Analyze the results to know where to focus the improvements

Analyze Your Reactions

The analyze stage is probably the most confusing for some people.  We will try to make it less difficult on you as possible.  You will need to be able to do some simple calculations (addition) and sorting.  Yes, we will let you use a calculator or computer if you want.  You will need to put together a sheet similar to the Worksheet shown below.

This will allow you to place your reactions (symptoms) and stressors into various categories so you can quickly summarize the results.  What you need to do is enter the daily information from what you have collected over the past two weeks.  In the example below, the reactions were placed into rows with the daily totals of each reaction placed into columns.  When all the data is entered, you will need to add up the total number of occurrences of each reaction per day.

For the stressors, you need to include a checkmark for each stressor that occurred each day.

The worksheet uses the same format as the daily monitoring worksheet, however the day of the week is added to the first row of the datasheet and the hours have been changed to the day number.  The information for the stress signals now shows the total or sum of the stress levels experienced for each signal on each day.  The stressors now show any stress generators that you experienced during that day.  All of this information is transferred from the daily worksheet as a sum total on this worksheet under the corresponding day.

To Analyze the Summary Worksheet

The first step to analyzing the summary worksheet is to look for patterns.  In the example above, you will notice several patterns exist. 

1. The stress levels for all of the stress signals is less on the weekends than they are during the week.  This would indicate that what you do on the weekends to reduce your stress needs to be continued more throughout the week.  It could be that you get more exercise, eat better balanced meals, are able to relax more, or are busy doing hobbies or things you enjoy on the weekend, which you don’t do during the week.

2. The stress levels start out the week lower on Monday and peak on Thursday.  This would indicate that you don’t allow yourself to fully release your stress from day-to-day during the work week.  This could be because you aren’t getting enough exercise at work, may not be getting the nutrition you need, or not able to allow yourself to fully relax even when you get off work.

3. Body aches increase when tight muscles increase and they both decrease at the same time.  This indicates there is a relationship between these two stress signal.  Improvements you make to keeping you muscles from becoming tight will also show as an improvement in the body aches you feel.

4. And finally, the largest problem you have with stress is allowing your blood pressure to increase.  You get angry at the event that is occurring.  You need to learn how to reduce your anger levels by refocusing your anger.  This is not saying that you have a problem with anger that will require you to take an anger management course (although that could help).  You can also refocus your anger through various relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or yoga.

Of course this is an example and your data will be different.  The main point here is to look for patterns in the information.  Once you have found those patterns, then you can look at what is different between the “good days” and the “bad days” in your normal routine.

The next item you want to look for is what stressors are causing you the most issues.  In the example above work stress is occurring the most, however kids fighting and money stress are very close.  These issues are separate entities showing that you are being faced with stress not only at work, but at home as well.  And their occurrence is about equal.   Now you are ready to put together your improvement plan.

Figure 2—Stress Monitoring Worksheet Example—Analyze Stage

Using the Six Sigma Approach

Analyze Stage

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