February 08 Issue - Employee Monthly Magazine

Spotlight

Balance and resilience combat stress

Tom Locke, team leader for Psychology and the Employee Assistance Program, asks employees to appreciate the notion that how we give meaning to an event determines our level of stress, often more than the event itself. Photo by Dixon Wolf

Think about what is most important to you, suggests Tom Locke, team leader for Psychology and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). If it’s your health, behave in ways that maximize that. If it's your family and friends, pay attention to and nurture those relationships.

"Commitment to who you are as a worker is important, and that needs to be balanced with other aspects of your life. That balance makes you a better worker, I think," said Locke.

A former staff psychologist and consulting psychologist for a maximum security prison treatment program, Locke joined the Laboratory in 1997. He supervises psychological services delivered in the Fitness for Duty and Human Reliability programs and oversees EAP activities.

The recent announcement that no involuntary separations would be needed led Locke to believe he heard the Laboaratory workforce and community "breathe a sigh of relief." But, he said, there continues to be unsettledness about the stability of funding and positions.

"We need to focus on that over which we have control—self care, attention to our family and friends, being as productive as we can in all that we do, working safely and securely," he explained. "We need to be prudent about possible changes coming our way without obsessing about negative events that might never occur."

In the face of stress, he added, we can and must take responsibility for increasing our resiliency, and stress-management efforts should be a part of our daily routine.

"I am talking about sleeping well, eating 'reasonably,' exercising, spending time with family and friends, and finding time for yourself daily to have some fun and relax," Locke said.

Locke's personal de-stressors are spending time with his wife and children, enjoying friends, exercising, reading, meditating, and remembering that he does not have all the answers.

"Each of us is responsible for addressing our personal stressors without expecting others to change for our benefit," he said.

Occupational Medicine, the EAP, and the Wellness Center offer support. By taking advantage of these resources, said Locke, "you build your resilience and are better prepared to face the next challenge."

-Mig Owens