What is stressWhat is stress? ? Stress is the tension you feelStress is the tension you feel

when there are more demandswhen there are more demands

than you afford. These pressuresthan you afford. These pressures

maybe from your relationships,maybe from your relationships,

work, home or other. work, home or other.

Why be concerned about Why be concerned about stressstress??

Stress can prevent you from reaching Stress can prevent you from reaching personal & professional goals.personal & professional goals.

Damage relationshipsDamage relationships Reduce productivityReduce productivity Affect healthAffect health Drain energyDrain energy

Types of stressTypes of stress

Eustress:Eustress:

good stress or healthy stress that good stress or healthy stress that energize to win a competition, energize to win a competition, increase performance, fire-up increase performance, fire-up successsuccess

Types of stressTypes of stress

Distress:Distress:

acute stress acute stress (appears during or after (appears during or after the the event is over) event is over)

chronic stress chronic stress (lasts for a long instance)(lasts for a long instance)

The downside of stress is that too much can The downside of stress is that too much can lead to early burnout & too little cause lead to early burnout & too little cause people to under producepeople to under produce

eustresseustress

It is the dynamic power of worryIt is the dynamic power of worry Worry is our natural defense to a Worry is our natural defense to a

threatening situation, helping us to threatening situation, helping us to react quickly & effectively.react quickly & effectively.

Eustress energize you toEustress energize you to::

Meet critical deadlinesMeet critical deadlines Present an exciting proposalPresent an exciting proposal Solve new problemsSolve new problems Feel in controlFeel in control Contribute to a team effortContribute to a team effort Learn new skillsLearn new skills Start a new jobStart a new job Deal with a crisisDeal with a crisis

The basic equation of worryThe basic equation of worry

Increased vulnerability +decreased Increased vulnerability +decreased power=power=

increased worryincreased worry ((which hinders you from making which hinders you from making

rational decisions & taking positive rational decisions & taking positive actions to resolve problems)actions to resolve problems)

Increased vulnerabilityIncreased vulnerability

Causes you to exaggerateCauses you to exaggerate

danger, so that a small danger, so that a small

problem becomes aproblem becomes a

huge nightmare.huge nightmare.

A feeling of decreased A feeling of decreased powerpower

Causes you to underestimateCauses you to underestimate

or forget the power you or forget the power you

have to combat danger.have to combat danger.

What causes stressWhat causes stress??

1.1. Changes in work placeChanges in work place

2.2. Unhealthy work environmentUnhealthy work environment

3.3. Individual responsesIndividual responses

Changes in work placeChanges in work place

Change of job, assignment or teamChange of job, assignment or team Change in job securityChange in job security Change in workloadChange in workload Change in payChange in pay

What makes work environment What makes work environment unhealthyunhealthy? ?

Workaholic office cultureWorkaholic office culture Difficult supervisorDifficult supervisor Negative coworkersNegative coworkers Work overloadWork overload

Individual responsesIndividual responses

Loss of collegial communityLoss of collegial community Fear of failureFear of failure Job burnoutJob burnout Low self-esteemLow self-esteem Lack of trustLack of trust

What does stress do to What does stress do to youyou? ?

Stress can affect youStress can affect you::

PhysicallyPhysically EmotionallyEmotionally BehaviorallyBehaviorally mentallymentally

physicallyphysically

emotionallyemotionally

Irritability & impatienceIrritability & impatience DepressionDepression Low self-esteemLow self-esteem Loss of interestLoss of interest

behaviorallybehaviorally

Changes in eating habitsChanges in eating habits Increased smokingIncreased smoking RestlessnessRestlessness Aggressive drivingAggressive driving Teeth grindingTeeth grinding Nail bitingNail biting

mentallymentally

Diminished sense of humorDiminished sense of humor Tendency to forgetTendency to forget Blank mindBlank mind IndecisivenessIndecisiveness Resisting changeResisting change Declining productivityDeclining productivity

How can I eliminate stress How can I eliminate stress from my lifefrom my life??

