Workplace Wellness

Workplace WellnessPresented by Sharon KuehnWellness Recovery EducatorsContra Costa County Office for Consumer EmpowermentSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Setting Yourself Up for Success►Considerations in creating or choosing your “right place” to workScheduling Structure and FlexibilityPressure LevelPrivate SpaceOpen-Minded and Understanding EmployersOpportunity for CreativitySharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Envision your Ideal Work SettingImagine Your Dream Career…►What are the interests, talents and abilities you want to use in your career?►How will this career meet your needs in terms of scheduling, low stress, understanding employers and/or creativity?►Which criteria will be difficult to meet?Sharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Create...►What will your first stepin creative job development look like?►Identify some immediate goalssuch as researching education/training or arranging an informationalinterview.Sharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Self-Advocacy at Work►DisclosureDecisions:Calculate the risks and benefitsAre there other employees in this setting who have disclosed disabilities?Is your employer generally supportive and open?Do you have allies at work who will stand by you?►If not, disclosure is a matter of personal preference►If so, when will you disclose?Disclose beforeyou are in need of immediate help!►Would workplace reasonable accommodations help you to succeed?Sharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Positive Stress calls forProactive Self-Care: WRAP for Work►YOU are your own best friend: take care of yourself as if your life depends on it►Know yourself and your needs before you step into the workplace►Know what kind of support you need and how to ask for it (You may want to practice self-advocacy skills with a friend)Sharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Write & Use a Personal Work and Wellness PlanWellness Recovery Action Planby Mary Ellen Copeland•Wellness Toolbox•Daily Maintenance Plan•Identifying Triggers & an Action Plan•Identifying Early Warning Signs & an Action Plan•Signs that Things Are Breaking Down & an Action Plan•Crisis Planning•Post Crisis PlanningSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Staying Healthy on the Job:Bring your Wellness ToolboxGet to bed by 10 PM on work nightsGet up at 7 AM on work daysMake myself a healthy lunch and snacksGet my clothes ready for work the night beforeSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003While You are on the Job…Relaxation and stress reduction techniques: deep breathingTake a 30 minute lunch break away from the officeTake a short walk during my 15 minute breaksTalk to my employer; arrange anyneeded reasonable accommodationsSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003De-Stressing: Leave Work at Work!►Create a ritual to help you transition into relaxation or personal time: go swimming, exercise, or take a shower and change clothes►Set limits around how much work you do at home and how long you talk about work during your free time►Schedule play-dates for yourself if you are becoming too busySharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003How I work when I am well…I get to work on timeI usually stay focusedI am able to work togetherwith my co-workersI can accept kind criticismI am flexible and easy to work with I am:►responsible►creative►can make good decisions based on common senseSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Daily Maintenance Plan for Work►Things I need to do every day to stay well when I am working:Get to bed at 10 pm and get up at 7 amEat a healthy breakfast and dinnerPack my lunch and lunch for the childrenSet out my clothes for work the night beforeTake a shower and dressDo at least two stress reduction exercises each daySharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Triggers at Work►List those things that if they happened at work or were in some way related to work might upset you or cause a setbackto your wellness.Having a disagreement with a co-workerMaking a big mistakeBeing corrected by your employerEquipment break-downsSexual harassmentBeing passed over for a promotionHaving too much to doTransportation problemsSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Triggers Action Plan►If I am triggered, depending on the trigger I might:Take a five minute break and do some deep breathingSpeak to co-workersArrange to have dinner with a supporterTake a day offContact my voc rehab counselorSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Early Warning SignsNot wanting to go to workDifficulty doing what I need to doInability to concentrateBeing lateAnxietyIrritabilityMessy work spaceCry easilyForgetting thingsLosing thingsSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Warning Signs Action Plan►If I notice several of these early warning signs I will do the following:Take a personal day and do something or several things I really enjoySpend time doing only relaxing or fun things in the eveningTalk to a supporter each dayAsk for help with specific tasksTemporarily shorten my work hoursNegotiate job changes Sharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003When Things Are Breaking Down►The following signs will let me know that I am feeling much worse:Feel like I am dragging myself to workFighting with my co-workersUnable to stay focused on my work for more than a few minutesVery irritableMaking many mistakesFeeling very anxiousUnable to pay attention when others are talking to meSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Breaking Down Action Plan►If I notice several signs that things have gotten much worse I mustdo all of the following:Discuss my situation with my employerArrange to take at least three days offTalk to my care provider or therapistSpend at least two hours each day doing things I enjoyConsider making some job changes—take action if appropriateIf necessary, contact my state agency of protection and advocacySharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Timetable for resuming responsibilitiesThe Post-Crisis Plan can assist you to gradually resume your previous level of responsibility(you may need to revise this plan as you proceed):►Responsibility:Going back to work►Who has been doing this for me: My co-workers have taken over my data entry work and Susan took responsibility for my classes►While I am resuming this responsibility I need:To be sure I do everything on my Daily Maintenance PlanMy spouse to continuedoing my household choresFull time child careContinuedSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Plan for resuming work:Three days after I determine I am in the post crisis stage, I will go back to work for 2 hours a day for five daysFor one week go back to work half timeFor one week work 3/4 timeResume full work scheduleSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Take care of yourself first!►You deserve to feel good►Develop a concrete system for checking in with yourself►Stepping down occasionally to maintain your own health is a responsible and respectable practice ►Trust your instinctsSharon Kuehn©Wellness Recovery Educators 7/2003Contact InformationSharon KuehnWellness Recovery EducatorContra Costa County Office for Consumer Empowerment(925) 957-5143sharonkuehn@sbcglobal.net