Following the three tests that we were expected to take for this weeks blog assignment, I honestly didn’t learn much about myself. The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory was an interesting test that had some questionable categories with their associated point values. My result from that test came out to be 158 which seemed relatively high and proved that I have a 50% chance of health breakdown in the next two years. The second test was the Coping and Stress Management Skills Test. My result from this test was a score of 88 in the problem-focused coping mechanism. The third test was the Type A Personality Test, where my result was “impatience and hostility” (living up to my redhead personality I guess).
Personally, I believe that I have what most people call a “go-getter” personality and once I wake up, feel the need to complete as much as possible during the day. I enjoy, to a point, putting myself under stress as it helps me perform better and get more things done with my time. As illustrated in the Health and Safety lecture outline from this week, increased focus, physical strength, and engagement are some of the main benefits from stress. Going back to the Holmes-Rate test, some of the things such as marriage, retirement, and gaining a new family member are things that I look forward to in life. These situations, although stressful, could be classified as eustress and result in a positive outcome. Some methods that I use for managing my stress are communication and thinking methods. When people keep their stress (or thoughts) bottled up it almost always degrades ones mental health status. Whether it is a therapist of some kind or a family member or friend, talking about situations and feelings with someone else can assist in clearing your head and possibly gain input from another party.
As far as organization health and stress coping programs go, I’ve heard about a lot of paths. For example, one of my close friends currently works for Conmet, a firm that manufacturers automobile parts, who has an unlimited PTO policy. Although this could turn foul, as long as quality employees are being hired this could give employees the opportunity to take mental/health leave when they feel necessary instead of fearing that they can only take off a certain amount of time before they begin to lose income. Another strategy, although well known, is a comprehensive health coverage plan for employees. It can be stressful for employees with health complications to manage finances and try to accumulate savings in hopes of retirement. With an employer funded health plan, organizations have the ability to manage these stressors and help their employees remain focused on their jobs while at work instead of issues outside of the office.
