Mastering Stress

1. Mastering Stress

2. Click to advance to next slide Training Agenda • Learning Objectives • Introduction • Understanding the causes of stress • Effects of stress • The power of choice • Relaxation and stress reduction techniques • Your action plan Mastering Stress

3. Click to advance to next slide Learning Objectives After completing this workshop presentation, you will be able to: • Develop an understanding of the demands of under- and over-stimulation • Acquire knowledge of the damaging effects of stress • Learn how the mind and body interact and how to recognize the signs of tension • Use several techniques to manage and/or lower stress • Practice reframing strategies for shifting your frame of reference Mastering Stress

4. Click to advance to next slide Introduction • Stress is an everyday fact of life. • Stress affects all people, regardless of role, rank, status, or position • in the workplace. • Not all stress is bad! • Stress can reduce the quality of life, undermine health, and impact • work productivity. • How you interpret and manage your experiences serve to either • energize, relax, or stress you out. • In this presentation, you will learn a variety of strategies to improve your stress mastery, and break the cycle of destructive habits of stress management. Mastering Stress

5. Click to advance to next slide Unit One – Understanding the causes of stress Mastering Stress

6. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Stress Mastery is about finding balance Who said this: “You can’t teach a person anything, you can only help them find it within themselves.” Galileo “Most folks are about as happy as the choose to be.” Lincoln “Most folks are about as stressed out as they choose to be.” Dr. Phil Mastering Stress

7. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One What is this thing called “stress?” • Official definition: • Anything that requires an adaptive response on the part of the organism. • What does that mean to you? • Anything that requires you to respond, to make a change, or an adjustment. • Stress happens whenever your mind and/or your body react to some real or imagined situation. • FACT: Stress is an inescapable part of modern life! Mastering Stress

8. Harmful stress Helplessness Frustration Disappointment Panic Physical & psychological damage Beneficial stress Achievement Satisfaction Fulfillment Meaning Balance Emotional & psychological health Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Dr. Hans Selye, the “father” of stress research: Make the distinction between harmful and beneficial stress FACT: You actually need moderate stress to stay alert and perform. Mastering Stress

9. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Four basic sources of stress • Environment weather, noise, traffic, pollution • Social deadlines, financial, job, demands for time, relationships • Physiological aging, illness, injuries, exercise, nutrition, sleep, physical reactions to stressors • Your thinking your interpretations of events and experience Mastering Stress

10. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Identifying sources of stress in the workplace Activity Take a moment to reflect on sources of stress in the workplace for yourself and your co-workers. List three causes – stressors – that affect people and their performance at work. FACT: One fourth of employees view their job as the number one stress in their lives (Northwestern National Life) Mastering Stress

11. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Reactions to stress Psychological and physical Little or no physiological response Brain interprets the environment No Threat determined Threat determined Fight or Flight response Mastering Stress

12. Light head Dilated pupils Tense neck and shoulders Fast and shallow breathing Queasy stomach Sweating Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Physical Symptoms • “Cotton” mouth • Tight throat • Pounding heart • Clammy, cold hands • Weak knees What other symptoms do you experience? Mastering Stress

13. High-pitched nervous laughter Feeling of dissatisfaction Irritability Poor Concentration Accident-prone Overpowering urge to cry, run, or hide Tendency to be easily startled Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Psychological Symptoms • Apathy • Repression • Withdrawal • Forgetfulness • Anxiety • Emotional tension – keyed up or hyper • Nightmares Mastering Stress

14. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Time Dependent Stress Stages • Fight or Flight: Alarm = Sympathetic Arousal • Short term: Reaction for immediate crises, emergency responses • (duration is in minutes) • SAM: SympathoAdrenoMedulla (Hypothalamic responses) • Intermediate: angry, upset, frustrated, argumentative • (duration is for hours) • PAC: PituitaryAdrenoCortical • Long-lasting with greater damage potential • (duration is for days/weeks). • Chronic stress • Long term worry, guilt, worry and apprehension leads to insomnia, • fatigue and illness. Mastering Stress

