Coping with
workplace stress
Housekeeping
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mobile phones
break times
toilets
emergencies
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Workshop overview
At this workshop the following will be addressed:
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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
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
Athletic achievement
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Tuning a violin
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Good stress/ bad stress
‘[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
Excess stress
Moderate stress
Too little stress
Too little or too much
stress can be harmful.
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Poor performance
Dysfunctional behaviour
Health problems
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High performance
Job satisfaction
Involvement
Optimum performance
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Poor performance
Dysfunctional behaviour
Health problems
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Activity
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Topic 2
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
Performance and well being
Human performance
Peak
performance
Under
stimulation
Too little
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Stimulation
Optimum
Over
stimulation
Too much
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Change and workplace stress
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Reactions
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
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
Can you cope with the behaviour of others ?
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Assertiveness
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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