Resource Articles

Procrastination

All of us at some point or another have put off a task we needed to complete. Those tasks can range from doing the laundry or cleaning the bathroom to revising a grant application or finishing a manuscript. A little procrastination is to be expected, however, recurrent or chronic procrastination can have significant effects on work and relationships.

Anger Management

Most of us have times when we feel frustrated, irritable, or grouchy. People tend to prefer these terms to describe how they are feeling rather than acknowledging the actual feeling – anger. People can be so afraid of the word that they deny, avoid, and minimize their actual experiences. All this does is postpone and intensify the eventual expression of this feared feeling.

Email Stress Can Create A Mess

E-mail is a convenient form of communication, but it has its limitations and associated problems.  For example, it can be stressful to receive an e-mail from someone that has a “tone” that feels harsh or attacking.  The sender may not have intended to convey his or her message in that way, but the receiver may misinterpret or puzzle over the actual intent of the message. Here are 12 easy to follow tips for sending professional e-mails and reducing the potential for miscommunication:

Critical Incident Stress Management

​Work/Life Connections-EAP coordinates Crisis Intervention Services and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services for the VUMC community. Definition: A Critical Incident is "any event which has the potential to produce unusual or distressing emotional symptoms such as an accident, injury, death, disaster, threat or act of violence, or other traumatic event at the workplace."

Surviving Grief During the Holidays

Written by Ellen Clark, L.C.S.W. The holiday season brings an onslaught of media messages that say that this is "the happiest, most joyful time of the year." Holiday songs convey this message. Magazine covers extol the fun of decorating, cooking, and family gatherings. Consumers are pursued relentlessly to buy, buy, buy, and get that perfect gift. The holiday bar is set high. So why is it that many people find the holidays stressful, lonely, sad, and depressing?