Managing Workplace Stress | Tips from an Expert
Introduction by Host: Dr. Gee
Welcome to the special edition of our mental health series. Today, we are uncovering valuable strategies and proven methods to combat stress in our professional lives. We are joined by our expert guest for today, Michael Whiteside, LCSW. Let’s discuss!
Guest Bio
Mr. Michael Whiteside is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the multicultural outreach coordinator at Indiana University Bloomington. He is passionate about providing mental health services that promote holistic healing and overall better quality of life.
Q: What is Stress? What is Anxiety?
One of the definitions that I like is a constraining force or influence. Anxiety means you are in a condition of uncertainty, and not knowing how to process that challenge in front of you. Stress is the response to being in this condition of uncertainty.
There are a few different types of stress. The two big ones are eustress, which is a healthy kind of stress, and distress, which is unhealthy. Eustress is what happens when you have a deadline coming up and need some motivation to get it done. It pushes you to take action when action is needed. Distress is a distraction. It is an overwhelming uncertainty and often crushes your will instead of motivating it.
Q: How do you manage your stress?
If we take the definition of stress as an uncertain situation, putting stress in that context is simple. You just figure out what you are uncertain about. Clear up the confusion and keep things organized. Figure out how to get back to the unmet need and figure out what is necessary to meet the need.
One of the first things you need to do to manage your stress is to figure out how you feel. What direction is your stress leading you? Anger? Fear? Depression? Confusion? After you normalize that, validate your feelings. You are not crazy for feeling emotional when you are stressed. Once you figure out what you are feeling, search your past to figure out why. Has something happened in your past that leads you to feel this way? Finally, process those events that have shaped you.
Q: Thriving Question: At what point do you seek help?
The simple answer is: anytime. Anytime you start to question your ability or your health, that’s when you seek help. Help is a spectrum. Help doesn’t always mean it is an emergency. If you are worried about a disorder, once your mental state starts to affect your life in the smallest ways or hinder the way that you function, that’s a good time to seek advanced help.
Q: How can employers help employees have healthy stress and avoid unhealthy stress?
One of the easiest ones is clearly defined expectations that are explicit, written down, and easy to find. I would also say provide emotional safe spaces in the work environment, meaning to define the employee/overseer relationship, and to clearly state consequences. Consequences are one of the biggest causes of stress in the workplace. You take what’s uncertain and make it certain.
Closing Thoughts
“Employees will perform more efficiently when they’re supported fully by their employers.” When you think about the relationship between an employer and an employee, you can compare it to a parent-child relationship. The child needs to be seen, encouraged, and given a safe space to grow in. It’s the same for employees. When employers can provide that same dynamic, they can make a place where their employees can thrive.
By Dr. Gee, Success and Holistic Wellness Advocate
