Writing about my lifestyle from health and wellness to my education business
It is good to receive words from appreciative client’s regarding my decision to become a teacher. I was initially feeling all stressed up over my decision to become a teacher straight after University. Glad that decision paid off many years down the road. Wrote a Linkedin post to share the fruit of my labour.
Some of my friends ask me what I have for breakfast and I usually like to say that I take a low calorie intake protein shake. I decided to share a table on why this low calorie shake is considered a meal replacement shake. The nutrition value can be broken down into its constituent parts to make it a holistic vitamin infused breakfast that I have taken daily for months.
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This is the first week that dining in is allowed in Singapore after phase 2 heightened alert restrictions are lifted in Singapore. The country moved ahead with dine in allowed for 2 person. I took the opportunity to utilize the 2 for 1 deal through the e-commerce restaurant platform Eatigo to get a good deal for dinner.
I started a new certificate from Alison, my online learning school called “Safety in the Workplace“. After blogging about workplace mental health, I thought that it is timely to follow up with an understanding of safety in the workplace. The course mentions that homicide is the fourth leading cause of workplace fatalities in the context of the US. It is a risk that safety programmes need to address. I suppose that statistically that is enough to take safety in the workplace seriously in the Singapore workplace. After all, it is also part of mental health or well being issue that concerns the workforce in Singapore.
Workplace Violence (Module 5)
The module on Workplace Violence starts with a intention to let everyone know how to identify workplace violence and tackle it if it actually happens. It begins with what constitutes workplace violence, how to identify behaviors
What is workplace violence?
Workplace violence is any kind of of aggression. It is any physical or emotional threatening behavior. It is not just physical violence, emotional abuse also counts as workplace violence. Sabotage also counts as workplace violence. Violence typically also escalates at work where someone makes threatening jokes before resorting to physical violence. It is important to identify actions that are threatening and can become violent.
Identifying
There are different behaviors that indicate a person can resort to workplace violence. Employees, employers, vendors and customers are all capable of violence and companies are obligated to protect their employees from violent behaviors. Everyone in the workplace should be familiar with behaviors that indicate violence.
Indicators
Acting out before expressing anger: People expressing anger inappropriately and do not take personal responsibility.
Self-centred: People do not care how their actions affect those around
Extreme behavior: People do not act like themselves or people have poor social skills or obsessions’
Addressing
Before it escalates: It is essential that potentially violent behavior gets addressed before it escalates.
Document the behavior: Always document questionable behavior and discuss it with the employee
Address the behavior: Do not attack the individual person simply address how individual behavior affects work and ask how it is causing the changes. Remember that people have bad days and singular incidents are not necessarily an issue. You should however address continual or escalating problems. If you know of any personal challenges that the employee is facing, offer training, counselling or both. Monitor the behavior and if it does not improve, it is necessary for a problem employee to leave. Make security aware of any troubled employee that leaves an organization.
Implementing a Workplace Harassment Policy
A workplace harassment policy will help reduce workplace violence. A workplace harassment policy should reflect the legal definition of violence as well as the company values and ethics. Every organization needs to establish anti-harassment policies and procedures. Policies issue rules that all employees must follow and they establish who is responsible for reinforcing those rules. Policies make clear the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. There are four basic steps to create workplace harassment policy.
Identify Risk: Assess the risk in your organization
Create policy: Create policies based on the risk and laws
Approve policy: Review and approve a policy
Evaluate policy: Evaluate the effectiveness of a policy and make necessary changes
Once the policy is created, make sure employees are aware of them. Hold meetings and make employees sign the policy and will abide by. This makes them responsible for their behavior.
Workplace Violence (Module 7)
Workplace violence has been gaining media attention in recent years. It is the leading cause of workplace deaths for women. Recognizing the risk of workplace violence such as the stressors and triggers will help avoid unfortunate incidents. Workplace violence is not the worst case scenario, threats, harassment and intimidation are all considered acts of violence. The point is to reduce risk and take steps early.
Identify Stressors and Triggers
Most acts of workplace violence have preceding stressors. As stress builds sometimes an event can trigger an aggressive move to violent behavior. Stress is normal but not everyone handles stress well and some stressors are more damaging than others.
Potential stressors : Financial Strain, Family Difficulties and Illness
Stress source can lead to depression, withdrawal and distress. People perceive slights where they do not exist. Violence increase when employees begin to act with animosity. Other stress source includes an increase discussion of violence and unfounded accusation of persecution. If someone exhibit stressors and exhibit unusual behavior, be aware. Triggers can be anything but they can be closely tied to stressors.
Triggers
Job loss, changing relationship status, poor review, conflict with co-worker, overlooked for a promotion, substance abuse.
