‘thhe 45 essential strategies for stress relief!’ · ‘thhe 45 essential strategies for stress...

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by

Carole Spiers MIHPE MISMA World Authority on Corporate Stress

Carole Spiers Group

International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy

www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

‘‘TThhee 4455 EEsssseennttiiaall SSttrraatteeggiieess

ffoorr SSttrreessss RReelliieeff!!’’

© Carole Spiers Group - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk 2011 of 17

Lighten up

Turn those dark thoughts

into sunny days. Always look on the bright side of life.

Laugh your stress away

Watch a funny video, read a light-hearted book or speak to

someone a friend who makes you laugh.

Establish a balance

Realise most events in your

life will fall somewhere

between very positive and very negative – find your

personal balance.

Surprise a friend or loved one

Take home a bunch of flowers, write

a send a ‘thinking of you’ text

sage, message or just make a phone call to let someone know you care.


Think positively

Write your problems down on paper and deal with them one

by one.

Make every day special

Have fun!! Don’t take life

too seriously. Enjoy today as

if it was your last.

Try to be upbeat

Even when things go wrong, try to take away some

learning and look on the bright side.

Dial a friend

Make an effort to overcome sadness and loneliness.

Isolation can cause loss of

confidence and leave you unable to cope with your

stress, making you more

vulnerable to sickness.


Keep anger in check

Try and deal with your anger.

It can be a major factor in causing a heart attack!

Shake a leg

Exercise is great for beating

stress. Do some stretching and breathing exercises

every day.

Have a ‘happy memories’ file

Gather together favourite

pictures, stories, quotations

and jokes that make you laugh or smile.

Grab some zzzzzzzs

Lack of sleep leaves you moody, angry and depressed. A good night’s sleep is

essential to help you

recharge your batteries.


Don’t beat yourself up

Accept that mishaps are routine and

normal in everybody’s life. Develop a more positive outlook on life. Don’t

blame yourself for everything that

goes wrong.

Mix with fun people

Spend time with friends who are

naturally optimistic and have high

self-esteem. They are likely to have lower stress levels.

Take a break

Give yourself a treat. Go shopping, or do

something that you really enjoy. It can

leave you feeling good for days

afterwards.

Take care of your spirit

It may mean no more than

taking a walk in the country or just quiet, reflective time out of your day to contemplate something more than

life’s everyday problems.


Chill out

After a long day at work, go home

and take a bath. Light some candles, put some essential oils in the water

and just lay back and enjoy.

Get a pet

Animals are a man’s best friend!

A pet can play a vital role in stress

relief. Just watching or stroking it can be very relaxing.

Don’t overspend

Think before you buy! Being in

debt is a sure-fire way to increase your stress levels!

Plan a vacation

Take regular breaks and some time

out. Don’t just save up your holiday for a two week break – plan some short

breaks as well.


Create a diversion Indulging in a hobby or sport

that you really enjoy is a great way

to get away from it all and forget all

your troubles. Pure escapism!

Yes…No…Maybe

Dithering makes you less efficient, causing more stress by creating

stress-building feelings of guilt, anger

and low self-esteem. Stress gets worse, the more you procrastinate!

Write it down!

Have a ‘to do’ list. Review it daily.

Relieve stress by thinking about

the task in hand and not overloading your brain with unnecessary thoughts.

Eat, drink but don’t get too merry!

Food and drink can help to relieve

stress. However, remember a glass of wine may relax you but too many will

only make your problems worse.


De-clutter your life

If you are surrounded by chaos, establish a routine

and spend some time getting

rid of clutter. Free up space in your mind and free up your life.

Work-out not wear-out

Get physical but choose an activity you enjoy or it won’t stand the test of

time. Work out or walk out, swim or

ride a bicycle. Exercise will help you

protect yourself against the physical effects of stress.

Eat your way to contentment

Eat at regular times, avoiding sugar

and fats. If you are stressed out,

try foods low in fat and protein

and high in complex carbohydrates. Try and eat your meals with friends

and family.

Relax your mind – meditate

Find a quiet place to be alone. Sit

very still and count your breaths,

keeping them slow and natural. Try counting to 10, over and over. This

will slow down the mind and relax

the body.


Let off steam

Trainers are all you need! Find a steep hill and start walking slowly to warm up and then gradually quicken the pace. After 10

minutes you should be gently perspiring.

Swing your arms and get your whole body moving. After 15 minutes head back at a

comfortable walking pace. Work that stress

out of your system!

Modify your thoughts

Replace your negative thoughts with ‘stress-busting’

actions.

…and at work

How comfortable is your chair?

Muscular tension can be caused by

uncomfortable furniture or bad use

of good furniture. This can give you

backache. When working at a computer make sure that the monitor and

keyboard are correctly positioned.

