After completing the three assessments this week, I realized how much I’ve changed since my husband passed away nine years ago. The death of a spouse is considered the most stressful life event, and it completely shifted my perspective. Before then, I believed I had a low tolerance for stress and structured my life to avoid feeling overwhelmed. After losing him, I learned that most stressors simply don’t compare, and everyday stress no longer feels unmanageable. My score of 415 on the “My Life Stress Questionnaire” placed me at high risk for illness or accident due to stress, but that number doesn’t fully reflect the context of my life today.
Raising four kids as a single parent, managing a young child at home while sending another off to college, continuing to build a career I’m proud of, and getting engaged this past year have all brought significant change, but much of it has been positive. Even the difficult parts, like taking over financial and medical care for my mom as she faces Alzheimer’s, have reminded me how fortunate I am to be able to support her. Despite the many stressors in my life, I am genuinely the happiest I’ve been in years, and I don’t take that for granted.
The Coping & Stress Management Skills Test showed that I rely mostly on problem-focused strategies for coping. I tend to face stress directly by trying to solve what’s in front of me. While this approach works for practical challenges, I’ve also learned that not everything can be controlled. Grief, uncertainty, and life transitions sometimes require acceptance rather than action. In those moments, I’ve learned to lean on my widow community, who continues to be an important source of support.
The Type A Personality Test reassured me that although I may become impatient or frustrated when overwhelmed, I am “characterized by warmth and tolerance the majority of the time.” Prioritizing trusting relationships also reduces the health risks typically associated with Type A tendencies. Still, it reminded me to stay intentional about maintaining emotional and physical balance moving forward.
What Employers Are Doing to Support Employee Stress
Organizations are increasingly recognizing how significantly stress impacts employees. Many are expanding wellness initiatives and training managers to identify burnout and respond with empathy rather than discipline. Employees are also placing greater value on benefits such as flexible schedules, remote work opportunities, and additional paid time off. All these options are shown to improve work–life balance and reduce stress. According to “The Most Desirable Employee Benefits,” these offerings are often relatively low cost for employers, and workers are even willing to trade higher pay for them. Shifting toward treating employees as whole people and not just labor resources is becoming essential for performance, retention, and overall well-being.
Life Stress Questionnaire
Coping and Stress Management Skills Test https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/career/coping-stress-management-skills-test
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/personality/type-personality-test
Jones, Kerry. The Most Desirable Employee Benefits. Harvard Business Review Digital Access. April 15, 2017, 2-6
