Note: The following is a set of discussion questions posed by my professor and my responses during my course work a month or two ago.
How well do you manage stress in the workplace?
It is my belief I handle stress well, but not as well as initially thought. Based on the self-assessment and reflection within this course, I do believe my reaction to stress, although not fearful or shrinking in nature, is over-reactive and off-putting. Often, I become stern and controlling during stressful situations, which during certain circumstances, may be appropriate, but in other instances can lead to more stress for those around me.
Are there times when stress from other areas of your life affects your performance and relationships at work?
I want to think it does not, but that would be not very smart of me. I often find myself thinking of personal stresses while working, so I know it has an impact. I do recognize the fact my frustrations from work follow me home, and since I work from home regularly, it doesn’t have to follow me very far.
Do you bring stress home from the workplace that affects the quality of your family life?
Yes. I work from home frequently, even before COVID-19. It seems to me sometimes these areas of my life overlap too much, and the stress from one impacting the other seems compounded.
What are some positive steps you can take or advise others to take to manage the stress in your life and work?
I still need to work through this challenge myself, but I find some moments of alone time and meditation moving from “work mode” to “home mode” seem to help.
