How to handle work when youre depressed

How to handle work when youre depressed Work can be challenging in even the best of circumstances- but when you’re depressed and not feeling your absolute best, getting through each workday can be a real struggle. Many folks grapple with depression in both their personal and professional lives, and it can make getting through each day and handling daily responsibilities difficult. According to a recent study by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), â€Å"an estimated 16.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults.† The NIMH defines a major depressive episode as â€Å"a period of two weeks or longer during which there is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.†Depression in the workplace is a significant issue- both f or employees and employers. Mental Health America recently reported that â€Å"Clinical depression has become one of America’s most costly illnesses. Left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing over $51 billion in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs. Depression tends to affect people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.†Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of adults suffer from minor or moderate depressive episodes. Although they typically include less pervasive symptoms, it can nonetheless make it hard to handle work and a spiraling effect can result- you feel depressed, which effects your ability to work, which makes you more depressed, and so on.Are you among the millions of Americans who suffer from depression? If so, then you’re not alone and there is a way forward- use the following strategies to help you learn to hand le work when you’re depressed.Don’t ignore the signs.If you’re struggling at work, try your best to recognize the signs that it might be due to depression.Are you feeling tired and lethargic throughout the day for no reason?Are everyday tasks- things that you used to do before with ease- becoming increasingly more difficult for you to handle and complete, or have become completely overwhelming for you?Is interacting with others at your workplace, or working collaboratively on team-based projects, becoming so uncomfortable or unappealing to you that you avoid contact or social interactions with colleagues at all costs?Do you find that your self-care routine is falling by the wayside?Are you noticing negative changes in your overall mood and attitude throughout the day?Has your productivity at work dipped?Do you find yourself missing work, coming in late, or leaving early more often?The truth is, any one or combination of these signs could be an indication that yo u’re suffering from depression. If you answered yes to any of these questions, the first step is to acknowledge that depression might currently be an issue for you.Assess your needs.As previously mentioned, there are varying degrees of depression that an individual can experience, and every person has their own unique symptoms, coping mechanisms, and needs. If you’ve made the determination that you’re suffering from depression- whether its mild or more profound- a good idea is to try and take an honest self-assessment and mental inventory regarding how it’s affecting your life. The last thing you want to have happen is to have your depression take complete control of your life and adversely affect your job situation- which can make your condition worse.Once you’ve determined how your depression is affecting you at work, try to assess your needs. Do you need to simply recalibrate, get organized, and wrap your head around your work responsibilities i n a new and fresh way? Do you need to make some behavioral and lifestyle changes in an effort to enact positive change? Or do you need additional outside help? Once you’re able to make a determination about what you need in order to effect change in your life and make the struggle a bit easier, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right steps for you.Seek help if needed.Do you think that you may need some guidance from others- perhaps friends or family, trusted colleagues, or professional help? The first thing to realize is that this isn’t a personal failure on your part. Many competent and functional adults suffer from depression, and there’s no shame or stigma in reaching out for help. Depression is a heavy weight to carry around on your own- seeking help from others can help ease the burden and allow you to focus on working towards an effective life solution.Explore workplace options.Many progressive workplaces offer benefits packages that incl ude mental health services- from finding the right professional help to meet your needs to financial coverage for associated costs. You may also be eligible to take paid time off from work to focus on getting help and getting better. Contact your HR representative to learn all of your options, which will help you formulate the best strategy for dealing with your depression.You are under no obligation to disclose a private health concern like depression to your colleagues and coworkers. That said, many people chose to be honest and up front about their depression and are met with sensitivity, guidance, and understanding, which can be an incredibly supportive and encouraging thing to have at a time when you need it most. The choice on how to handle disclosure is completely yours.Don’t just ignore your depression.How many problems in your life get better by simply ignoring them? If you feel that you’re experiencing depression at work and it’s affecting your ability to do your job, your best bet is to not ignore it and to use the steps outlined above to try and make some positive changes. Don’t forget- you’re not alone and your situation is not insurmountable. With a little proactive effort and the courage to effect positive changes in your life, you can go beyond learning how to handle depression at work. Instead, you can truly thrive.

