Fostering Wellbeing in a Changing Workplace
The workplace is constantly changing. Being self-aware and reflective of the changes that are happening internally can support your wellbeing as you process change.
This workshop explores tools for cultivating personal wellbeing that are focused on self-care and reflection. Leaders can gain insights on understanding their own needs, stressors and boundaries, and be empowered with tools to adapt and grow in the face of a changing hybrid environment.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and burnout
Determine what stage you identify with in order to engage in self-care practices and find the support you need.
- Honeymoon phase: Predictable stress, positive coping strategies
- Onset of stress: More difficult days, optimism waning
- Chronic stress: Frequent stress, more intense symptoms
- Burnout: Hard to carry on, increasingly difficult to cope
- Habitual burnout: Significant ongoing mental, emotional, physical problems, symptoms imbedded
Be particularly vigilant about the new kinds of stresses we may experience within a hybrid work environment as boundaries between work and home life can become blurred.
Understand your reactions during change
Morale and confidence will naturally rise and fall as you move through the change curve. How you move through that curve is non-linear and is experienced differently by everyone. Acknowledge where you are on the change curve to help normalize what you are experiencing.
When you experience changes in your external environment, your internal sense of safety can be compromised. The fight-flight-freeze stress response system in your brain gets activated in order to instinctively act in accordance with what feels safe for your sense of survival in the moment. The challenge with the survival instinct is that it can operate from old memories that are stored in your brain and experienced in your body through your felt senses. How you process your stress responses have an impact on your wellbeing and your ability to flow through the natural course of change.
- Stage 1: Shock – Surprise or shock at the event
- Stage 2: Denial – Disbelief; looking for evidence that it isn’t true
- Stage 3: Frustration – Recognition that things are different; sometimes angry
- Stage 4: Depression – Low mood; lack in energy
- Stage 5: Experiment – Initial engagement with a new situation
- Stage 6: Decision – Learning how to work in the new situation; feeling more positive
- Stage 7: Integration – Changes integrated; a renewed individual
The following reflection questions can help you become more aware of and process your stress responses:
- What event happened that triggered your fight-flight-freeze response system?
- What was the story you were telling yourself about the event that happened? How did that story leave you feeling?
- How do you know you were triggered? What happened in your body? What did you feel?
- Was your system able to complete the response of fight or flight and feel safe?
- If your system stayed in the freeze response, how were you able to complete the response to feel safe again? What tools and techniques did you use to release the stress from your system?
- How can you create a safe environment for someone who might be triggered in your presence now that you are aware of the fight-flight-freeze response?