Managing Personal and Employee Stress

Agenda -

• Types of stress

• Responding to stress– Personal– As a Manager

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STRESS

Difference between expectation and reality; a change; a loss, a gain.

Physical and emotional arousal reaction to stimulus.

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Is your stress adding up?Is your stress adding up?

• Spiritual

• Physical

• Emotional

• Mental

• Social4

During uncertain times

InsecurityInsecurity

Feelings of loss

High emotional stressControl becomes a major issue

Conflict may increase

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Types of Stress:Types of Stress:

GENERAL - Everyday events

CUMULATIVE - everyday stressors adding up

TRAUMA - Abnormal event threatening individual life or safety (or perceived as such)

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Cumulative Stress

Unresolved conflict Previous traumatic experience Repeated irritation Several stressors in short time

Birth/death, move, job loss, divorce

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Real or perceived threat to life Graphic injuries & death Event outside normal experience Injury or death of children Witnessing trauma of others

Traumatic stress

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Stress is NOT an Event…It’s your

REACTION to that Event

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Are these things that you can control?

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Factors influencing reaction to stress

Perfectionism Family rules and messages Social mirror Expectations Irrational beliefs

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Challenge your messages

Perceptions Beliefs Assumptions

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• Guilt that someone suffered harm/loss/redeployment more than we.

• Feel we can’t have fun while others suffer or lose their job.

• Resentment over increased workload

Surviving changeSurviving changeIt

’s O

K t

o h

ave

surv

ived

Possible responses:

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Stages of changeStages of change

Acceptance New Beginnings

Ending Shock and Denial

Transition and Adjustment Suffering

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Modify your responsesModify your responses

Take a break Get enough sleep Plan quiet, unscheduled time Take time to enjoy good food Use humor Avoid people and events that irritate you Respond… don’t react

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• Choose not to turn over control of your emotional self to people or events.

• We do not lose unless we surrender to fear, negativity, and paranoia.

• In the “psychological war” the best weapon we have is our positive attitude.

It is YOUR choice

You are in control of your emotional life:

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Response-ability:the ability to determine

your own response.

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Keep an “eye” out for stress

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Manager’s RoleManager’s Role

Awareness

Feedback

Support

Time management

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Are you walking your talk?

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What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Recognize your limits

Be aware of your own stress level

Be aware of signs and symptoms of stress in others

Get help

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Promote healthy stress

Promote healthy stress

Clear expectations

Responsibility means authority

Identify causes

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Outside Assistance

Turn to others for help:• In the US – EAP Program

In the US call 800-568-9276

• Spiritual mentors

• Counselors

• Physicians

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EAP services:EAP services:

Face to face counseling

Life management services:

child careelder carefinancial counselingorganizing life’s affairspre-retirement planningand more… 24