Stress Counselling
June 20, 2010 by stress-relief
Filed under Stress, Stress-Anxiety
Stressful events like death of a loved one, separation, employment layoff and workplace changes can cause our stress levels to rocket. And when these stressful situations compound, stress management and stress counseling is often advised to help us cope with an impending disaster.
Stress is categorized into three kinds: Positive stress, which is defined as acute tension and pressure that can motivate a person perform at his best; Acute Distress, which is defined as unplanned and unprecedented stressful but short term reaction caused by specific situations; and chronic stress, which is described as being the constant kind, where in stressors occupy a rooted space in a person’s life.
Stress Risk Assessment
June 14, 2010 by stress-relief
Filed under Stress
I tried an online stress risk assessment online at http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/sq/stress/stress-assess.htm and I was relieved to see that I am stress resilient. A number of mitigating factors are included in the assessment, and is categorized into Rest and Exercise, Finances and Time Management, Leisure and Lifestyle, Communicating, Diet and Health and Fitness.
From this short quiz, we get to see the important aspects of our physical, mental and emotional health that we should take care of. It is important that we stretch those muscles and go for physical fitness, eat a balanced meal at least occasionally to have good nutrition, seek out friends for small talks and a lot of fun for a bit of that laughter and of course, we need to have faith in ourselves and in a higher being.
The purpose of these stress risk assessment tools is for us to be able to do counter checks on our lives and see how burnt out we are or how laid back we are and how we are faring in our everyday battles. We need to know because we have the responsibility and the desire to be at the best of our faculties in everything we do and every endeavor we partake.
This stress risk assessment tool is particularly important in workplace settings, wherein an Act (under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1999) was drafted to ensure the safety and well-being of both employees and employers are taken into consideration. The regulations set herein ensure that employers adhere to the well-being of their employees by assessing the risk of illness and the onset of stress-related ailments.
The Management Standard places six key areas of design which would aid the simplification of the process. These key areas are: Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role, and Change.
The DEMANDS category would consider the amount of responsibility an employee shoulders and would include the following:
· Workload assignment per employee
· Tall work targets
· Number of Working Hours
· Number of Key Staff and task delegation procedure
· Deadlines
The CONTROL area takes into consideration the capacity of an individual to take part in the company’s decision making body and consists of the following factors:
· Workload Support from Management and Executives
· Individual’s role in Business Decisions
· Information or Awareness of Staff to any organizational changes
RELATIONSHIPS sheds light into the relevance of rapport and harmony among office staff, and would take into consideration:
· Workplace conflicts and issues
· Setting benchmarks for acceptable behavior and proper decorum
· Emotional demands
ROLE category may have similar considerations as Demands, as this would include:
· Job Description and Work responsibility outlining
· Job demands and expectations
· Promotion and Career Growth issues
· Benefits and Privileges of an employee as part of an organization
CHANGES in the work organization and may be included in the CONTROL category, but this area specifies the stress level effects that may occur should changes in employment assignment, organizational design and workplace be in an employee.
These key areas are the foremost stressors and with which the employees are at risk of being affected. By identifying the basic stressors and/or factors in a working environment, both the employer and employee will enjoy a positive working place atmosphere.
With the Stress Risk Assessment tool, we are able to establish these aspects and establish concrete action plans to avert or lessen work-related stress.
Furthermore, the Stress Risk Assessment Tool jumpstarts the awareness of the gravity of the effects of stress. When the employer sets employee assistance programs, enforce workplace policies and trainings in stress awareness and management, the individual becomes aware of the role of stress in one’s health and growth.
Therefore, we create a better picture of a work-life balance.