Human Resource Management take home exam (various topics) Essay

Human Resource Management take home exam (various topics) - Essay Example In IT industry, the human element plays a major part in the overall success of the industry. "There must be effective management of human resources - there must be an effective personnel function" (Ulrich, Lake, 1990). HRM systems can be the source of organizational capabilities that allow firms to learn and capitalize on new opportunities especially in IT industry which operates in rapidly changing environment. While innovations in high technology often receive the greatest publicity, advances have been made in many fields and at many levels of Information Technology. Some theorists argue that HRM is used to exploit workers in order to achieve strategic goals. It is possible to agree and disagree with this view because much depends upon the conception employed by the researchers. Speaking about IT industry it is possible to say that HRM can be identified as an element or support concept of the industry. In many organizations, including IT sector, human resources is very much part of the productive process and will be a task function. For example, in the IT industry many members of the workforce are seen as being involved in achieving the objectives of the organization creating a new product or service. In this case, people are part of the finished product for which the customer is paying. Customer satisfaction is likely to be affected as much by the courtesy, helpfulness and personal qualities of the staff as by the standard of services provided. This places particular importance on the managerial function which manipulates workforce to achieve o rganizational tasks (Tyson, 1997). Training, as investment in people, is also a form of manipulation. Training requires the co-operation of managers, adequate finance and resources, time, skilled staff and a supporting appraisal system: from top management and throughout all levels of the organization. Most programs of IT development are designed in accordance with the culture and specific requirements of the particular segment of IT industry or department, and the demands of particular managerial jobs. There should be a clear development policy together with regular reviews of individual performance and a program of career progression. All the forms mentioned above explain manipulation of HR through HRM systems as the inevitable part of management. The overall purpose of HRM can be seen as manipulation as well as it aims to ensure that the organization is able to achieve success through people. "HRM systems can be the source of organizational capabilities that allow firms to learn and capitalize on new opportunities" (Campbell, 1997). On the other hand, it is possible to say that training of IT personnel for its own sake achieves little. Training must be real and rewarding. The rationale for strategic HRM within IT industry is also built on the idea of manipulation which means that people and organizations engage in basically consistent, value-maximizing calculations or adaptations within certain constraints and competitive advantage. The rational model works as follows: an employee has goals or objectives and has a payoff, utility, or preference function that permits that person to rank all possible alternative actions by the action's contribution to the desired goals. The IT organization is presented with and understands alternative courses of action. Each

Strategists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategists - Essay Example (7-8) Machiavelli, meanwhile, introduced the concept of the â€Å"just war† in his exhortation on Italians to recapture their own land: â€Å"You have justice on your side; for war is just which is necessary and it is piety to fight where no hope is left in anything else.† (cited in McAlpine 2000, 6) For these two philosophers war or preparedness to engage in it is fundamental for the survival of a state. In regard to military strategy, Sun Tzu captures something of the sense of Machiavelli’s last words in the Prince when he stressed the importance of a positive attitude and the goodness of opportunity – seizing the occasion to put something right, to make a person, place or thing better. According to Sun Tzu, one who foresees victory before a battle will most probably win and that, one who predicts not much of a chance of winning before the fight, will most probably not win. This principle of unashamed act of winning is supported by this text of The Art of War: â€Å"If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbids it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler’s bidding.† (158) Machiavelli’s assertion that men have evil in them as well as good is an important factor when considering his perspectives on leadership. This is highlighted in his discourse of what characterize the ideal prince. Machiavelli believed that a prince as a leader needed above all to pursue virtue, but not the one in the traditional sense. Machiavelli often told the reader that qualities traditionally called virtuous in the Christian or feudal senses were not virtuous at all in a prince. For Machiavelli, a prince who truly understand virtue – in the sense of the qualities needed to perpetuate his state and his own power – would prefer ‘vice’ of meanness, say to the virtue of

Marketing management report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing management report - Term Paper Example on leveraging Korra’s product strengths to position itself as a premium brand, to realize higher margins from lower revenues and as a means to differentiate itself from the market. This translates to a sourcing strategy that shuns China as a supplier of products, because of quality issues that are incompatible with its premium and quality proposition. Opportunities in marketing online, via Facebook and Google and other relevant social media platforms, can be pursued, with promotions budgets aligned with sales (Hae, 2014). The challenge is to provide a comprehensive marketing plan for Korra Dancewear, by way of providing advice and guidance to Karolina Swietoniowska, who is the firm’s owner and primary creative force/designer. Based in Canada, in Ontario, the challenge is finding means to drum up interest in the new collection of dancewear created by the owner, and being solely focused on the online channel, and the goal is to translate improved attention to greater revenues, all while working with constraints in funding. These constraints translate to formidable challenges marketing-wise, and the owner has in mind a strategy that focuses on several key aspects of any marketing plan. Those aspects relate to promotions, extending the product line, and focusing on modes of distribution. Overall, the owner’s goal is to realize monthly sales of between $1, 000 and $2,000 every month by the start of 2014, and the marketing plan is the lynchpin by which Swietoniowska hoped to realize that reve nue goal (Hae, 2014). The channel for sales is online, and the selling prices of individual pieces of wear that the owner sold were along the range of between $40 and $70. The product range consisted of seven items broken down into 18 stock keeping units or SKUs, with the sizes options limited to medium and small. Of the seven items, six items each contributed five percent to overall sales, while one item, the Kai Bodysuit, contributed seven dollars out of every ten dollars

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay Example for Free

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay Ai) Infertility is when a couple cannot naturally conceive a child. There are many treatments to get around infertility; some of these, may however raise moral issues. There are many treatments available; Fertility drugs are one of these, this is where an infertile woman is given drugs, which stop infertility and make a woman capable of carrying a child. These are recognised by the church, as the sacredness of life is not threatened. AIH (artificial insemination by the husband), is another of these treatments. The sperm of the husband is taken and artificially put it in the wife. AID (artificial insemination by the donor), this is for if the man does not produce sperm. An anonymous donor donates his sperm, which is then artificially put into the woman. Gamete storing, is a fairly new process where the gametes are frozen, this means that if one of the parents has a treatment which makes them infertile, they can use the gametes which are stored. Surrogacy. This is where an alien hostess carries the baby. The sperm of the man is artificially inserted into the hostess. This is not recognised by the church because it is very similar to adultery. Aii) Roman Catholics have the view that life is sacred and therefore the sacredness of life must be protected. The church believes that no one has the right to children; if someone is infertile it is because it is supposed to be that way. Any of the treatments, which involve the destruction of embryos, are banned because this is the same as abortion and that is banned in the Catholic Church. The Church bans any of the treatments, which involve artificial insemination by the husband, as this involves masturbation, which is a sin in the eyes of the church. In AID and surrogacy the child does not get to know their biological parents, the church believes that the child has a right to know their biological parents. All forms of fertility treatments involve procreation outside of sex; God intended procreation to be part of the sex act. Other Christian churches allow IVF and AIH as they believe it is a good use of technology to provide families with the happiness of children. God intended families to have children, if IVF or AIH is the only way to do that it should be done. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife and so it is not counted as adultery and therefore it is still a pure loving act. Some of the embryos are destroyed in these processes; embryos, which are not yet foetuses, so therefore it is not considered murder. The other churches still have major concerns about the other treatments; they have not banned them, however. All churches encourage childless families to adopt as they believe all children should have a loving happy family. iii) Generally Christians believe in transplant surgery and think that it is a good thing. Some Christians have some ethical issues, however. They believe that it would be wrong for rich people to pay for organs. It is well known that some wealthier 1st world citizens would be more than willing to exploit uneducated, 3rd world citizens to save themselves. This is known as the black market. The people in Africa may not be well educated and therefore do not realise that it is dangerous. It could be dangerous as the surgeon in Africa may be using dirty equipment and therefore the African would be vulnerable to infection. It is also exploiting the poor which is condemned by the bible. Some Christians are opposed to using organs from the dead but support using those of the living. They believe that organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual created by God. Transplanting organs from the dead into the living is usurping the role of God, and humans do not have the right to play God. This is a sin and is condemned by the Bible. Jesus taught us to love thy neighbour. If an organ can be transplanted while someone is alive then it is not vital and transplanting it would be, ‘loving thy neighbour.’ Some Christians believe all transplant surgery wrong and condemn it. They believe that transplants ignore the sanctity of life. This is a great sin in the eyes of the church. They believe that transplanting organs is ‘playing God’ and this is one of the great sins. They also believe that it is very expensive and requires very skilled people of which there are few. It raises the question of when someone is considered dead, as the heart needs to be removed when it is still beating. It diverts recourses from less expensive treatments which could help far more people than transplants. Most Muslims believe that transplants are wrong. They believe that it is against God’s will to remove anything from the body after death this means that none of the organs can be removed. They believe that God created each person and so to remove something from one and put it in another is to act as God which is the greatest sin in Islam. They believe that life is sacred and only God has the right to give and take it.

The Confusion Behind Computer Advertisements :: Media

The Confusion Behind Computer Advertisements Advertising is the key ingredient to a company’s success, so it’s pretty common for a company to go to extreme levels to sell their products. â€Å"There are six basic consumer behavior decisions when it comes to creating a desire for a brand name or product. 1. Problem Recognition: The consumer decides that he or she needs something. 2. Search: The consumer gathers information about ways to satisfy this need. 3. Evaluation of Alternatives: He or she weighs the plusses and minuses of the alternatives. 4. Decision: The consumer decides what to buy. 5. Purchase: He or she buys it. 6. Post purchase Evaluation: The consumer decides whether he or she bought the right thing. In realty, human beings are resourceful enough to find what they need without ads† (Kaufman, 2004). However, ads do as much damage as it does good. Pushing more and more ads down consumers’ throat is not going to necessarily make them want to buy that product; Internet pop-up ads are a prime example. The abundance of ads is not the only problem. Many ads can be misleading in what they are really trying to sell you; Dell is a good example of misleading ads. Travis a dell computer customer writes in an Internet complaint, â€Å"we ordered a dimension 8200 series but we were late in receiving the camera kit. When we did receive the camera kit it wasn’t the right one for that computer, but Dell still wouldn’t take it back because it was already past the 30-day warranty† (Travis of Kalispell, MT, 2004). Best Buy is also guilty of using misleading advertisement, which leads to even more serious accusations. Katherine of Hartsdale (2004), NY wri tes, â€Å"for Christmas my mom bought me a Playstation 2 and several games. One of the games wouldn’t work so I tried taking it back to Best Buy.

Socialism: What is the Ideal?

