STRESS MANAGEMENT
IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
By Faith Munyu
Psychologist
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WHAT IS STRESS ?
• Stress is our body’s physical and emotional reaction to demand or
threat.
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TYPES OF STRESS
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IS STRESS GOOD OR BAD?
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RECOGNIZING STRESS
CHANGE VERSUS TRANSITION
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CHANGE VERSUS TRANSITION
TRANSITIONS
• Transition is psychological.
• It is the process people must go through to come to terms with
a new situation. It requires letting go of something, grieving in
some way, experiencing feelings of loss and processing those
effectively in order to move forward.
• This requires time and, since it is experienced internally, it may
be invisible or hard to observe in others.
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TRANSITIONS
• The work of Endings is letting go of the way things have been, including
acknowledging what will end and what will be retained in the new.
• The work of the Neutral Zone is finding clarity amid confusion. This is the
space between the old familiar way and the future state. It is filled with both
danger and opportunity.
• The work of Beginnings is managing the ambiguity of starting something
new. It requires understanding why the old way had to change, having a
picture in mind of the future state, a plan for getting there, and a role in the
new state.
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STAGES OF TRANSITION
3 KEY TASKS OF PROCESSING CHANGE
• Task I: To Accept the Reality
• What impedes this stage- Denying the facts of the reality
– Denying the meaning of the events.
– Denying that some changes are irreversible.
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3 KEY TASKS OF PROCESSING CHANGE
• Task II: To Process the Pain of Grief
– People can short-circuit task II in any number of ways,
– Cut off their feelings and by avoid painful thoughts.
– Stimulating only pleasant thoughts,
– Avoidance by using alcohol or drugs
– Finding a geographic cure
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3 KEY TASKS OF PROCESSING CHANGE
• Task III: To Adjust to a world without the norm. Three areas of
adjustments
– External adjustments -how the change affects one’s
everyday functioning in the world
– Internal adjustments, - how the change affects one’s sense
of self; self-esteem, and sense of self-efficacy, “who am I?”
– Spiritual adjustments,- how the change affects one’s beliefs,
values, and assumptions about the world.
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SURVIVOR SYNDROME
• Survivor Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where a
person feels intense guilt or self-blame after surviving a
distressing event while others did not.
Application in the workplace
• Employees can experience it when they survive change
management. It can increase anxiety, depression, and other
mental health conditions.
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SURVIVOR SYNDROME
• Effects may include impaired productivity, damaged social
networks, diminished social support, lack of organizational
commitment, negative attitudes, and elevated work-life
balance conflicts.
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FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
(4A’s)
• Avoid unnecessary stress
• Accept the things you can’t change
• Adapt to the stressor
• Alter the situation/self
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HOW TO SURVIVE CHANGES
1. Share your feedback- Clarify any distressing thoughts. These check-
ins and feedback can help rebuild psychological safety and trust.
2. Show that you care for each person- Validate each other’s feelings
and experiences. Create safe places where those feelings can be shared,
too.
3. Enlist support from mental health professionals -Work with
employee assistance program (EAP) providers to host support group
meetings as well as individual therapy sessions.
4. Invest in building mental fitness -Building mental fitness and self
care strategies.
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SELF CARE
OUR PARTNERS
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