Home / Resources / Newsletter 67 – October/November 2012

Newsletter 67 – October/November 2012

Welcome to the Autumn edition of In Equilibrium

At least the fact that we haven’t been spoiled by endless hot, sultry summer days (well at home anyway) means that our transition into the winter months will be a little easier … if we’d been wearing nothing but light summery clothes, the addition of some woollies may have been a stark reminder that summer’s ended. So the fact that we’ve been dipping into our winter wardrobes during June, July and August means that these chilly mornings aren’t as much of a shock to our systems.  Just proof that if you look hard enough, there’s a positive in every negative!

Hopefully, you won’t find too many negatives in our latest edition which:

  • Introduces our newest consultant
  • Includes an enlightening stress tip
  • Provides an expert answer to a challenging problem
  • Gives the link to a free stress management tool
  • Opens our eyes to who is happier doing what in the world of household chores and why that might be

 

In Equilibrium News

New Consultant – we are delighted to welcome Elizabeth Ann Morris who has recently joined us as a consultant; her training has been very well received by the clients she has so far visited. Elizabeth Ann specialises in training on interpersonal skills and her profile can be viewed on our website or by following the above link

Website Update – you may remember that we mentioned in our last issue that we were in the middle of designing our new website.  Well, the update is that it is coming along nicely and, although slightly later than we’d originally planned, will be launched later this autumn.

Workbook Text Size – we were recently asked if we could provide a copy of our workbook in a larger text size for a delegate who was visually impaired.  We thought the newsletter would be a good place to mention that this is no problem whatsoever, please let us know your requirements when you are discussing your specific course arrangements.

Stress Management Tip

Why the lyric “Smile, though your heart is aching” may be good advice.

Read our stress tip here

Ask The Expert

We answer a question from a reader who wants to keep their team’s productivity high but has asked for some advice about how to reduce the stress the team member’s have complained about feeling at work.

Question

“I manage a young and energetic team of thirty.  During the last year I’ve received more and more complaints from them regarding work stress.  We’ve discussed some of the issues at team meetings.  Can you suggest some practical tips which would help keep my team’s productivity up but make their work lives less stressful?”

Answer

In Equilibrium consultant, Dr George Madine, indicates the range of factors which have to be considered when looking at such a challenging scenario. Read his answer here

If you found George’s answer helpful, you may be interested in the following course: Stress Management Training for Managers

Dr George Madine’s profile can be viewed here

Amanda’s Column

Amanda finds that inspiration can be found when you least expect it

Read Amanda’s column here

Resources

Online Tool for Line Managers
A free stress management tool has been developed by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).  The tool has been designed to help managers understand how their behaviour affects the people they manage and includes material to help them become better managers whose style reduces the stress of those they manage, rather than adding to it.

What Works For You
A new booklet from the Mental Health Foundation entitled “What works for you” is available to download from their website.  It has been produced to help both managers and staff support colleagues who are going through a difficult time or who have a mental health problem.

Quotations

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”
Confucius
Chinese Teacher, Philosopher, Editor and Politician (551 – 479BCE)

“I’ve had a few arguments with people, but I never carry a grudge.  You know why?  While you’re carrying a grudge, they’re out dancing.”
Buddy Hackett
American Comedian (1924 – 2003)

News from the Outside

Public Sector Managers “overworked and stressed”
The Chartered Management Institute surveyed over 1300 managers from all sectors of the economy and compared their findings with a similar survey carried out in 2007.  The decline in manager’s well-being over the five year period was described as “staggering”.

Employees working three weeks overtime, by reading emails at home
A recent survey has illustrated that the UK’s changing work environment is blurring the line between people’s work and personal lives.  With only 15% of people now carrying separate phones for the different areas of their lives, more and more people have access to work emails 24 hours a day – with worrying consequences.

Your personality and stress level could be setting you up for a stroke
A Spanish study has looked into the relationship between stress, personality type and stroke risk.  The preliminary findings suggest it may be worth identifying stress triggers and how they could be avoided as well as considering how to control your reaction to events which cause you to become stressed or angry.

… and finally …

Guys, be happy! Do the housework. Really.
As part of their research for a new book, two Cambridge University researchers conducted a study which looked into how the household chores are divided up within families and the effect of that division on the well-being and stress of the individual parents.  Both the results and interpretation of the results by the authors make unexpected, yet enlightening reading.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter.  We are always delighted to hear from our readers, so if you would like to share your comments or suggestions with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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