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Avoiding stress is a buzzworthy topic with thousands of health experts, influencers, and self-proclaimed gurus all weighing in. But what if stress isn't necessarily a bad thing? In this episode, Jacob Moore hosts a conversation with mental health veteran and acclaimed author Mike Bushman, who believes that stress in the proper amount is healthy and even useful.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why the right amount of stress is necessary in the workplace
How best to understand the needs of both individuals and culture
Practical techniques for promoting employee mental health
By properly managing your workplace's stress environment, you can fuel productivity and keep employee morale high. This is Part 1 of a 3 part series.
Mike Bushman is a writer, speaker and trainer focused on mental health and suicide prevention. Mike serves as a board member with the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a volunteer with NoStigmas and as a Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
Mike is the author of books Pain to Purpose: Teaching Teens to Lead, Foster and Engage the JKB Way and Suicide Escape that dive into the complexities of mental health.
Mike created an evidence-based, vetted workplace mental health training program built on research, personal mental health experiences and years of managing individuals with various mental health challenges. He facilitated research groups on disclosure considerations for suicide attempt survivors for the National Consortium on Stigma and Empowerment. In addition to Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid, Mike regularly conducts More Than Sad, Talk Saves Lives and other training programs on behalf of AFSP and has extensively shared his personal story of recovery and hope.
"Imagine an employee who can't problem solve, can't regulate their emotions, can't find their memory. Is that going to be an ideal employee? Clearly not. So we have to understand how stress works in order to manage it appropriately." - Mike Bushman
TIMESTAMPS
[04:40] - RISE, AIM, SOAR meaning
[07:30] - Mike's story of burnout
[09:50] - The importance of employer feedback
[11:50] - The unsustainability of the workaholic mindset
[14:00] - High employee morale and good business performance go hand in hand
[17:20] - The role of performance management
[18:55] - Mike's promotion disaster story
[21:45] - Mike's experience on both sides of the playing field
[24:00] - Including stress-management training in corporate activities
CONNECT WITH MIKE BUSHMAN
CONNECT WITH JACOB
Learn More: 5 Bridges to Wellness and NoStigmas
About Jacob Moore: Jacob Moore is the creator of 5 Bridges to Wellness and the founder of NoStigmas mental health support community. As an empowered childhood suicide loss survivor, Jacob writes and speaks internationally about trauma, holistic wellness design and thriving despite mental illness. In addition to being an avid user of both nature and dog therapy, Jacob practices meditation, yoga and martial arts to support his mental wellness. He splits his time between Chicago and the open road.