(与压力共舞：评估与管理)
AODN Training Program
Session One
A Bilingual (Chinese & English) Presentation for Participants in China
(9-12 am, China time or 9-12 pm ET, USA), November 28 (Saturday), 2020
Phylis Lan Lin, PhD (藍采風)
Important principles may and must be flexible—Abraham Lincoln
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity—Albert Einstein
Stress is inevitable. Stress is universal. Stress is a fact of life. Since we can’t get rid of it, we need to learn how to use it to our advantage. What we all want is the right kind of stress for the right length of time—at a level that we will be able to manage and make it a positive life experience. Managing stress equates to managing life. We need to learn how to manage stress and make stress work for us. We need to learn to convert stress into “eustress (“good stress”). We need to learn to “enjoy” stress instead of letting stress control our lives. Instead of being bombarded by stress, we need to learn to dance with the stress. Stress is simply the adaptation of our bodies and minds to life demands from within and from the outside. Stresses come in every form and every intensity and can range from the chronic to the acute. It can be triggered by an individual’s internal thought process and cognition of events or by external events and situations. Sources of stress (stressors) can be conceptualized in many different ways and our reactions to stress vary with biological/physiological, psychological, and behavioral symptoms. The major influence on how stress affects our health is not the situation per se but our reaction to the event (or the meaning the individual attaches to the event).
While stress management is commonly thought to include diet, exercise, relaxation, and sometimes problem-solving; long lasting stress management and “joy of stress” require a new mindset. This new mindset includes: an understanding of both the nature and the sources of stress (stressors). It includes an awareness of self, others, and a defining of the situations; and it is the attainment of a proper perspective in one’s philosophy of life and goal setting.
Planning ahead and changing your mindset can help you avoid some of life’s daily hassles and alter your behavior, changing the way you react to those you can’t avoid.
In 2019, according to the American Institute of Stress’s recent report, 94% of American workers reported experiencing stress at their workplace. Feeling rushed is one of the major contributors to stress at work. Not having enough time to do the job right leads to not being able to take pride in what you do. Not having support from one’s superior is another commonly found stressor in the workplace. Time management, conflict resolution/management, awareness of self, and burnout management are some of the important skills in coping with work stress. More and more organizations are concerned about employees’ well-being and health issues. Since work stress affects employees’ health status, job performance, and job satisfaction, an understanding of the nature of work stress and means to intervene and manage it have been brought to the attention of leaders in the workplace.
Participants in stress management training programs frequently request a list of simple suggestions they can follow to reduce the stress in their personal lives and at work so they will be better able to cope with it. Unfortunately, there are no simple or universally effective solutions to the stress-related problems we experience. We are all unique, and what works well for some of us may be totally ineffective for others. We simply have to find the best way to adapt, cope, and manage stress in our daily lives (family, work, environment, global or local events, etc.). Too much stress is usually the result of a mismatch between your expectations (and commitment) and your environment. We can control stress, not the other way around. Stress is not something to be avoided. Stress is associated with every kind of work, but distress is not. People who undergo great stress yet stay healthy share certain personality characteristics. They have a sense of purpose, they feel in control of their lives, and view unexpected events as challenges rather than threats. They take charge of stress and do not let themselves be overwhelmed by stress. We can choose to create it or choose to reduce it. We can change our mindset and habits. There is no one best way to avoid stress. But you can live with stress and use it to your advantage, and come to appreciate it once you learn how to manage and cope with it.
Work stress refers to the emotional response to work-related events and situations. Again，we need to know the “joy of stress” and learn to dance with it. Stress is inevitable, especially in the work place. We need to acquire stress-reducing skills that suit us best. To assess and diagnose the stressors, we have encountered and then make the right choices to become resistant to them instead of vulnerable. Stressors at the workplace are found at the individual, group (team), and the organizational level. The purpose of this training session is to assist you to acquire a full understanding of the nature of stress and find the best ways to cope with, manage, control, and intervene when you encounter different facets of stressful experiences in the workplace.
The study of work stress and related interventions is an interdisciplinary inquiry that includes psychology, social psychology, medicine, organization development, sociology, etc.
The sociology of stress emphasizes the social–cultural–structural component of an organization and its link and impact to individuals’ work experience (Aneshensel, 1992; Pearlin, 1989, 1992; Thoits, 1995). The appraisal of and response to work-related events and situations, including work stress, are rooted in an individual’s perception of work and self, and therefore the meaning of work the individual upholds.
With megatrends (advancements in technology, increasingly aging population, medical science break-throughs, rapid urbanization, and the rise of the middle class in Asia, etc.) moving at an unpredictable speed, the very nature of work is changing. There are new challenges in the workplace which are triggering both new and old workplace stressors and strains affecting many workers and organizational leaders. Studies show a negative correlation between workers’ stress level and their health status and decline in productivity and work commitment. Therefore, learning how to manage and cope with work stress is crucial for the health of the individuals and the organization.
Upon completing this 3-hour session, participants will be able to:
This session (primarily designed for participants in China) is targeted for:
Kobasa, S. Maddi, S. B., & Kahn, S. (1982). Hardiness and health: A prospective study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(1), 168-177.
1. Define the Situation, Change the Situation and Lifestyle: Adopt New Mindset, Change
2. Time Management时间管理 (to increase productivity and efficiency) （活得更有生产力与效率）
3. Assertiveness and Trusting Yourself (自我肯定与培养自信心)
4. Managing the “New Normal” (适应“新常態”)
**References for this training session will be provided upon request.