Life Balance Self-Test

The key to managing stress is to try to achieve a balance in life among several important areas. In these high-stress times, maintaining such a balance in life becomes a challenge. Answer the following questions and see how well you are doing maintaining that balance. Your score will tell you whether there are areas in your life you need to pay more attention to and whether establishing a better balance would be a benefit

Work Pressures For each of the pressures listed below, indicate how much each has been a source of distress for you in the past month. Great Moderate Little None Work under physically difficult or hazardous conditions         Difficult or long commute         Too many tasks and responsibilities         Conflicting/competing demands         Can’t get the help/information I need to do my work         Deadline pressures         No input or decisions affecting my work         No recognition for work done well         Don’t like my job         Conflict with co-workers or supervisor         Procedures unfair or discriminatory         On-the-job harassment or persecution         Lack of job security         Scores:  0-7:Optimal   8-16:Balance  17-25: Strain  26+:Burnout

Personal Pressures For each of the pressures listed below, indicate how much each has been a source of stress to you during the last month. Great Moderate Little None Not enough money         Heavy debt         Conflicts with partner         Problems with children/housemate         Pressures from family/in-laws         Not enough time with family/friends         Work/family conflict         Sexual conflict or frustration         Dangerous or stressful neighborhood         Few friends nearby         Time pressures with mate         Scores:  0-4:Optimal    5-9:Balance   10-15:Strain     16+:Burnout

Self Care For each item, indicate how often each has been true for you in the past month. Almost Always Sometimes Rarely Never Eat breakfast         Maintain desirable weight         Avoid sugar, fat, salt         Do vigorous aerobic exercise, yoga, etc.         Am aware of tension in my body         Enjoy or appreciate my body         Brush teeth         Use seatbelts         Have physician I trust         Seek help for an emotional-health problem         Relax and take time off         Avoid smoking         Avoid excessive alcohol         Scores: 37+:Optimal  31-36:Balance  22-30:Strain   0-21:Burnout

Personal Power For each statement, indicate how much it’s like the way you’ve thought or felt about yourself in the past month. Very Much Like Me Somewhat Like Me Not Very Much Not At All When things are not going my way, I often think it is futile to try to change them         My stress seems to be unpredictable         I find ways to accomplish what I want         I am not able to give what I want to people close to me         I find myself in situations I feel powerless to do anything about         I run into problems I cannot solve         I do not think I have control over things in my life         I like to take on new challenges         Scores: 0-3:Optimal  4-7:Balance  8-11:Strain    12+:Burnout

Emotional Symptoms Indicate how often each of the symptoms listed has occurred in the past month. Every Day Every Week Once or Twice Never Nervous anxiety         Keyed-up feeling         Cannot turn off certain thoughts         Worrying         Unable to keep still; fidgeting         Irritable; angry emotional outbursts         Fatigue         Low energy         Apathetic; nothing seems important         Emotionally drained         Loss of sexual interest or pleasure0         Depressed         Fearful         Hopeless         Easily upset         Difficulty concentrating         Mind going blank         Forgetting important things         Scores: 0-5:Optimal  6-13:Balance   14-23:Strain    24+:Burnout

If you would like to discuss the results of these tests further, please contact us by using the box below. Name: Telephone number: Best time to contact you: E-mail address:     You can contact us for help at 800 444-7262