Week 9 – Stress

Based on the results of the Life Stress Inventory, the Coping and Stress Management Skills Test, and the Type A Personality Survey, I have learned a few things. One thing is that according to the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, there is a 50% chance that I’ll experience “a major health breakdown in the next 2 years” (The American Institute of Stress, n.d.). According to the Coping and Stress Management Skills Test, I “sometimes use problem-focused strategies in order to cope with stress. Although using these methods is generally ineffective when dealing with situations you can’t change or control, they tend to be rather handy when the stressor you are facing is controllable.” (Psychology Today, n.d.-a). Finally, my score for the Type A Personality Survey suggests that, “[My] interactions with others, while generally characterized by warmth and tolerance, are also at times tinged with impatience and hostility. When [I am] stressed or frustrated, [I] can lash out at others or end up stewing in anger or frustration” (Psychology Today, n.d.-b).

One step that I can take as I progress through my professional career to help me manage stress is to learn about, and practice, mindfulness. Another step is to eat healthier, as well as exercise more. 

After conducting a bit of research, I learned that some organizations are using wellness programs in order to help their employees manage their health and cope with stress. In the article, What’s The Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?, the authors write, “With tax incentives and grants available under recent federal health care legislation, U.S. companies can use wellness programs to chip away at their enormous health care costs, which are only rising with an aging workforce” (Berry et al., 2010). 

Works Cited:

The American Institute of Stress. (n.d.). The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory.

Berry, L. L., Mirabito, A. M., & Baun, W. B. (2010, December 1). What’s The Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?

Coping & Stress Management Skills Test. Psychology Today. (n.d.-a). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/career/coping-stress-management-skills-test

Type A Personality Test. Psychology Today. (n.d.-b). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/personality/type-personality-test