15. Click to advance to next slide Chronic Stress Fight or Flight Exhaustion Perceived Threat X Homeostasis Return to Homeostasis Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Fight-or-Flight FACT: Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other stressors – more so than even financial problems or family problems. (St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co.) Mastering Stress

16. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Downside of Fight-or-Flight Activity List three real and three perceived dangers you faced in the last month. Once you have created your list, share it with the person sitting next to you. Mastering Stress

17. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Review of Fight-or-Flight Adaptive response to presence of physical danger Triggered by actual and perceive danger Alarm reaction: fight or flight Resistance: bodies habituate to specific stressors Exhaustion: despite attempts to cope stressors are prolonged, body wears out, stress-related symptoms win out Mastering Stress

18. Click to advance to next slide Understanding the causes of stress Unit One Assess your stress Activity Access the links below to take an online assessment that will help you determine your own level of stress. http://www.franklincovey.com/promotion/stressedout/# Stressed Out http://health.discovery.com/centers/stress/balancing/stress/assessment.html Balancing stress http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=WL00064 Work stress quiz from Mayo Clinic Mastering Stress

19. Click to advance to next slide Unit Two – Effects of Stress Mastering Stress

20. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Resistance to Stress Phase 1: Alarm Phase 2: Resistance Phase 3: Collapse Shock Mastering Stress

21. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two • Negative Physical Effects of Stress • Not a straight forward relationship • Prolonged stress weakens immune system • White blood cells migrate to bone marrow • Heart disease • Ulcers • Diabetes Mastering Stress

22. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two Negative Physical Effects of Stress Fact: Eighty percent of all visits to doctors’ offices are for stress-related disorders. Fact: Dentists report stress causes patients to grind their teeth during sleep Fact: Studies reveal that during exam weeks, students possess lower levels of salivary immunoglobulin - a defense against infections - studies also report that acne worsens when they are under stress Fact: Cholesterol levels in the bloodstream rise during periods of stress Fact: At least 50% of all deaths in US are caused by cardiovascular disease in which stress played a significant contributing role Fact: Most heart attacks occur around 9:00 am Monday mornings Mastering Stress

23. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two • Negative Psychological Consequences of Stress • Alters serotonin pathways – imbalances linked to depression and • aggression • Inhibits ability to relax • Major factor in development of anxiety, phobias, panic attacks • Obsessions • Compulsions • Post-traumatic stress disorder Mastering Stress

24. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two Negative Psychological Consequences of Stress Fact: Worldwide, depression, as the result of stress conditions, is the number one cause of disability (World Health Organization) Fact: More than 30 million Americans suffer from stress related insomnia Fact: Alcoholism is third major cause of death in U.S. Relief of stress and anxiety is one of the primary motives for the use and abuse of alcohol. Fact: Approximately 50 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. Experts report that stress is a major contributing factor to relationship conflicts. Mastering Stress

25. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two • Negative Occupational Consequences of Stress • Lack of concentration • Lower productivity • Increased frequency of mistakes on the job • Higher rate of on the job injuries • Higher rate of absenteeism • Irritability, conflict with co-workers and supervisors Mastering Stress

26. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two Negative Occupational Consequences of Stress Fact: U.S. businesses claim most industrial accidents are stress-related, over two million disabling injuries per year Fact: 80-90% of all business dismissals are linked to tension due to mental/physical problems Fact: 25% of people in the U.S. suffer from stress overload at work; 37% report daily job stress; 75% report significant stress at least once weekly (National Center for Health Statistics) Mastering Stress

27. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two Distress Related Conditions Activity Place a check by the following illnesses/disease that you have had in the last 12 months. ____ ulcers ____ insomnia/sleep disturbance ____ heart attack ____ frequent urination ____ stroke ____ loss of appetite ____ cancer ____ excessive appetite ____ high blood pressure ____ rashes ____ headaches ____ diabetes ____ colitis ____ chronic fatigue ____ spastic colon ____ infections ____ gastritis ____ allergies ____ chronic diarrhea ____ asthma ____ chronic constipation ____ fainting spells ____ queasiness ____ stuttering/speech difficulties ____ excessive perspiration ____ persistent or severe backaches ____ arthritis ____ colds, flu, viral and bacterial infections Is there a link between your lifestyle and/or stressors and any of these illnesses? Mastering Stress

28. Click to advance to next slide Effects of Stress Unit Two • Positive Stress • Alleviates boredom • Provides variety • Opportunity for change • Opportunity for personal growth • Sense of achievement, fulfillment, satisfaction, accomplishment, • Balance Fact: In one study, adult volunteers were placed in a completely stress-free environment (sightless, soundless, weightless, motionless liquid heated to body temperature). They soon manifested disturbances of mood, thought, and action. Most asked to be quickly released. Most people need an optimal level of change and stress in life to keep things interesting and worthwhile. Mastering Stress

29. Click to advance to next slide Unit Three – The Power of Choice Mastering Stress

30. Click to advance to next slide The Power of Choice Unit Three • Mind Body Connection • You have the ability to create dramatic positive outcomes • Mind and body are interconnected and interdependent • How you think and what you believe have a profound • impact on your health and ability to master your stress . • Take a moment to reflect on the statement below: • Your world is: • 10 percent what happens to you, and • 90 percent how you think about and then how you react to what happens to you Mastering Stress

31. Click to advance to next slide The Power of Choice Unit Three The Power of Your Mind • Activity • Rate yourself on how much you agree with each of the following statements: • Always Never • I see life as challenging but exciting. 5 4 3 2 1 • Change is positive for me; it leads me to greater personal growth. 5 4 3 2 1 • I concentrate on what I can change and then do it. 5 4 3 2 1 • I know I can influence the events taking place around me. 5 4 3 2 1 • I think about how I can turn situations to my advantage. 5 4 3 2 1 • Even though situations are tough, I know I can usually find some • way of feeling in control. 5 4 3 2 1 • I believe I am in control of my life. 5 4 3 2 1 • I accept that I am responsible for how I feel and what happens to me. 5 4 3 2 1 • I am hopeful about what lies in my future. 5 4 3 2 1 • I am aware of how much my mindtalk can make or break me. 5 4 3 2 1 . Mastering Stress

32. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress The Power of Choice Unit Three Barriers to Personal Power and Change • You can sabotage yourself with your thinking. • What you believe of yourself can help or hinder you in effectively • coping with stress. • Your thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and self-talk can empower you or be • excuses for not taking appropriate action . Activity Click on the link below to assess your “Self-Talk” Self-Talk

33. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress The Power of Choice Unit Three • Think Real • Stop kidding yourself!! • Your thoughts may have a tendency to be negative • Practice monitoring your thinking to get out of the negativity • Spend a few minutes each day writing in a journal • - List events you want to forget, but cannot • - Record your thoughts about each event, yourself, and others • - Challenge your thoughts through the mirror of reality: are • those thoughts the truth? Or don’t knows? • Remember that you cannot predict the future – nor can you control others • Remember that you are not a mind reader

34. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress The Power of Choice Unit Three Accept responsibility The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven out of Hell, or a hell of Heaven. - John Milton Avoid the easy trap of viewing everything “bad” that happens to you as someone else’s fault Accept responsibility for your own feelings Accept responsibility for your outlook on events that happen in your life Accept responsibility for your reactions

35. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Activity Click the link below to access the handout. Ever Have One of Those Days With your group, brainstorm how PT thinking might have changed the outcome of the day. The Power of Choice Unit Three Ever Have One of Those Days

36. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress The Power of Choice Unit Three • See Possibilities • How you feel is up to you • Do you see possibilities, even in events that look like • failures • Be aware of the strengths you possess • Be aware of the accomplishments you have achieved • Use your journal to do some soul-searching • - Honestly list everything you have going for yourself • - Remember every day the life events that you wish you could forget but • do not. Look at them objectively. What is the real truth about them? • Help yourself see possibilities by dreaming realistically about what you would like to accomplish each day….each month….each year • - Write your dreams down in the journal and review them frequently

37. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Activity • Access the handout Beliefs Inventory • Complete the inventory • Self-score the inventory, paying particular attention to the feedback on irrational ideas. • Complete the Irrational Ideas Homework. • What did you learn? What strategies will help you in the future? The Power of Choice Unit Three Mind Strategies Take control of your mind and what you think Make a choice to view your life in a way that is positive and in balance

38. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Activity: Handling Anger Access and read the Stress Coping Handout. The Power of Choice Unit Three Stress Coping

39. Click to advance to next slide Unit Four – Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Effective Communication in the Workplace

40. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Tools for Relaxation and Stress Reduction Breathing Techniques Visualization Meditation Quick exercises to relieve tension Nutrition, Exercise, and Time Management

41. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Breathing • Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing can • reduce muscle tension and anxiety • Close your eyes. Put your right hand on your abdomen, at the waistline. • Put your left hand on your chest at the center. • Notice how your are breathing. • Which hand rises the most as you inhale? • 5. If your abdomen expands, you are breathing from your abdomen. If your belly doesn’t move or moves less than your chest, you are breathing from your chest.

42. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Breathing Activity Access the audio for deep breathing exercises Access and practice the breathing exercises below. deep breathing exercises

43. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Visualization Loosen your clothing and lie or sit in a quiet place. Close your eyes. Scan your body, seeking tension in specific muscles. Relax those muscles as much as you can. Imagine a calm, beautiful scene in detail, smell the scents, hear the sounds. Repeat affirmative phrases such as "I feel peaceful." Before any high-pressure event, picture the scene. Then review what will happen in your mind, watching yourself deal confidently with the situation.

44. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Meditation Sitting comfortably upright, close your eyes and relax. Focus your mind on an object -- breathing out and in to the count of four, looking at an image such as a candle flame or flower, or repeating a word such as "peace" or "one" for 15 to 20 minutes. This induces deep physical relaxation and mental awareness. It is impossible to worry, fear, or hate when your mind is thinking about nothing other than the object you are focused on.

45. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Meditation Activity Access the audio for “special place” And ”relaxation place” Meditation Click here to access the script for “special place”

46. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Quick Exercises Mindfulness or active meditation Give all your attention to whatever you are doing, whether it is putting out the trash or eating dinner. Observe shapes, colors, textures, the movement of your body. Focus on the moment you are experiencing without worrying about the past or the future. .

47. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Quick Exercises Breath Counting (Five to Ten Minutes) Breathe deeply into your abdomen. Pause before you exhale. As you exhale, count “one” to yourself, and continue to inhale and exhale, counting with each exhale. Do sets of five. Gradually slow your breathing allowing your body to relax and your mind to calm.

48. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Quick Exercises Let Go of Tension Sit comfortably in chair with feet flat on the floor. Breathe deeply into your abdomen – saying “breathe in relaxation” Breathe out from the abdomen – saying “breathe out tension” As you inhale become aware of tension in your body As you exhale let go of the tension.

49. Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques Unit Four Other Stress Reduction Factors Nutrition Mood and Food Exercise Reduce stress with exercise Time Management Capturing the elusive thing called time

50. Mastering Stress Your Action Plan • Go for it! • Make your dreams into goals • Make your goals into realities • Be assertive rather than passive or aggressive • Enrich your life by taking small risks • Be empathetic and compassionate to others • - there is more power in love and cooperation than in hate and • dominance Click to advance to next slide