Substance abuse will cause serious problems at work. It increase the absenteeism, performance problem and accidents while decreasing performance. Additionally substance abuse is ranked as the third greatest cause of violence in the workplace.
According to the National Drug Free Alliance, companies need to have clear substance abuse policies and train employees to recognize the signs of substance abuse.
Signs of possible substance abuse
Impaired motor function, poor memory and mood changes.
Employee assistance programmes as well as referrals to community service programs can help people with substance abuse issues before they become problematic.
Report Policies
Early Signs
Incidents of workplace violence must be reported to prevent escalation. Every company should have no tolerance for workplace violence and clear reporting policies. Reporting must be done at several levels.
No.1 Report for Early Signs like disrespect or intimidation
Report to immediate supervisor or one level up for questionable employee
Document behavior
Supervisor meets with employee to address the behavior
No. 2 Escalation of Behavior
Threats, arguments, sabotage
Contact supervisor and emergency personnel
Supervisor attempts to deescalate if possible
No. 3 Emergency
Physical attacks, threats of suicide and weapons
Call the police, contact supervisor, evacuate area, work with officers
Document behaviors afterwards
Supervisor acts based on results of events
Training and Emergency Plans
Due to the possible threats of workplace violence, emergency plans must be in place.
Employees should be trained on how to respond
Plan should be tailor fit to the organization but a few ideas are useful to know.
Establish exit strategy ahead of time.
Employees decide to run, hide or fight.
Run – take exit route if you have time to avoid individual
Hide- take this option if you believe the individual is in the exit room
Fight – barricade the group and be ready to fight using anything available as a weapon
These are just a few basic strategies but it is important to let employees know they should keep their phone silent and wait for the police.
Source: Career Academy, Workplace Violence
Introduction
I just did a workplace mental health survey by a LinkedIn contact, Chad Yip who is doing a PHD research on workplace mental health. Having past work experiences in the Singapore workplace, it brings back memories of the past as the survey intends to ask questions about our wellbeing working with bosses, colleagues, meeting work goals in the various organizations. If I were to answer these questions 10, 5 and even 3 years ago my responses would possibly be vastly different from the present. I suppose I have taken the active step to prioritize my mental wellbeing by pivoting to a full time freelancing career and glad to say most responses towards work related questions on my mental health is positive.
Psychology Survey Wellbeing
I believe that some study of mental health in the workplace should be investigated as the project intends to assess mental wellbeing on a quantitative scale. According to the survey, “The development of a new Workplace Singapore Mental Wellbeing Scale will form a larger Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) project of testing a conceptual model in predicting employee’s outcomes at the Singapore Workplace. This will in turn inform future design and evaluate relevant interventions for employees to increase their mental wellbeing.“
Here is a link to the survey: https://surveys.usq.edu.au/index.php/193874?lang=en
Pivoting to tutoring
By moving into the freelancing world of tutoring or taking the full-time entrepreneurship path I can testify to how my mental health just improved by getting out of the one of the most stressful debilitating workplace environments.
Interestingly, another LinkedIn contact shared with my how he witnessed a fist fight among two ladies in power suits rolling on the floor, allowing me to have a glimpse of their provocative fist fight with thick black heels. It is a scene of utter mayhem and disgrace of two successful and well heeled females. If I were to stay on in such a corporate environment, I suppose I would like change to happen by a professional psychologist doing specialized study in a workplace mental health scale.
Life Experience of a Workplace Veteran
Here is a short “interview” with Mr L who witnessed a fist fight between two ladies in the workplace.
Mr L: Yeah. The fight had been giving me creeps. ” Till now the image of their floor roll body bundled mass still not deleted from my mind.
Me: This is a serious psychology trauma. Some go and take counselling.
Mr L: Yes, exactly. I never imagine two immaculately dressed females will fight like that.
To conclude, this is really compromising mental health of all at the workplace. The epitome of a trauma where workplace psychological intervention is needed. After all, bystanders who are internal colleagues may not be trained to handle just viewing or seeing such fights. I believe there is more to be done for those going onto the workplace where there is “mental” stress in and of itself being a bystander. Hopefully, such a survey can have applications to the real rough and tumble world. And workplace psychologist be a source of help so that people can find protection from seeing physical, social and emotional assassinated related stress?
Here is a link detailing a fight between two teachers and what actions were taken by the authorities.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/02/21/action-on-teachers-involved-in-catfight/
Read an interesting article on Channel News Asia on how a health coach can help you in areas that doctors cannot. After swimming today, I came across this article and am glad to know that my understanding of nutritional products and fitness complements going to visit the doctor.
