mastering stress. training agenda learning objectives introduction understanding the causes of...

Mastering Stress

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 StressClick to advance to next slide

Learning Objectives

After completing this workshop presentation, you will be able to:

1. Develop an understanding of the demands of under- and over-stimulation

2. Acquire knowledge of the damaging effects of stress

3. Learn how the mind and body interact and how to recognize the signs of tension

4. Use several techniques to manage and/or lower stress

5. Practice reframing strategies for shifting your frame of reference

Click to advance to next slide Mastering Stress

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.


Unit One – Understanding the causes of stress


Stress Mastery is about finding balance

Understanding the causes of stressUnit One


Who said this:

“You can’t teach a person anything, you can only help them find it within themselves.”

“Most folks are about as happy as the choose to be.”

“Most folks are about as stressed out as they choose to be.”

Galileo

Lincoln

Dr. Phil

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!

Dr. Hans Selye, the “father” of stress research:Make the distinction between harmful and beneficial

stress

Understanding the causes of stress

Harmful stress

• Helplessness• Frustration• Disappointment• Panic• Physical & psychological

damage

Beneficial stress

• Achievement• Satisfaction• Fulfillment• Meaning• Balance• Emotional & psychological

health

Unit One


FACT: You actually need moderate stress to stay alert and perform.

Four basic sources of stress


1. Environmentweather, noise, traffic, pollution

2. Socialdeadlines, financial, job, demands for time, relationships

3. Physiologicalaging, illness, injuries, exercise, nutrition, sleep, physical reactionsto stressors

4. Your thinkingyour interpretations of events and experience

Unit One


Identifying sources of stress in the workplace



ActivityTake a moment to reflect on sources of stress in theworkplace for yourself and your co-workers. List threecauses – 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)

Reactions to stress


Psychological and physical

Unit One


Brain interprets the environment

Threat determined

No Threat determined

Little or no physiological response

Fight or Flight

response

Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Physical Symptoms


• Light head

• Dilated pupils

• Tense neck and shoulders

• Fast and shallow breathing

• Queasy stomach

• Sweating

Unit One


• “Cotton” mouth

• Tight throat

• Pounding heart

• Clammy, cold hands

• Weak knees

What other symptoms do you experience?

Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Psychological Symptoms


• High-pitched nervous laughter

• Feeling of dissatisfaction

• Irritability

• Poor Concentration

• Accident-prone

• Overpowering urge to cry, run, or hide

• Tendency to be easily startled

Unit One


• Apathy

• Repression

• Withdrawal

• Forgetfulness

• Anxiety

• Emotional tension – keyed up or hyper

• Nightmares


Time Dependent Stress StagesUnit One


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.

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.)

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.

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

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.htmlBalancing stress

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=WL00064Work stress quiz from Mayo Clinic

Unit One Understanding the causes of stress


Unit Two – Effects of Stress


Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Effects of StressUnit Two


Phase 1: Alarm Phase 2: Resistance Phase 3: Collapse

Shock

Resistance to S

tress

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



Negative Physical Effects of Stress

Fact: Eighty percent of all visits to doctors’ offices are for stress-related disorders.



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

Fact: Cholesterol levels in the bloodstream rise during periods of stress

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

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



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.

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



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)

Distress Related Conditions

ActivityPlace 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?

Unit Two Effects of Stress


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.

Unit Three – The Power of Choice

Mastering StressClick to advance to next slide

The Power of Choice

.

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

Unit Three


Take a moment to reflect on the statement below:

Your world is:10 percent what happens to you, and90 percent how you think about and then how you react to what happens to you

The Power of Choice

.

The Power of Your Mind

Unit Three


ActivityRate yourself on how much you agree with each of the following statements:

Always Never

1. I see life as challenging but exciting. 5 4 3 2

1

2. Change is positive for me; it leads me to greater personal growth. 5 4 3 2

1

3. I concentrate on what I can change and then do it. 5 4 3 2

1

4. I know I can influence the events taking place around me. 5 4 3 2

1

5. I think about how I can turn situations to my advantage. 5 4 3 2

1

6. Even though situations are tough, I know I can usually find some

way of feeling in control. 5 4 3 2

1

7. I believe I am in control of my life. 5 4 3 2

1

8. I accept that I am responsible for how I feel and what happens to me. 5 4 3 2

1

9. I am hopeful about what lies in my future. 5 4 3 2 1

10. I am aware of how much my mindtalk can make or break me. 5 4 3 2

1

Mastering Stress

Barriers to Personal Power and Change

ActivityClick on the link below to assess your “Self-Talk”

Self-Talk

Unit Three The Power of Choice

.

Click to advance to next slide

• 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

Mastering Stress

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



Mastering Stress

Accept responsibility

The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven outof 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

Mastering Stress

Ever Have One of Those DaysUnit Three The Power of Choice


ActivityClick 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.

Mastering Stress

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



Mastering Stress

Mind Strategies

Take control of your mind and what you thinkMake a choice to view your life in a way that is positive and in balance



Activity 1. Access the handout Beliefs Inventory

2. Complete the inventory

3. Self-score the inventory, paying particular attention to the feedback on irrational ideas.

4. Complete the Irrational Ideas Homework.

5. What did you learn? What strategies will help you in the future?

Mastering Stress

Stress CopingUnit Three The Power of Choice


Activity: Handling Anger

Access and read the Stress Coping Handout.

Unit Four – Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques

Effective Communication in the WorkplaceClick to advance to next slide

Mastering Stress

Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques


Tools for Relaxation and Stress Reduction

Breathing Techniques

Visualization

Meditation

Quick exercises to relieve tension

Nutrition, Exercise, and Time Management

Mastering Stress



BreathingAbdominal or diaphragmatic breathing canreduce muscle tension and anxiety 1. Close your eyes. Put your right hand on your

abdomen, at the waistline.

2. Put your left hand on your chest at the center.

3. Notice how your are breathing.

4. 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.

Mastering Stress



Breathing

ActivityAccess the audio for

deep breathing exercises

Access and practice the

breathing exercises below.

deep breathing exercises

Mastering Stress



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.

Mastering Stress



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.

Mastering Stress



Meditation

ActivityAccess the audio for “special place”

And ”relaxation place” Meditation

Click here to access the script for “special

place”

Mastering Stress



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.

.

Mastering Stress



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.

Mastering Stress



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.

Mastering Stress



Other Stress Reduction Factors

NutritionMood and Food

ExerciseReduce stress with exercise

Time ManagementCapturing the elusive thing called time

Mastering Stress

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

Your Action Plan


Mastering Stress

Bibliograhy

Abascal, J. R., Brucato and D., Brucato, L. (2001). Stress mastery: The art of coping gracefully. NJ: Prentice Hall.

Charlesworth, E. A. and Nathan, R. G. (2004). Stress management. NY: Ballantine.

Boenisch, E. and Haney, C. M. (1996). The stress owner’s manual. CA: Impact Publishers.

Davidson, J. (2002). Managing your time. IN: Alpha.

Davis, M., Eshelman, E. R., and McKay, M. (2000). The relaxation and stress reduction workbook (5th edition). CA: Publishers Group West.


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