Based on the results, what did you learn about yourself? What steps can you take as you progress through your professional career to help you manage stress? Conduct internet research on stress and other health conditions of current concern to organizations. What are organizations doing to help their employees manage their health and cope with stress? 

I learned that with my current life stress, I am right at the cusp of being normal and being one-third of all persons who experience illness or accident. I end up getting 150 on the life stress questionnaire. I have been working since I was sixteen and have gathered some good coping skills for my career self-stress. The biggest one that I had to learn was to stop taking work home with me. Once I was able to be in a position where I didn’t have to do this, it was almost an instant change. I’ve learned to take my work key and put it in a spot and “hang it” up when I clock out. This provided a significant thought and difference to remind me that you’ve clocked out, you’re done, and things will/can wait until tomorrow.

I do want to get better at adapting true-life stress coping skills, as I know and expect my career stress to rise while looking to earn a career in health care management. I want to reintroduce physical activity back into my life, even maybe some rec league sports, become more of an early riser, schedule massages, take different life classes, read more, and continue gardening (I just started my first one this season).

Organizations need to understand that mental health stress is a real thing, and with all the life stressors that continue to happen, it tends to not get easier for individuals. Then, with the work stress, it is said that 50% of people bring this home (Workplace stress – understanding the problem). Businesses can eliminate some workplace stressors for their employees by simply trying to understand the problem. Some of these examples could include, reinforcing job security, providing the needed training, allowing concerns about safety to come forth without fear of retaliation, working on ways to communicate to people to get the full understanding of what their trying to put in place, and continuing to but efforts in enforcing breaks are happening when they should be (Workplace stress – understanding the problem). Places still need to do their best to implement a mental health resource with their benefits or provide access to some free sessions to encourage their employees to seek assistance (Workplace stress – all workers). Post stress coping strategies and give space to have employees take a few minutes away from their job duties to gather an appropriate breather (Workplace stress – all workers). I personally feel that one on one check check-ins with the management allow one to reduce some stressors within the workplace, and the ones that I look forward to within the places that I work. (Workplace stress – all workers)

References:

Workplace stress – all workers. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.-a). https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress/solutions/all-workers

Workplace stress – understanding the problem. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress/understanding-the-problem