December 22, 2006
Did you know...?
The holiday season for most people is an exciting time of year filled with parties, celebrations and social gatherings with family and friends. However, for many people it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety. And for some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands - coworkers and friends can be stressed out, your children might need extra care because they're off school, you might feel obligated to attend holiday parties (work-related or not) and your workload might increase because so many colleagues either take vacations or call in sick with the holiday shopping flu. So much for peace and joy, right?
Coping with holiday-related stress and depression at the workplace is a challenge for employers. Pressure is part of work and helps to keep us motivated. But excessive pressure/stress can undermine performance, be costly to employers and can make people ill. Holiday stress compounds the normal work day stress and can impact not only the affected employee but everyone around them. That may explain why two-thirds of full-time workers nationwide say they have experienced workplace stress around the holidays, according to a recent random sampling of 600 full-time workers for Accenture HR Services. Nearly one- quarter of the workers surveyed said they have taken at least one day off in the past because of holiday stress.
As for the major causes of holiday stress, 54 percent of people surveyed cited finding the time to shop for gifts, while 41 percent mentioned keeping up with day-to-day work responsibilities. Other factors include spending time with family and friends (35 percent); balancing a manager's expectations against the employee's needs (28 percent); and preparing for household guests (26 percent).
Employers can ease their workers’ holiday-induced pain. The Accenture survey confirms that: 54 percent of the 600 workers in the poll say flexible hours would help alleviate holiday stress. Specifically:
- 44 percent say managers should be sensitive to workers’ work/life balance.
- 37 percent want to be allowed to take vacation days or unpaid time off during the holidays.
- 34 percent would appreciate the boss’s understanding when it comes to their personal commitments.
- 27 percent would like the company to organize holiday activities for employees.
- 26 percent want to telecommute, at least once in a while, until the Christmas rush passes.
When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Employees can take steps to help prevent normal holiday depression from progressing into chronic depression.
§ Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But understand in some cases that may no longer be possible.
§ Set differences aside. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress too.
§ Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget.
§ Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. Allow extra time for travel so that delays won't worsen your stress.
§ Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain projects or activities. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
§ Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.
§ Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do.
§ Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. Expect and accept imperfections.
§ Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression.
Remember, one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that the holidays can trigger stress and depression. Accept that things aren't always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays more than you thought you could!
OHS-COMPCARE would like to wish you and your family a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!
To learn more about OHS-COMPCARE contact our Client Services Team at (816) 561-2105 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
OHS-COMPCARE has eight (8) area clinical facilities:
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Blue Springs Clinical Facility |
Independence Clinical Facility |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
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801 NW St. Mary’s Drive |
17020 East 40 Highway |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
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Blue Springs, MO 64104 |
Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
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816-224-9121 |
816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
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* Extended Hours* |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
816-761-4664 |