Omar is 27 years old, has agirlfriend, but no children. Heobtainedabachelor’sdegreein engineering and now doesunderground work as anengineer. He has beenworking 40-hour weeks forthe last 2 years. However,recently, due to falling oilprices and several companylayoffs, Omar has had toworkovertime.

Work & Life conflict

Omar’s Story

Financial Stress

To deal with stress

Immigrated Family

Omar fears that he too maylose his job, so he has beenworking very hard to provehis worth in the company.Omar also wants to buy ahouse, but is having difficultyfinding one that he canafford, and is very concernedabout purchasing a housedue to the instability of hisjob.

He is also facing added stressat home, as he helps hisnewly immigrated familyadjust to the language andcustomsof anewcountry.

Omar talks to his friends andfamily, eats well andexercises, and volunteers. Henow wonders what else hecan do to help cope withstress.

This resource is not a substitute for seeking professional help. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about any concerns that you may have about your mental health.

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Click here for the full e-resource which containsmore information and alist of helpful resources.

1. Communicate effectively about his concernsOmar might consider having a one-on-oneconversation with his supervisor to share hisconcerns. Here, the purpose isn’t to lay out alist of complaints, but to work out a plan toaddress stressors like his heavy workload andlack of resources. Before the meeting, it mightbe helpful for Omar to plan how he willexpress each of his concerns. During themeeting, Omar should try to use language hissupervisor can understand, present facts, andstay away from emotional conversations. Thismeetingmight also help to clarify expectationsand help Omar to improve skills such as timemanagement.

Here are few strategies that Omar may

wish to try:2. Take time to rechargeOmar may try “switching off” from work byhaving periods of time when he is notengaging in or thinking about work-relatedactivities. For example, Omar can try turningoff his smartphone after work so that he canfocus on his present situation, without work-related distractions. Omar can also make surethat his vacation days don’t go to waste.When possible, he can take time off to relaxand unwind, so that when he goes back towork he feels refreshed and ready to performat his best.

3. Take advantage of his Employee Assistance Program benefit Omar can contact his HR department to see ifhis employer offers Employee AssistanceProgram (EAP) or Employee-Family AssistanceProgram (EFAP) services as part of hisemployee benefit package. Most EAP/EFAPsoffer information and programs on stressmanagement and are often accompanied byconfidential counselling (in person or viaemail/chat). This may help to support Omarthrough the challenges that are negativelyimpacting his work and personal life.EAP/EFAPs can also help Omar deal withissues relating to relationships in theworkplace, conflict resolution, workperformance, work-life balance, depression,andanxiety.

This resource is not a substitute for seeking professional help. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about any concerns that you may have about your mental health.

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4. Seek professional helpOmar may wish to seek help from a mentalhealth professional to deal with stressfulsituations more constructively. They might beable to help him better understand the factorscontributing to his stress, develop effectivecoping strategies, and work through difficultsituations. Omar can click here to discover thedifferent types of mental health professionalsand how to contact them. He can also visit hisdoctor to get more information. As theseservices are often fee-based, Omar may consulthis Human Resources department to see if hehas coverageunderhis benefitsplan.

5. Be proactive Working tirelessly does not guarantee Omar hisjob security; companies make decisions toterminate even the best employees. Omar maywish to take proactive steps to secure better,more stable employment. With the help of acareer counsellor, Omar can come up withstrategies to build his resumé. Hemay also wishto visit an employment center for additionalsupport and resources for planning his career.For information on free or low cost services,Omar can check outour resourcepage.

6. Financial planning Omarmaywant to consider sitting down with afinancial planner to discuss his finances, goals,and strategies to save for the future. Thefinancial planner may be able to give Omar arealistic view of his financial situation, as well asadvise him on whether purchasing a home atthis time is a gooddecision.

This resource is not a substitute for seeking professional help. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about any concerns that you may have about your mental health.

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8. Career counsellingOmar may wish to consider career counsellingto develop a strategy to reach his career goals.These services often come at a cost, howevermany benefit/extended health plans providecoverage. Formore information,Omarmay clickhere.

7. Immigrant/newcomer services Omar may want to look for newcomer servicesto help his family settle into their new life inCanada. Omar can find information oncommunity services, and services specific tonewcomers, such as help with job searches,registering for free language classes, registeringchildren for school, and filling out forms andapplications through the Government of Canadawebsite. This website also provides informationon a variety of social activities and mentorshipprograms for newcomers. Omar may also wantto join the National Newcomer’s Associationwith 65+ clubs and 8000+ members acrossCanada. By joining, Omarwill be a part of a socialorganization that will introduce him to the cityand provide himwith the opportunity to build hissocial network throughanumberof activities.

This resource is not a substitute for seeking professional help. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about any concerns that you may have about your mental health.

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