The Professional’s Journal For Relieving Stress – The Quick-Seat Chair Stress Management Program Part : 10
By Khadi Madama Quick-Seat Chair Wellness Coordinator
At Quick-Seat Chair, sure, we’re focused on relieving the stress of folks who need a safe place to sit, but we also care about how our guests are feeling, especially on the fast-paced track at their jobs. We’re not new to the world of stress management, having designed this program with professionals in mind, particularly in the healthcare industry. I’ve found that if I keep a ‘professional journal’ at my desk, I can manage time better, work more efficiently, and have a little fun along the way, which adds to my productivity. At the end of the day, after filling in the last bits of important information and closing my journal, I can leave the desk and workday behind. I just feel better, and yes, less stressed, or maybe not even stressed at all.
All too often, friends and family will complain about the same stress that they encounter at the same workplace every night at dinner, during every phone conversation, over the weekend, and for years, while leaving the problem unsolved as if they are powerless to manage their stress. That’s what we’re trying to change. We can’t get you a new job or get rid of that pesky colleague or mean boss, but we can give you the tools to take care of yourself and close the book behind you when you leave so that your dinners, vacations, weekends, and health aren’t eroded by hazardous spillover from your job. We don’t want you living on a powder keg or in a toxic wasteland. We want you to be happy. We’re here to give you an easy, no moving parts, no batteries needed, stop-gap measure to make it better. And, to put you in the driver’s seat, head for better times during your work day.
Research conducted when creating our original stress management program revealed statistics that prove using a journal for even a few minutes a day clears the mind, making it more productive while relieving stress. Our journal is geared specifically toward the workplace for his purpose
The Professional’s Journal Provides a Place to:
Celebrate
It provides a place to celebrate your achievements and reach your goals, providing you with a light at the end of the tunnel. It allows you to be your cheerleader, which reduces resentment. Include any compliments you’ve received, pats on the back for a job well done, inspirational quotes, fun photos, and even doodles. And don’t forget the doodles. Doodling ribbon shapes reduce stress. And ’emoticons’ help accentuate your feelings, getting them out creatively and effectively.
Explore
“Journaling helps you get to know yourself better, which is the first step to connecting with other people, and releases stress, which can help you enjoy your life by encouraging you to realize all the benefits of your existence.” States Carolyn Koesters, a certified poetry therapist and journaler,
Journaling is a highly effective tool for organizing all of the parts of your work life that can become fragmented during high-pressure work times. Use the ‘Explore’ section to jot down any conflicts you are dealing with so that you can see them in writing, and then try to find solutions to the problem. This practice gets the stress out of your head and into a place where solutions can be found.
Organize
Where are you feeling fragmented at the workplace? Try to work out ideas that may help you to work more efficiently, manage time better, rearrange your desk, and maybe even Feng Shui your workspace using imagery to uplift your thoughts.
Self-care
This is not mere paperwork. It is a management tool for creating needed space in a hectic, demanding work environment. It is a critical component of well-being and surviving those ever-higher mountains of stress. Use this section to keep reminders to breathe, close your eyes every hour for 2 minutes, and step out of the noise for 2 minutes. This is your go-to for checking in with yourself. If someone has treated you badly, write it here, and then write exactly what nice thing you’re going to do for yourself or what little treat you can get for yourself. Something healthy. Something uplifting. Here’s where you can write a weekly weekend plan for how you will spend your weekend time more enjoyably rather than taking your job with you. The idea is to create recreation and relief in healthy ways.
Get Set Up
Get a 4-tab notebook or 6×9” binder with tabs marked as we’ve suggested. Write one line in each section to get yourself started. Be creative. Have fun; that’s the key. And remember, at Quick-Seat Chair, we’re dedicated to your whole well-being and safety.
Quick-Seat Chair. Temporary Seating That Closes Itself