Coping with workplace stress

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Housekeeping

› mobile phones› break times› toilets› emergencies

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Workshop overview

At this workshop the following will be addressed:

› the nature and effects of stress› the causes of excess workplace stress› the symptoms of excess stress› reasons why stress issues must be addressed › methods of dealing with stress related problems

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Workshop expectations

What do you know about the topic?

What do you need to know?

What outcomes do you expect from this workshop?

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Activity

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Topic 1

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Stress: any force or event that has an effect on the body or mind.

Some stress is good and a necessary part of life.

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Necessary stress

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Athletic achievement Tuning a violin

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Good stress/ bad stress

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‘[Excess] Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realise that you haven’t fallen asleep yet.’

(Anon)

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Impact of inappropriate stress levels

1. High levels of absenteeism.

2. Increased attrition.

3. Poor work performance.

4. Low morale.

5. Low worker commitment.

6. Increased frequency of accidents.

7. Industrial relations difficulties.

8. Poor relationships with suppliers and customers.

9. Difficulty retaining good employees, at all levels.

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Reactions

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Excess stress › Poor performance› Dysfunctional

behaviour› Health problems

› High performance› Job satisfaction› Involvement› Optimum

performance› Poor performance › Dysfunctional

behaviour› Health problems

Too little stress

Moderate stress

Too little or too much stress can be harmful.

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Activity

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Topic 2

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Excess stress

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Stress factors

‘One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important.’

(Bertrand Russell)

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Constructive v destructive stress

Human performance

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Perf

orm

an

ce

an

d w

ell b

ein

g

Peak performance

Under stimulation

Over stimulation

Too little Optimum Too much

Stimulation

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Change and workplace stress

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Reactions

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Stress itself is not harmful – it is our reaction to stress/ stressors that causes illness or disease.

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Activity

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Topic 3

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The cost of stress

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Stress related absenteeism directly costs Australian employers $10.11 billion a year. It costs the Australian economy approx. $14.81 billion a year.

3.2 days per worker are lost each year as a result of workplace stress.

It is estimated that 1 in 3 adult workers suffer from moderate to extreme stress overload and are at risk of stress-related health problems.

(www.medibank.com.au)

Hence the need to understand and manage stress responses.

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Responding to requests

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Delegate

‘Delegating means letting others become the experts …’

(Timothy Firnstahl)

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Activity

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Topic 4

‘Stress: the confusion created when one’s mind overrides the body’s basic desire to choke the living daylights out of some jerk who desperately deserves it.’

(Anon)

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Managing emotions

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Cognitive restructuring

‘Don't let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries.’

(Astrid Alauda)

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Handling the behaviour of others

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Can you cope with the behaviour of others ?

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Assertiveness

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Negotiate for the purpose of fulfilling your needs - without overriding the needs of others.

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Activity

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Topic 5

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Lower your stress levels at work

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Relaxation

Important for mental and physical health.

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Diet

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Exercise

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Sleep

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Social support and networks

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Relaxation techniques

‘Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.’

(Etty Hillesum)

‘There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them.’ 

(Sylvia Plath)

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Activity

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Summary

Before leaving today please share:›1 important thing you learned›1 new practice you will undertake at work›1 activity you enjoyed

Thankyou for your attendance and participation.

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Two thoughts

‘Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency.’

(Natalie Goldberg)

‘Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness.’

(Richard Carlson)

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