Managing Administrators’ Stress

1. Managing Administrators’ Stress Presented by: Kimberly Brown, M.P.P.A., LNHA, CDP

2. Agenda • Life As An Administrator • What causes Administrator Stress • What Stress causes • Stress Reduction

3. Online “Stress Test” Take this stress test to see what your overall level of stress has been over the last year based on the situations and circumstances you've experienced. Stress is a normal part of our life experience. But sometimes the situations and circumstances we encounter are more challenging than normal, which stresses the body and mind. While the body can tolerate short-term stress, it has more difficulty with persistently elevated stress. Sustained elevated stress can impact our overall health and well-being. Knowing how to successfully manage stress can make a difference in the toll it takes on the body and how symptomatic it can become. https://www.anxietycentre.com/stress Source: Anxietycentre.com

4. Stress Relief Techniques From Around The World France "When I come home from a stressful day, I relax with a petit aperitif—the French ceremony of having a small glass of wine with a side of cashew nuts or pita chips with hummus and olives. Then I'm ready to cook dinner!"—Ingrid Jackel, CEO of Physicians Formula; ToulouseWhat you can do: "Wine is a relaxant, that's true, but more important is having a ritual to separate the chaos of work from the comfort of home," Domar says. Any ritual you look forward to will do the trick, whether you wash up and change into sweats or zone out with a game of Words with Friends. Russia "Russians go to the banya, a hot sauna, and since moving here I do that, too. The daily stress level is high and work is constant. Just sitting in the extreme heat to sweat is a miracle invention to salve the soul." —Amanda Lynn Hinson, 35, writer; KhabarovskWhat you can do: Hit the shower—and make it a warm one. Just a few minutes can wash away tension, and it's not just the feel of pulsating water on your skin: Research from Yale University indicates that the enveloping warmth you get from a hot shower can trigger brain and body responses that mirror emotional warmth, boosting your mood. Just get out after 10 minutes to avoid drying skin http://www.health.com/health/gallery

5. Stress Relief Techniques From Around The World Denmark "It gets dark at 3:30 p.m. in the winter here, so Danes have gotten good at creating hygge, or 'cozy.' We come and go casually to each others' houses on evenings and weekends. It's about being happy at home with no one rushing to go anywhere." —Mette Borring, 48, finance executive; CopenhagenWhat you can do: It's very simple, but key: Don't fuss too much. “Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” and I apply this to entertaining," says Gretchen Rubin, author of Happier at Home. "If we worry about inviting people to the perfect holiday party, the task seems overwhelming. So lower the bar to a manageable level, try a holiday party with dessert and drinks only—so much easier than serving dinner, and very festive!“ Sweden "In Sweden we enjoy fika, taking a coffee break with friends. It's been a part of our culture since the 1700s. In many companies, people take breaks around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; they head to a café for lattes, tea, or smoothies with a cinnamon roll, muffin, or macaron. Fika has something very friendly and peaceful about it."—Sarah Melin, 42, manager at a TV production company; StockholmWhat you can do: Program a break reminder into your smartphone, heed the beeps, and grab a team member for coffee in the bistro. Don't feel guilty for slacking off; in a study from MIT, people who got up to socialize during the work day ended up being 10 to 15% more productive than those who didn't. http://www.health.com/health/gallery

6. Stress Relief Techniques From Around The World China "Women do a foot soak called zuyu before bed. I put hot water in a big pot and sit on my sofa as I read a book or surf my Weibo, Chinese Twitter. Sometimes I lean back and fall asleep, it's so relaxing." —Frances Wu, 37, office clerk; ShanghaiWhat you can do: Soothe your mall-trodden feet with this remedy from Cornelia Zicu of Red Door Spa: Dunk feet up to the ankles in hot water in a plastic bin or the tub, adding a handful of Epsom salts and 2 spoonfuls of baking soda. "After 15 minutes, swelling goes down and circulation improves," Zicu says. "It's amazingly relaxing.“ Turkey "We have keyif, which means relishing pleasurable things. I have keyif when I listen to music or stretch my legs. I'm in the moment and not thinking about anything stressful." —AsliÇavusoglu, 42, nonprofit program coordinator; IstanbulWhat you can do: Distract your brain from whatever's riling you up. "Stressful thoughts often come from a presumption that something bad is going to happen," points out Ellen Langer, PhD, a Harvard psychology professor. "If you can focus on a positive, you can help derail those thoughts." Jot down a list of Good Things in your life on iPhone Notes, and eyeball it next time you have a holiday freak-out. Your iPod can also come in handy; in one study, people subjected to freezing-cold compresses were less likely to notice the discomfort when listening to music. http://www.health.com/health/gallery