After three weeks of Phase 2 Heightened Alert, I just saw the news at 6 p.m. today and realized that I have to carry on with online lessons till 21 June. I was already mentally prepared to pivot since May 20 when I started my first online Zoom class. Having gone through last year’s extension of the circuit breaker, intuitively I felt that an extension will happen again due to the anticipated cautious approach to safe reopening.
Recurring Extension
Since this is a recurring way to cope with current community cases, I am glad to be mentally prepared to stay on the digital realm. Although I do look forward to interacting with clients face to face, I am glad that I brushed up on my Zoom troubleshooting skills and took a course on “Guide to Zoom video conferencing”. This is so that I can be a natural whenever this anticipated announcement occurs.
Changes
Glad to attend an online course on Alison called How to pivot and thrive during the pandemic after realizing that one needs to pivot to new ways of doing things in the digital world to thrive whenever there are changes to the rules and regulations for businesses. I think I was resistant to make the first change during the first ever circuit breaker last year. This was when the restrictions on meeting physically first began. At first, I was caught in bind as I knew little about Zoom video conferencing and self-learning of new technologies. As a result, circuit breaker was tough as I preferred the conventional way of doing things over doing new things.
June 2021
Currently, June 2021 I am at home with Zoom and charting my own online learning path of studying new technologies through e-learning. For the past 3 weeks I am so used to being on Zoom with my laptop. The “anticipated” extension of one week did not faze me as I can still continue with adapting to my daily work from home routines by planning ahead. Ironically, as I got used to cyberspace, I do not like changing back to the physical world.
Zoom Learning for young learners
I have conducted 20 Zoom sessions so far on the Zoom with my new Acer laptop and it is quite a big change getting used to home based working. First, I needed to purchase a new Acer laptop with the sole purpose of the camera so that I can use Zoom with the video function to see my students. Second, I needed to register for a new Zoom account to get lessons rolling. Finally, I have to transit all lessons for students below 18 years old online during the phase 2 heightened alert period in Singapore.
Transition to online learning
From May 20, I have to seamlessly transit from where I last stopped for the physical lessons for each student. This is where I have to scan the same materials to ensure continuity and familiarity for the young learners who are used to the textbooks and learning materials.
To ensure that they can follow the lessons, I have to create unique Zoom lesson plans so that the lessons can take place online smoothly. This step is necessary for young learners to keep pace with the change. Behind the scenes, there are lots of transfer of data from my scanner to computer desktop to thumb drive and to laptop. After two weeks of conducting mostly 1.5 hours session using Zoom, my Zoom started crashing.
Zoom Crashing
For a while, I have gotten used to Zoom crashing due to heavier usage. For the first two weeks since I started Zoom, whenever the Zoom application kept crashing, it was nerve wrecking to have to re-enter Zoom again and again. I decided to fix the problem. I am thankful that there is helpdesk from Zoom’s main website to find a solution to the crash. After going through the helpful AI “Bolt”, I managed to figure out that I needed to uninstall Zoom and reinstall it again.
Installing Zoom
I deleted the Zoom program only to realize that I could not log into the Zoom account after I reinstalled the Zoom client. I even tried registering for a zoom account again and resetting the password to no avail. I was logged out of my own Zoom account for half and hour after more than 6 tries to get the password to work on the Zoom client. Finally, I realized that I have to uninstall Zoom by going to the Settings page and remove the program totally as this process clears the cache. True enough, after doing that when I reinstalled the Zoom client automatically appeared. Alas, I could use the Zoom again.
Clear Skies
I was glad that the technical problems can be resolved with a comprehensive helpdesk from Zoom who can troubleshoot almost any sort of problems. Seeing clear skies again, I hope that I will be able to steer towards smooth seas in my online learning journey. It is indeed stressful to encounter these technical problems as I am not a fan of Information Technology. This experience spurs me on to continue learning more about tools from working at home in the new normal. Hope to see clear skies in Singapore once again!
It is time to destress and smell the 🌹 roses. Woke up today to see the roses blooming at the park. There is much beauty in the early morning 🌄 sunrise with nature’s best orchestra making melodies if we are listening. Taught the lost art of 🎧 listening in our noisy world filled with a cacophony of sounds. It is one of life’s blessing to take refuge in the solitude of nature just gazing at the lone alligator 🐊 swimming in the river.
I got up at 6.10 am on a Monday morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. Living next to a park, I decided that a solitary walk in nature will help break the monotony of work from home. Being at home daily facing computers and laptops, I guess I needed a digital detox. After more than 7500 steps, glad to say the smell of crisp fresh flowers in the woods and looking at the river is therapeutic. Ended the morning with fresh cookies and cream protein shake. Good start to a challenging week ahead.
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