Oak Smith Pt 2 | How to Manage a Stressful Workplace
Chad continues his conversation with Oak Smith. This time focusing on prison staff instead of inmates. Oak shares the hard truth about correctional officer suicide rates - seven times higher than the general population - and why that number is so high. He talks about spending years "checking his humanity at the gate" every morning and struggling to turn it back on at night, how trauma from the job destroys marriages and families, and why staff are terrified to ask for help because they might lose their jobs. Oak also shares practical ways to support struggling coworkers, the importance of peer support programs, and why everyone needs mind, body, and soul balance - not just people working in prisons.
Key Takeaways:
You can't just turn your humanity on and off - Oak spent years trying to shut down his emotions at work and turn them back on at home, but it gets harder each time and eventually affects everything in your life
Staff are scared to ask for help because they might lose their job - If you admit mental health struggles, you could lose your job
Watch for personality changes in your coworkers - Have dedicated time to actually talk with team members who are having troubles
Balance your mind, body, and soul outside of work - Oak emphasizes the importance of exercising your body, learning something new to exercise your mind, and praying when life gets challenging