Taking chargeTaking charge

1.1. Reverse the basic equation of worryReverse the basic equation of worry

2.2. Turning worry into actionTurning worry into action

3.3. Connection approachConnection approach

4.4. Tune in yourself talkTune in yourself talk

5.5. Let your body helpLet your body help

11--reverse the basic equation of reverse the basic equation of worryworry

Decreased vulnerability+ increased Decreased vulnerability+ increased power=power=

decreased stressdecreased stress

To perceive the problem more clearlyTo perceive the problem more clearly To discover positive actionsTo discover positive actions To diminish the worry interfering with To diminish the worry interfering with

your ability to function effectivelyyour ability to function effectively

Take the four step approachTake the four step approach

Stop (block –ve messages)

Breath (focus your stress in a different way)

Reflect (focus on the real problem)

Choose (find real solutions & identify your options)

22--turning worry into actionturning worry into action

1.1. EvaluateEvaluate

2.2. PlanPlan

3.3. remediateremediate

11--evaluateevaluate

Name the problem (identification)Name the problem (identification) Ask yourselfAsk yourself

* * taketake on too much responsibilities ? on too much responsibilities ?

* * findfind it difficult to balance work life issues ? it difficult to balance work life issues ?

* * work work in the wrong job ?in the wrong job ?

* * have have problems with colleagues/supervisor ?problems with colleagues/supervisor ?

* * procrastinate procrastinate when a deadline looms ?when a deadline looms ?

Think constructively about the Think constructively about the problemproblem

(step back & watch yourself)(step back & watch yourself)

* examine your automatic thoughts* examine your automatic thoughts

* correct errors in logic* correct errors in logic

* develop alternatives hypotheses* develop alternatives hypotheses

* revise your fundamental * revise your fundamental assumptionsassumptions

about yourself & your workabout yourself & your work

* never worry alone* never worry alone

22--planplan

structure your lifestructure your life; ;

a mind cluttered with “what-if” possibilities can a mind cluttered with “what-if” possibilities can hide thehide the

“ “that-is” realitythat-is” reality Ways to Ways to structure your spacestructure your space::

* organize your desk* organize your desk

* use colored file folders with clear label* use colored file folders with clear label

* put your keys in the same spot every day* put your keys in the same spot every day

* organize your PC desktop & mailbox * organize your PC desktop & mailbox Structure your timeStructure your time

33--remediateremediate

Take direct actionsTake direct actions Let it goLet it go

* what does letting go mean ?* what does letting go mean ?

* how can you let go ?* how can you let go ?

The connection approachThe connection approach

To reduce the sense of vulnerabilityTo reduce the sense of vulnerability Connectedness is feeling that you Connectedness is feeling that you

are a part of something larger than are a part of something larger than yourselfyourself

Time, pressure, competition & Time, pressure, competition & isolation keep employees contributed isolation keep employees contributed to toxic worry, increased stress & to toxic worry, increased stress & disconnectiondisconnection

Power of connectednessPower of connectedness

ToTo produce a sense of community in produce a sense of community in the work place that is essential for the work place that is essential for the well being & productivity.the well being & productivity.

Connectedness to colleaguesConnectedness to colleagues Connectedness to a missionConnectedness to a mission Reassurance as a bandageReassurance as a bandage * getting reassurance* getting reassurance * giving reassurance* giving reassurance

Power of connectednessPower of connectedness

Venting as reliefVenting as relief * allow to unburden the problem* allow to unburden the problem * to ease your mind* to ease your mind * renew your energy to deal with * renew your energy to deal with problems as neededproblems as needed Be sure to vent to the right person; Be sure to vent to the right person;

you need someone who will listen & you need someone who will listen & sympathizesympathize

33--tune in yourself-talktune in yourself-talk

Self-talk; Self-talk; Connecting with yourselfConnecting with yourself Be aware from the power of negative Be aware from the power of negative

self-talk (messages or labeling)self-talk (messages or labeling) Identify your automatic thoughtsIdentify your automatic thoughts Identify the common mind traps that Identify the common mind traps that

your automatic thoughts fall intoyour automatic thoughts fall into Challenge self-talk distortions Challenge self-talk distortions

Mind TrapsMind TrapsWhat They AreWhat They Are

““Should” Should” statementsstatements

““I should do this. I must do that .”You motivate I should do this. I must do that .”You motivate yourself with should and then feel guiltyyourself with should and then feel guilty..

