by
Charles Pragnell
A
great deal has been written about `stress’ and its effect
on individuals and how they need help coping with the effects of
stress in their workplace and their daily lives. In fact in recent
years a small industry has grown to help, counsel and support workers
who are `under stress’ and the trainers to train the helpers.
I
offer the following little anecdotes in the hope that they may give
a little perspective and insight into how we define stress and cope
with it.
About
ten years ago I was speaking at an international conference in Wakefield
about stress in residential social work and the levels of stress
that workers had to cope with. The group consisted of about 20 people
from such countries as Holland, Belgium, Israel, America, Poland,
Russia, Denmark and a few other countries. There were two interpreters
in the group to assist with the discussions and explain my offerings
to several members who did not speak English.
At
one point in my presentation, I asked each member of the group,
“What would you say is your most stressful moment in your
work?” A variety of answers were given as we moved around
the group until finally we came to an elderly lady from Poland,
named Christina. Christina did not have to think for long before
saying through an interpreter, “I run a children’s home
in Gdansk where we look after 200 children who are mainly orphans.
We have no financial support from the state or from religious organizations
and rely only on the generosity of the citizens of Gdansk. However,
my most stressful time is on those mornings when the other worker
rings in to say she is ill and cannot come to work that day.”
A
few months later I was watching a television programme where the
reporter was asking people from all walks of life in England, what
caused them most worry and stress in their lives. The people she
spoke to gave a variety of answers, including the usual ones of
family income, children, difficulties in relationships, the government
etc. Finally, the reporter spoke to an elderly lady living in a
quiet and picturesque part of Devon and asked what caused her the
greatest worry.
“What
do I worry about most?” mused the elderly lady for a few moments,
“Ah yes,” she said, “the daffodils are late this
year!”
