Each person’s own unique life sets them apart but one thing we can all relate to is experiencing stress; even though it is often in different ways and at different levels. Some people lead more stressful lifestyles overall while others only experience occasional triggers. How we respond also varies; maybe you become agitated, maybe you go for a long walk, or maybe you lay in bed decompressing. No matter the details surrounding it, we are all attempting to manage that stress so we can experience life to the best of our abilities.
This week we were challenged to take a questionnaire regarding life stress, a coping and stress management test, and a type a personality test. As a psychology major, I have studied stress quite heavily and also am pretty self aware so I was not surprised by the results. I do tend to live a high stress lifestyle, which I have engaged in for years, due to aspects that are both within and outside of my control. Therefore, I do have tendencies to cope which was backed up by my results from the coping and stress management test as it identified me as exhibiting problem-solving coping behaviors. Furthermore I scored a 380 on the life stress questionnaire putting me into the last category of “75 percent sure of trouble in the months ahead”.
From an external prospective, we learned much this week about managing workplace stress, benefits and various other ways that companies support their employees outside of a simple salary. This prompted me to do further research into simple ways that employers can support their employees without even needing to spend money. According to OSHA, employers can begin to support the mental health of their employees by raising awareness, identifying harmful factors, showing empathy, and providing access to resources.
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