work space clean and organized.

• Overcoming procrastination

• Breaking large projects into manageable pieces

• Learning to recognize that we may function at different levels of effectiveness at different times of the day

• Making records and lists and keep them to reuse.

• Leaving room in our schedule for emergencies.

ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS

• Differentiate between the needs of others and your own. Routinely ask: “Is this my problem, or theirs?”

• Learn to say “no,” even though you feel guilty.

• Eventually learn to say “no” without the guilt.

• Do one positive thing just for yourself a day, and keep an ongoing list of what they were.

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DEFINITION

OF STRESS:

WHEN YOUR

HEART SAYS

“I CAN’T

POSSIBLY DO

THAT,” AND

YOUR MOUTH

SAYS, “SURE, I’D

BE HAPPY TO.”

• It theorizes that it’s our opinion about the event that causes (or at least heightens) the stress

• Common “erroneous thinking habits” include unrealistic standards and perfectionism

• “Rethinking and reframing” thoughts reduces stress.

ATTITUDE RETHINKING

• Examining the assumptions behind the stress.

“I am an old man

now, and I have

known a great

many problems in

my life . . .

Most of which

never happened.”

--- Mark Twain

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• Trying to live in the present

• Accept that making mistakes

is part of being human

• Accept that some days are just

going to feel impossible

• See the difficulty as a

challenge that you’re equal to

• Accept that everything

happens for a reason

• Approaching the situation

with a healthy sense of humor

RESILIENCE-BUILDING ATTITUDES

• Conduct a “top to bottom” muscle relaxation exercise

• Practice controlled deep breathing exercises, or guided imagery

• Utilize massage.• Take frequent short work

breaks.• Utilize calming, cheerful,

inspiring or rousing music• Soothe yourself by doing

something that appeals to the five senses.

RELAXATION EXERCISES

SOOTHING THE

FIVE SENSES• Vision: Look out the window,

or surround yourself with family pictures, favorite objects.

• Hearing: Listen to your favorite soothing music

• Taste: Mindfully eat your food.

• Touch: Wear fine textures, pet your dog, use stress balls, or hug a stuffed animal.

• Smell: Wear your favorite fragrance, keep aroma candles or sachets around.

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• Accepting that it’s normal to feel the way we feel, and practice the habit of releasing it regularly

• Ventilating through people can include friends, coworkers, family members

• Other ventilating can include journaling, music, or art

• Counseling can also provide a helpful outlet

VENTILATING FEELINGS

• A cultivated network of family, friendships, colleagues, acquaintances, and social activities

• It imparts the secure feeling that we belong to a community of people who value us.

• It allows us a fertile ground in which to share, increasing our joys and dividing our sorrows.

• It helps us cope with the problems of daily life and in going through difficult life transitions.

• Valuable types of support provided include: emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal.

USING A SUPPORT SYSTEM

USING YOUR

SUPPORT

NETWORK

• Surround yourself with people who are positive, supportive and make you feel your very best.

• Ask for help when you need to!!• Use every-day situations as opportunities to

connect, commiserate and relax with friends.• Exercise emotional expression as a daily habit.

Avoid social groups that are depleting. • Compile an “emergency list” of friends we can call

when upset, and have “stress fire drills.”

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• Get regular exercise

• Get enough sleep

• Eat regular meals

• Eat healthy foods

• Get frequent recreation

• Get regular medical checkups

HEALTH MANAGEMENT

SLEEP TECHNIQUES• Follow a bedtime routine,

including warm milk or a warm bath.

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

• Spend the hour before bedtime relaxing

• Avoid bright lights right before bedtime.

• Sleep in a cool room.

• Leave no “unfinished emotional business”

• If you can’t sleep, try relaxation exercises

THE MORE RESILIENT WE

BECOME, THE MORE PREPARED WE ARE TO

THRIVE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD