Facing Challenges ~ Stress and Fatigue = Burnout

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Facing Challenges ~ Stress and Fatigue = Burnout

This article is written for those individuals that enjoy career and life’s challenges and have a toolbox of talent and skills to make a difference somewhere and worthwhile to improve on encounters to maximize their contributions to their own self and that of the organization they belong to as they face the daily issues that works overtime to defeat them in spirit and morale called stress and fatigue.

Defining your abilities to face personal challenges means you have a responsibility to remain fit and alert throughout the work day as well as your personal activities. Everything you do is a reflection of your character, your abilities, skills and knowledge how to handle adversity and overcome barriers in your personal life or in the workplace. There are no exceptions and no gaps in this circle of your life.

Lack of sleep is a prerequisite to burnout or being unable to meet your work standards or expectations. It is not just the mere fact of not getting enough sleep but the consequences of running on empty to address these stress issues that exist in the workplace. Remember that no matter where you work, there are extreme business practices and political cultures defined by cultural expectations that measure success and productivity.

It stands to reason that burnout is unacceptable as standards to perform are based on another person’s expectations to meet the bar they set for your success ladder to exist. Burnout impact your work ethics, your abilities to complete tasks given in a timely manner and your energy drive to hang in there for the long run. Most organizations go for the marathon and not the sprint. This impacts your accomplishment severely if you burn the candle at both ends either professionally or socially. The bottom line is your actions and activity must prove you can do it all when tasked with the responsibilities and assignment for those special projects.

You must strive to remain to be in self-control of your own actions and energy. You must be willing to show at a moment’s notice you are a capable performer and ready to meet the challenge head on. In other words, you must be better than the others and prove you are the right person for the challenge, the promotion and the career change when that decision comes around the table to be made.

Setting up an office setting that is conducive in productivity, keep scheduled appointments and be ready to be mobile are important decisions to be made and are critical when you have to respond with a moment’s notice. Act like if you are a Boy or Girl Scout, you must always be prepared.

In order to remain fresh you must plan to have some down time. Some quiet places where you can sleep, rest, read, walk or just meditate to stay focused on your life. You must always be ready to hit the fast track and respond minute to minute to challenges given to you because of your ability and knowledge how to handle them. You must remain untired and always relaxed for that is the state of mind you can be most effective.

Learning how to deal with fatigue and stress are the two most important elements of a successful career plan and the rest will fall into place as you focus on meeting the challenges head on and be successful in all those endeavors you choose to undertake and successfully complete with a satisfaction of doing it the right way and with the right level of enthusiasm and energy,

The success also impacts the personal home front and is an important element of your life not to neglect. Learning how to be rested, flexible and creative with high energy does not only apply in the workplace. It applies at home as well as you learn to balance the two for a complete life rather than a singular position of working only for a career. Working a high stress job that is not managed impacts how you deal in your relationships with spouses, kids, and family.

How we structure our life at home or at work is about personal health and reducing the role stress plays in your daily activities. We already know that high stress impacts high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes and must be under control at all times. When you are untired your health increases and allows you to perform at a maximum level rather than adequate or mere meeting the standards set. Being untired affects your decision making, your role within the workplace or family and avoids disasters or accidents to keep you safe.

Sleep deprivation impacts the unconscious mind [mental performance] as it destructively impacts our ability to control our own emotions, our moods, and our ability to focus on problem solving issues at hand. It impacts cognitive abilities and stands in the way of failure or success for those individuals that desire a better career and an improved quality of living.