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| Okay. So its hard to find a photo of "stress" in the workplace, mostly because if someone is stressed they're likely to get even more so if you take a photo of them feeling their worst. Instead I've chosen to showcase these awesome cupcakes, brought to us from My Little Cupcake, because they are a stress antidote (for vets, not their patients). |
In working on a project with colleagues Susan Mathew
(Sydney University) and Jenny Moffett (Ross University) I came across an
excellent article by David Bartram and Diana Gardner on coping with stress
aimed at veterinarians.
They made the observation that veterinary surgeons are
trained to problem solve, which serves them well in practice. BUT…we also may
try to solve problems “beyond the point at which this is possible.”
Furthermore, we don’t always appraise stressful situations appropriately. I
know myself that I experience stress as a somewhat nebulous entity, often
failing to slow down and work out systematically what I am specifically
stressed about.
The article provides a framework for appropriately
assessing stressful situations.
Coping strategies can be characterized as
problem-focused (approaches aimed at addressing the problem causing stress) or emotion-focused
(changing the way we feel about a situation, or regulating the feelings that
arise from stress such as anxiety). Its a nice way of explaining ye olde advice: give me strength to change the things I can, and accept those that I can't.
People go wrong when they use problem-focused
strategies when a situation is unchangeable (for example, when an animal has
died despite our best efforts) or rely on emotion focused strategies when a situation
can be changed (an unfavourable performance review by an employer).
The problem is that, according to the authors,
“we may exhaust ourselves trying to change things we aren’t able to, while missing the opportunity to change those things we can.”
They give numerous examples of problem-focused
strategies that might be used, including:
- Create a plan of action
- Concentrate on the next step
- Seek advice from others
- Ask for help with or delegate tasks
- Spending time with pets
- Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime
- Seek emotional support
- Accept the situation
- Compare oneself to others who may be worse off
It’s a simple but incredibly helpful approach, because
most problems in practice involve both practical and emotional elements.
Their approach is to identify a specific stressor or
problem, for example, interpersonal conflict in the practice.
The aim is then to identify changeable aspects of the
problem, for example unclear job description or ambiguities about
responsibilities. Potential solutions are identified and listed, then
prioritized.
Unchangeable aspects of the situation are identified,
for example key personality traits of the persons involved, time and discomfort
in dealing with the matter.
Emotion-focused options are identified and listed, then
priortised. If that doesn't work, the cupcakes might!
How do you deal with stress in practice?
Reference
Bartram D and Gardner D (2008) Coping with stress. In Practice 30:228-231.
Other related articles:
Bartram D and Boniwell I (2007) The science of
happiness: achieving sustained psychological wellbeing. In Practice 29:478-482.
Bartram D and Turley G (2009) Managing the causes of
work related stress. In Practice 31:400-405
