Stress: One size does not fit all
Do you ever feel like your stress is managing you rather than the other way around?
Get ready to flip the script with our returning guest, the brilliant Dr Hayley Lewis. A seasoned occupational psychologist and a stand-out figure in the field of coaching psychology, Hayley is unafraid to guard her energy and time fiercely.
Her approach for stress management? A firm but necessary ‘no’ when it matters most.
Listen to the podcast here
Hayley’s sketch note ‘10 Ways to Deal with Stress’ was the catalyst for inviting Hayley back on to the Get Amplified podcast. We would love you to join us on this episode Stress: One size does not fit all to understand how we can bring about monumental shifts in our stress levels.
The episode explores various topics, including:
- stress management strategies
- challenges of hybrid work
- importance of leadership and wellbeing
We’ll explore the challenges and shifts in the hybrid work model, specifically focusing on the pressures faced by middle managers. With the pandemic-induced blending of home and work environments, organizations are grappling with differing opinions on effective work methods.
Not all stress is bad
Discussing the concept of stress is a useful place to start. Hayley emphasizes that not all stress is bad and introduces the concept of “Eustress,” which refers to positive stress that can be beneficial for performance. She highlights the importance of recognizing individual differences in how stress is experienced and managed.
There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to dealing with stress. We need to understand the root causes.
If you’re working with a team with high sickness absence and a lot of that is based on stress look at the team level and individual level – put in place mechanisms and solutions that deal with the root cause rather than off the shelf ‘one size fits all.”
Hayley shares her personal approach to stress management, which involves setting boundaries and protecting her time and energy.
Circle of Control
Hayley’s career covers coaching, consulting and teaching, wearing many different hats! We are reminded about the Circle of Control from the ‘7 Habits of highly effective people’ by Stephen Covey. This is a great reminder of where we should spend our energy.
Hayley tells us,
Everything is a choice. I wear lots of hats but nobody is forcing me to do them. I’m ruthless with my diary and I’m unapologetic. I protect my time.”
As the conversation moves on the team dive into the realms of leadership and wellbeing. With the blending of home and work environments due to the pandemic, organizations are grappling with differing opinions on effective work methods.
Job Demands Resources Model
Hayley references the Job Demands-Resources Model – a tool that helps teams balance their roles’ demands with resources. This practical four-box framework balances the needs of the customer, the organization, and the people.
The framework encourages curiosity, evidence-based decision-making, and context-awareness to determine the best approach in the new era of hybrid work.
This is a tool that helps teams reflect on the demands of their roles and identify resources that can offset those demands. This model promotes a balance between work demands and available resources, contributing to better wellbeing and performance.
The importance of knowledge management
We learn about a fascinating study on leadership behaviours that foster efficient knowledge management within organizations, providing valuable insights for leaders seeking to enhance team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Hayley has shared two blogs with us that you might find useful on this subject:
- Blog summarising Joanna Paliszkiewicz et al’s research into the link between leadership, trust and performance: Effective leadership is the foundation for great performance – but what makes an effective leader? (halopsychology.com)
- Blog summarising research into knowledge management The two factors that might help increase knowledge sharing in your organisation (halopsychology.com)
Key takeaways
- Stress is nothing to feel ashamed of. Shows you are human.
- Reach out for help that feels safe to you. Might be a manager, coach, mentor, friend, colleague. ‘a problem shared is a problem halved. Get it out of your head.
- Look for the root causes. Don’t deal with the symptoms. That’s like sticking a plaster on a limb that fallen off. Put in interventions that deal with that.
Thank you for reading this and hope you got some nuggets from this conversation.
Tune in to this episode and we’ll navigate the labyrinth of stress, hybrid work, and leadership together, with our guide, Dr Hayley Lewis.
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