Ask Christa! Ugh, I Yelled at Work, and I'm Ashamed-- What Do I Do?? (S1E11)

Ask Christa!

Summary

In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's concern about yelling at work due to stress. She discusses the impact of workplace stress on performance, behavior, and emotional responses, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing stress levels by diffusing stress to get back to a “Green” zone. She offers practical strategies for managing stress, including how the Stress Continuum model, which enables self-awareness through categorizations of stress, can lead to better ways to reduce stress in the moment. She also provides resources for further understanding stress and encourages listeners to seek support and community.

Key Take Aways

· Workplace stress can lead to emotional outbursts and other inappropriate behaviors.

· Understanding the stress levels is crucial for management.

· It's important to recognize when stress becomes harmful.

· Breathing techniques can help alleviate immediate stress.

· Sipping cold water can serve as a calming mechanism as it resets pace.

· Stretching can relieve physical tension caused by stress.

· Stress isn't always negative; it can motivate us.

· It's important to recognize when stress becomes damaging.

· Apologizing and seeking support is essential after outbursts.

· Finding community support is essential during stressful times.

· Taking breaks is vital for mental health.

· Forgiving oneself for emotional responses is part of processing, healing, and moving on.

Additional Resources

I’m so stressed out! Fact sheet. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet

Johnson, J. (2024, January 22). How to relax the throat muscles during anxiety. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-to-relax-throat-muscles-anxiety#throat-exercises

Khanna, P., Chatterjee, K., Goyal, S., Pisharody, R., Patra, P., & Sharma, N. (2019). Psychological stress in the navy and a model for early detection. Journal of Marine Medical Society, 21(2), 116. https://doi.org/10.4103/jmms.jmms_84_18

News-Medical. (2025, April 28). The science behind breathwork and stress reduction. https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Science-Behind-Breathwork-and-Stress-Reduction.aspx

Stress is not always a bad Thing—Until it is! (2021, June 7). USNI Blog. https://blog.usni.org/posts/2021/06/07/stress-is-not-always-a-bad-thing-until-it-is

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Chapters

1. Understanding Workplace Stress and Its Impact (00:00:00)

2. Managing Stress: Techniques and Strategies (00:07:41)

3. Resources for Stress Management and Support (00:13:15)