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UNIPSYCH
The Bradman Network
Employee Assistance Program


Stress

Management

On the Go

T
hinking that you don’t have the time to effectively manage stress can itself increase your stress level. Learn to practice stress management on the go. Consider these stress-busting habits:

Make Decisions Earlier. Indecision and delays in making decisions are stressful. Think about some of the problems you face. Ask yourself what decisions you face right now that you are putting off. How much control will you have over these decisions if you continue to wait? The answer to this question should prompt you to make more effective decisions by making them sooner. In some cases, any decision might be better than no decision.

Slow Down, Strategize. Slowing down is easier said than done, but here are some good techniques. 1) Schedule private time in your appointment calendar. 2) Block off time to work on projects. 3) Make personal appointments after work, but soon after the end of your workday. This can help you work more efficiently, avoid distractions and leave on time. None of these techniques is foolproof, but they can work if practiced enough.

Practice the Art of Saying “No.”
Personal energy is a limited resource. Will this resource be sufficient for all that you have to do? The inability to give up something or say “no” can be an enormous personal burden. Sometimes consequences for saying ‘no’ are not what we imagine. When under stress, ask yourself, “Is there something I can give up or harmlessly say “no” to without negative effects on others or myself?”
 
Three Thieves

of Productivity
H
ave you been robbed by the three thieves of productivity—distraction, perfectionism and procrastination? If you are task and achievement oriented, you’ve struggled to keep these villains out of your life. Quick tips: 1) Spend a few moments when you get to work getting organized and creating a to-do list to reduce the risk of distraction. 2) Objectively ask yourself if that speech, project or report is ready to go now. Trying to make it even more perfect may not make it any better 3) Always waiting for tomorrow? Learn how to produce a sense of urgency to ward off procrastination so you can act and avoid delays. Do it by focusing on the consequences of not completing a task and the rewards of getting it done.
 

Don’t Let

Rumors Rule
H
armful rumors and gossip about fellow workers are always going to be a possibility in the workplace, particularly in large work organizations. But you can help shorten their life span with these three interventions:  1) Squelch It: Discount the rumor by refusing to listen to it; 2) Suppress It: Supply correct information to end it fast; and 3) Body Block It: Refuse to let it get past you and take on more life. Do not pass it on to others. Of course, the best prevention is personal self-control so rumors and   gossip don't start.