All-or-nothing All-or-nothing thinkingthinking

““One mistake ,and total failure will result." You see One mistake ,and total failure will result." You see things in extremes of black or white, all good or all things in extremes of black or white, all good or all

badbad

OvergeneralizatiOvergeneralizationon

““This always happens." You set a pattern of This always happens." You set a pattern of inevitability to an event that happens once or twiceinevitability to an event that happens once or twice. .

Mental filteringMental filtering““this one mistake ruins everything." You see only the this one mistake ruins everything." You see only the negative side of the event and ignore the positive negative side of the event and ignore the positive

oneone. .

Rejecting Rejecting Positive ExpPositive Exp..

““the team complimented my work just to be polite." the team complimented my work just to be polite." you accept only the negative messagesyou accept only the negative messages..

Jumping to Jumping to conclusionsconclusions

““Our department is being restructured. I know I’ll be Our department is being restructured. I know I’ll be fired." without bothering to get the facts, you assume fired." without bothering to get the facts, you assume

the worstthe worst . .

Emotional Emotional reasoningreasoning

““I feel like a loser, so I must be a loser." You assume I feel like a loser, so I must be a loser." You assume your negative feelings represent realityyour negative feelings represent reality..

LabelingLabeling““I am so stupid and irresponsible to be late for that I am so stupid and irresponsible to be late for that meeting!" You label yourself negativelymeeting!" You label yourself negatively..

PersonalizationPersonalization ““The proposal was rejected because I was on the The proposal was rejected because I was on the team.” You assign cause and blame yourself team.” You assign cause and blame yourself

inappropriatelyinappropriately..

Mind TrapsMind TrapsWhat they areWhat they are

““Should” Should” statementsstatements

Use the verb ”want” instead of "should” Give yourself Use the verb ”want” instead of "should” Give yourself some flexibility in deciding what you want to dosome flexibility in deciding what you want to do

All-or-nothing All-or-nothing thinkingthinking

Don’t make black or white judgment. Think of the in-Don’t make black or white judgment. Think of the in-between points or percentages( 40% or 75% )between points or percentages( 40% or 75% )..

OvergeneralizatOvergeneralizati_onsi_ons

Examine the evidence. Is something always true? Or Examine the evidence. Is something always true? Or has it happened 2 times out of the past fivehas it happened 2 times out of the past five? ?

Mental filteringMental filteringLook for the positive side as well as the negative. Look for the positive side as well as the negative. Focus on solving the problemFocus on solving the problem..

Rejecting Rejecting Positive ExpPositive Exp..

Acknowledge and accept the reality of positive Acknowledge and accept the reality of positive experiences or eventsexperiences or events..

Jumping to Jumping to conclusionsconclusions

Get the facts first. See if the evidence supports your Get the facts first. See if the evidence supports your conclusionconclusion..

Emotional Emotional reasoningreasoning

Step away from just your emotions, and try to look at Step away from just your emotions, and try to look at yourself as others see youyourself as others see you..

LabelingLabelingDescribe the behavior, not yourself. If you make a Describe the behavior, not yourself. If you make a mistake acknowledge the mistake; don't blame mistake acknowledge the mistake; don't blame

yourselfyourself..

PersonalizationPersonalization Make yourself prove that you are responsible for the Make yourself prove that you are responsible for the situation. What is the evidencesituation. What is the evidence? ?

Choose positive self talkChoose positive self talk

Reframe the way you perceive Reframe the way you perceive eventsevents

Affirm yourselfAffirm yourself

44--let your body helplet your body help

Even if you can’t eliminate the stress Even if you can’t eliminate the stress causing situation, you can choose to causing situation, you can choose to reduce the effect stress has on your reduce the effect stress has on your body.body.

let your body helplet your body help

Exercise, exercise, exerciseExercise, exercise, exercise

* reduce tension* reduce tension

* easing aggression & frustration* easing aggression & frustration

* improving sleep* improving sleep

* aiding concentration* aiding concentration

* increase sense of well-being* increase sense of well-being

let your body helplet your body help

Eat healthfullyEat healthfully Sleep restfullySleep restfully Relax & breathRelax & breath

Practice good stress habitsPractice good stress habits

Ask yourself why am I doing this ?Ask yourself why am I doing this ? Avoid stress stimulantsAvoid stress stimulants Enjoy humor Enjoy humor Take a breakTake a break