Stress -or- Anxiety: Identifying and Coping

In today’s demanding work environment, experiencing pressure is common, but when does it cross the line into stress or anxiety that impacts your wellbeing and performance? This virtual course, “Stress -or- Anxiety: Identifying and Coping,” part of NAMI Maine’s “The Way Work Should Be” initiative, is designed to empower employees at all levels to understand the critical differences and connections between stress and anxiety. Participants will gain valuable insights into recognizing the signs and symptoms of both in themselves and their colleagues. Through engaging video lessons, practical written materials, and interactive short quizzes, this course provides effective coping strategies and resilience-building techniques to foster a healthier and more productive work life. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate, acknowledging their commitment to workplace mental wellness. Join us in creating a more supportive and understanding work environment where every individual has the tools to thrive.

Focus Topics:

• Understanding the Landscape: Defining stress and anxiety, exploring the body’s response (fight-flight-freeze), and identifying common workplace stressors.
• Recognizing the Signs: Learning to identify the physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms of stress and anxiety in oneself and others.
• The Stress-Anxiety Spectrum: Differentiating between healthy pressure, manageable stress, chronic stress, and anxiety disorders. Understanding when to seek professional help.
• Practical Coping Mechanisms: Introducing a toolkit of evidence-based strategies, including mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, time management skills, and healthy habit formation (sleep, nutrition, exercise).
• Building Resilience: Developing long-term strategies for managing workplace pressures, setting healthy boundaries, and fostering a positive mindset.
• Creating a Supportive Workplace: Understanding the role of communication, empathy, and peer support in fostering a mentally healthy work environment. Identifying and utilizing available workplace resources.
• NAMI Maine’s “The Way Work Should Be”: Understanding the initiative’s goals for creating stigma-free, mentally healthy workplaces and how this course contributes to that vision.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is beneficial for individuals across all career fields and organizational levels. It is particularly helpful for those in:

• High-Pressure Roles: Healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, paramedics), emergency responders (police, firefighters), customer service representatives, project managers, sales professionals, and executives.
• Management and Leadership Positions: Supervisors, team leads, HR professionals, and managers of all departments who are responsible for employee wellbeing and team dynamics.
• Education Sector: Teachers, administrators, and support staff dealing with demanding environments and student needs.
• Social Work and Counseling: Professionals who regularly support others facing stress and trauma.
• Remote and Hybrid Roles: Individuals navigating the unique stressors of distributed work environments, including isolation and work-life balance challenges.
• Creative and Tech Industries: Professionals in fields often characterized by tight deadlines and high expectations.
• Any employee seeking to improve their own mental wellbeing and contribute to a more supportive workplace culture.