• Healthy Workplace Series • The following article is adapted and reprinted with permission fromworklifehealth.com Change is Inevitable, Growth isOptional Moving from Resistance to Acceptance When you resist change, you knowingly or unknowingly behave in ways that attempt to keep things “the way they were.” Your attitudes and actions are not aligned with the new directions and you are likely to feel discomfort or tension as a result. To help yourself move from resistance to acceptance, it can be useful to understand that there are varied reasons why people may resist or struggle with change: It may be because…you are a creature of habit. Consistency provides people with predictability, stability and comfort in their lives. Once you have done things the same way for a certain length of time, you become quite good at what you do. When you are asked to make changes that impact how you do your job, your sense of comfort and competence becomes disrupted. You may at times feel insecure about your abilities. It’s important to recognize that it is natural to feel out of sorts and frustrated when you’re embarking in new directions. Ask yourself what knowledge or skills you may be lacking and seek these out. You may also benefit from making a goal that relates to doing your personal best within a changing environment. It may be because…the change involves a loss. Certain life events, such as losing a loved one, involve an obvious major loss and grief. However, with other sorts of change the losses we experience are not always so obvious. With workplace change, workloads are usually so full that it is hard to imagine you’ve lost anything. TheMembers’AssistanceProgram (MAP) is sponsoredbyCDSPI and provides confidential short-term counselling support, professional guidance, resources and referrals for dentists, dental office staffand immediate familymembers.MAP services are complimentary and accessible24/7/365. ContactMAPat 1.844.578.4040 or visitwww.cdspi.com/membersassistance-program MAP is operatedbyTELUS Health (formerlyLifeWorks), the largestCanadian-basedEmployee andFamilyAssistanceprovider in the country.Available services vary by region.UseofMAPservices is completely confidential within the limits of the law. Change has always been a part of life, but today it seems that change is happening faster than ever before. This is especially evident in the workplace. Day-to-day work life is commonly filled with policy and procedure changes, shifting responsibilities and expanding workloads. At the same time, our personal lives are often marked by competing demands and priorities. Being able to adapt and respond effectively in a constantly changing world has become a necessary skill. How you respond to change will vary. When you initiate the change, you are likely to define the experience as exciting. On the other hand, when change is imposed on you, you may feel threatened and fearful about the change, and focus heavily on negative outcomes. 33 Issue 1 | 2024 | SupportingYour Practice
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