As a Salesman myself, I feel that I can relate to Death of a Salesman, to the extent of understanding what the job entails. In this essay, I shall depict the effects that socialism had on the characters of Death of a Salesman. I will include the social struggle of society, the contradictions involved, and the ideas of success, the character’s goals, and Willy’s downfall. I shall also include how Socialism has affected the real world and our nation’s society. Willy Loman’s world enticed him to become something he was not. Society placed a burden upon Willy’s head, of which he could not bare. But he was agonized by his awareness of being in a false position, so constantly haunted by the hollowness of all he had placed his faith in, so aware, in short, that he must somehow be filled in his spirit or fly apart, that he staked his very life on the ultimate assertion† (Miller 1594). Miller’s statement implies that Willy was in such a rut, knowing that he could not afford to pay for his appliances or even for his automobile, that he risked everything to succeed. The government however, in Willy’s world, defined what succeeding really is. Socialism means the substitution of governmental judgment for that of the individual and for individual ambition as well† (Myers 3). Willy’s ambitions involved obtaining a new career closer to his family and being able to afford all of his material objects. â€Å"Committed himself so completely to the counterfeits of dignity and the fake coinage embodied in his idea of success that he can prove his existence only by bestowing ‘power’ on his posterity, a power deriving from the sale of his last asset, himself† (Miller 1594). It is clear that the government played a major role in creating those ambitions. Biff’s social struggle included living up to his father’s expectations, of which his father did not necessarily approve of, until the end of the playwright. The government as a whole decided what was acceptable in society, and what was not, which is true to this day. Society has demanded a great deal from its inhabitants for thousands of years, especially in the United States. We soak up the governments and large corporation’s idealism everyday through nearly every source of entertainment we consume. A good example of true socialism would be a class-system, such as in central Asia, specifically China and India. For many years the Chinese and Indians have accepted a socialistic way of life, judging and ranking their citizens merely by blood-line and skin-color. For instance, both countries considered lighter (paler) skinned individuals as having a higher status compared to darker-skinned individuals. Therefore, even today, the sales of large amounts of skin-lightening creams exist in the Asian market. The largest contradiction I have come to understand is that exerting too much effort into an ideal ultimately ends in disaster. We witness this by examining Willy Loman. He, as a salesman, has an extremely stressful lifestyle. He ponders as to what he will do about his son Biff, and how he will be able to afford his bills. His lust for existence drove him mad, and eventually became the exact thing that invoked his demise. The ideas of success vary between characters in Death of a Salesman. Happy understood success as being able to provide for his family, more than merely financially. He always made statements on how him and Biff would open a sporting goods store, and be successful. Willy’s idea of success, in my opinion, was confirming his existence in society as a hard-working, honorable American. He however, drove himself mad as life-events spiraled downwards. Biff pursued to do something with his life, making his father happy in the process. Biff provides evidence of struggle by suggesting â€Å"When all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still – that’s how you build a future† (Miller 1429). That statement defines a key point in the story, because it symbolizes how each character yearns to get ahead and be successful. Miller’s playwrights were heavily influenced with Socialism, as Helge Nilsen states, â€Å"Human beings are sacrificed to economic interests in ways that are not only immoral, but even criminal in nature† (1608). That statement suggests that Miller purposely set each character up, in order to have a certain Socialistic ideal embodied within their personalities. Biff, however, has begun to rebel against his father’s ideas and to feel his way towards different standards, meaning those that Miller associates with the socialist society† (Nilsen 1609). The value of success is very difficult to measure. Each and every individual has their own understanding of success, as did Biff, Happy, and Willy. Society, for the most part, has labeled success as obtaining financial well-being. If someone were to be well off financially, then they are considered successful to the majority. Socialism has embedded that concept in our minds, from childhood to the present day. The socialist mentality is usually also an atheistic mentality, where atheism is understood not so much as the disbelief in God as the hatred of God – an attitude as precarious logically as it has been destructive in practice† (Kimball 16). That statement indicates that Socialism is equivalent to brainwashing an individual’s values. Willy’s goal in life, in my opinion, was to be successful enough to instill the correct ideals in his children’s mind, and to also recognize his own existence. Biff’s situation, in Willy’s mind, was a major conflict in his life. Without Biff becoming successful and making something out of his life, Willy would not exist and live up to his own ideals. Biff’s goals however, were filled with confusion and insecurity. Biff exclaims, â€Å"I’ve always made a point of not wasting my life, and every time I come back here I know that all I’ve done is waste my life† (Miller 1429). From that statement, I presume that Biff would like to fulfill his father’s request of not wasting his life. We witness that towards the end of the playwright, when Biff begins to sob and then embraces Willy. That moment in the play contributes a large amount to the irony towards the moral of the play, to exist is to meet one’s ideals. Willy’s realization however, brought upon his demise. Death of a Salesman’s overall plot and theme brings out a powerful message to today’s society. In our country today, individuals do not necessarily seek certain prospects out of pure joy, but rather out of financial greed. For example, class-systems still exist to this day in some countries, and diminish the value of overall life for the less fortunate. The ultimate downfall of Willy was that he consumed himself of his true values. His urge to make money and be a great salesman drove him wild. He did not realize what Biff was attempting to do until it was too late. As Nilsen stated, â€Å"But Biff continues his attempt to break through to his father’s feelings and establish a genuine connection and respect between them. Hence his plaintive cry: ‘Pop, I’m nothing†¦I’m just what I am, that’s all’† (1611). Since Biff did not abide by the socialist ideals of the time, Willy was determined to correct it. I believe Willy could not handle the pressures of life, and therefore ended up where he did. In this essay I have written about the effects of Socialism on the characters of Death of a Salesman. I described the effects social struggle, contradiction, ideas on success, their goals and Willy’s ultimate downfall. Writing on this topic was quite interesting, because it made me open my eyes on the current situations of our nation. Overall I believe Socialism is expressed greatly in this playwright, and that it teaches the reader that certain ideals such as financial prosperity are not always the answer to life.