Taking the surveys this week confirmed what I already knew about myself. Growing up, I was a lot more of a Type A personality, but over the years I have shifted my priorities after seeing how it has affected my mental health and created an unsustainable pace for working toward my goals.
For the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, I scored a 114, with 150 or more increasing the chance of a major health breakdown by 50% in the next 2 years. This is important because looking for a new job after graduating this month will put me right at 150. Fortunately, on the Psychology Today “Coping Skills” survey, I scored an 85/100, showing that I use problem-focused strategies that are very effective when my stressors are controllable. Often, when I can control stressors, I choose to do what is best for me and prioritize my health and relationships. Unfortunately, in life, we can’t always control stressors, so being high on the life stress scale doesn’t leave a lot of room in the event something outside of my control happens. Lastly, for the Psychology Today “Type A Personality” survey, I scored a 25/100 for impatience and irritability. While I am overwhelmingly warm and tolerant, I can occasionally be impatient. When I do get frustrated, however, I rarely lash out and generally center trust and relationships in all of my interactions.
Based on these surveys, I know I do very well at managing most stress. Additionally, I have made plans to reduce my stress after graduation by considering job environment when job hunting and setting realistic priorities and pace.
In looking for sources on how companies also help manage workplace stress, I found “How Companies Are Addressing Employee Stress in the Modern Workplace.” This article lists common wellness programs: embedding mental health programs and culture in workplaces, introducing flexibility in work hours, fostering open and supportive communication with leaders, establishing a culture of recognition for performance, implementation of wholistic wellness programs, training leaders to recognize early signs of stress, and redesigning workplaces to center focus and comfort. These programs are valuable to employees but also actively increase productivity and engagement.
