Change can be difficult. Unplanned life changes, such as death of a loved one, divorce and illness, are definitely a challenge to deal with. However, even planned life changes (yes, even those happy changes we want to happen) can cause stress. The proper planning before the change happens and then working with the right people after the change takes place is the key to managing the stress that comes with change. Here are a few common life changes and how they can best be dealt with to reduce stress and make as smooth a transition as possible.
Job Changes
Job changes can often be a positive life change, but they can certainly cause stress. Even if you are leaving a job that you did not like or that was not meeting your career path goals, being without a job or knowing that you will be leaving the known for the unknown can be difficult. One of the best ways to minimize the stress and help increase your chances of finding the best fit is to work with a staffing company. “Staffing services benefit employees for various reasons,” states Darrin Green with Oasis Staffing. “Some candidates want the flexibility of finding the right employment fit and trying various types of positions to see what’s out there before they make the commitment is the best way to do that. In other cases, it allows them a foot in the door to an employer they may not be able to get into on their own.”
Of course, choosing the best staffing company is a very important part of this decision. “There are a myriad of staffing companies in Omaha,” Darrin explains. “As with any product you purchase, the key is to do your research. What are you looking for from a vendor or even your next employer? Meet with several companies to determine what each has to offer and how their initiatives align with those of your own business/employment needs. Some specialize in industry specific niches and others, like Oasis, have the ability to mirror their process to match those of the clients.”
“2011 has been a year of new growth and opportunity,” concludes Green. “Due to the economic situations we have been facing over the last couple of years however, we are seeing diverse needs in regards to the types of services our clients are requiring. This has made it imperative for a successful staffing service to offer flexibility and out of the box problem solving to be able to partner effectively and to assist our clients in reaching their internal objectives.”
Aging Parents
Aging parents can certainly take a toll on your life. Even if they are able to remain at home and are relatively healthy and active, many people find that they still worry about their parents and try to visit or call as often as possible for both companionship and to help them out with errands, emergencies or just day-to-day living tasks. This stress is compounded if your parents are not healthy and active or if they don’t live nearby.
“As seniors age and/or as their health and physical ability declines, very often individuals or their families have to make a decision to stay in their home or move to a community where added devices are available to help them remain safe and have a quality lifestyle,” explain Rick Magill, owner of Comfort Keepers. “Comfort Keepers offers various levels of care and assistance from the very basic companionship service (light housekeeping, meal preparation and running errands) to around-the-clock personal care (provided by trained Certified Nursing Assistants). Having the correct level of care available for the elderly or disabled brings them comfort and helps assure their safety wherever home is. Our agency provides a list of 20 questions that those seeking any type of in-home care can ask agencies before signing an agreement with them. Screening care providers is one of the best ways to protect and keep our elderly and disabled population safe.”
When we try to take care of our parents by ourselves, we often find that it negatively impacts the rest of our lives. We become stressed, we worry an excessive amount about their health and safety, and we never feel like we’re doing enough. This can affect career, time with family, and even our health. Working with professionals who can be a support for your aging parents not only takes the stress off your shoulders, but also ensure they are getting the proper care that you simply have not been trained to give them.
Aging is a natural step and planning for the care of your loved ones is one way to alleviate the stress that can often times come with this change.
The Importance of a Support System
No matter what type of change you are going through in your life, having a good support system is one of the very best ways you can ensure that you will weather the change (good or bad) with a minimum of stress. Of course, the major parts of your support system should be your family and friends. Cultivating the relationship you have with your spouse, children, friends and other members of your family is something we all need to work on every day. With the busy lifestyles that most of us lead, putting time into our relationships is unfortunately often times pushed to the background, then when the time comes when we need their support the most, we find that our relationships are not as strong as we want them to be.
We could all use some help strengthening our relationships. Becoming a member of the site www.FinishLifeWell.com can be that help that we need. Started by Doug Fitzgerald, a quickly emerging and highly sought after motivational, instructional and life-changing speaker, Finish Life Well helps members with all parts of their life, including relationships, finances, career and more. Members receive video training sessions, monthly ‘to do’ lists, a monthly challenge, monthly resources and resource suggestions and more.
Life is full of change. Some of it is welcome, while some of it comes out the blue and we need to do what we can to recover and get back to life as normal as soon as possible. Regardless of the type of change, it has the potential to be stressful and to impact all parts of our lives. Preparing for change as best as we can, working with the right professionals to help us through the change and developing our support network so they are there for us when we need them the most is the key to managing change and turning it into a positive factor in our lives.