Take regular breaks to help prevent headaches and eyestrain.


Take humour to the office

Create a ‘humour break’. Share

stories, news clippings and books that make you laugh,

with your colleagues.

Learn the art of delegation

If you do not learn to delegate you

will become overloaded with unfinished tasks, making you stressed,

less productive and isolated by your

over-the-top expectations. Give clear

instructions for what is to be done and make sure all your team knows who is doing what.

Give praise and thanks

Giving positive feedback for a job well done will not only make the person you

are praising feel good, it will make you

feel good too!

Stressful meeting technique

When you are in a stressful

meeting and the temperature

is rising, suggest a short break and take in some deep breaths of

fresh air before reconvening.


Be decisive

Being decisive means being in control

and therefore alleviating stress.

Assert yourself

Express your feelings, disagree with

others when you feel differently, and give, as well as accept, compliments.

Remember, be assertive not aggressive!

De-clutter your desk

If you work in a mess of clutter and

dirty coffee cups then clean up your act!

act, as this can cause unnecessary stress. Disorganised surroundings

usually means a disorganised life.

Find an oasis of calm

Use meeting rooms separate from

the main work area if you need to concentrate or meditate.


Organise

Chunk your time into 2-hour

blocks

.

Don’t become a servant to email

• Exit email when focusing on a specific piece of work

• Turn off all alerts for the arrival of new

messages

• Dont use email outside certain working hours

• Tackle email in targeted bouts

• Use rules to send newsletters and alerts directly to folders for reading in quiet moments.

Find time for yourself

Put 20 minutes ‘me time’ into your diary

Be punctual without stress Allow extra time for commuting

+ 30 minutes


Do have fun Have ‘one arrangement free’

weekend every month

Be strong Learn to say ‘no’ to

unreasonable demands


StressStressStressStress----Management Training, Workplace CounsellingManagement Training, Workplace CounsellingManagement Training, Workplace CounsellingManagement Training, Workplace Counselling

And Consultancy at the Service oAnd Consultancy at the Service oAnd Consultancy at the Service oAnd Consultancy at the Service of Top Corporationsf Top Corporationsf Top Corporationsf Top Corporations ‘Our mission is to empower organisations to achieve sustainable success through a

healthy corporate culture’ Carole Spiers

Established in 1987, the Carole Spiers Group (CSG) has established a valuable niche in the field of workplace stress management, working with equal success in the contrasting cultures of the UK and the Middle East. Through its cutting-edge programmes, CSG has delivered proven benefits to clients around the world including names such as Accenture, Al Habib [Oman], ADMA [Abu Dhabi], College of the North Atlantic [Qatar], Debenhams, Dubai Cables, Etisalat [Dubai], Kanoo Group [ME], London Underground, Panasonic, Phoenix Pharmaceutical [Germany], Tecom [Dubai], WH Smiths and many others.

With a network of professional consultants, trainers and a nationwide Employee Counselling team, CSG are uniquely equipped to advise professionally on both the human and the legal aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, organisational change, violence, post-trauma and absenteeism.

Training Courses, Coaching and Employee Counselling Service

• Specialist stress management courses, individual coaching for all employees

• Professional counselling for stressed employees and post-trauma cases

• Demonstrating ways to de-fuse a crisis by eliminating stressor-elements

• Reading whole workplace situations, through experience on blue-chip business

Media Commentator, Columnist and International Moti vational Speaker CSG are regularly called for professional comment by the BBC, Sky, CNN and other media as well as being a regular contributor to the UK national press e.g. Guardian, Financial Times, The Times, Observer, trade press and professional journals. Carole Spiers is a weekly columnist for Gulf News (Dubai) on managing corporate stress and human resources issues and is the author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ – industry’s bible on stress management published by LexisNexisUK. She is an Expert Witness before the UK Courts and launched National Stress Awareness Day on behalf of the International Stress Management AssociationUK of which is she is a Vice-President. Carole is also the Past President of the London Chapter of the Professional Speaking Association.


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‘COOL IT…! Anger Management & Conflict Resolution’

Unless properly managed, anger and conflict in the workplace can lead to untold damage to both the organisation and the individuals involved. Anger, violence and aggression are the antithesis of creativity, productivity and respect. Use this trainer tool-kit to help to minimise the former - and maximise the latter. ‘HURRY….HURRY….Every Second Counts!’

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Get to know the basics of stress control now with this introductory pocket manual – ideal for distributing to your management, handing out at seminars or including in delegate packs – and with customised elements and branding if you prefer. User-friendly listings and diagrams will give your staff an introductory overview of a complex subject – clearly itemising the roots of stress, helping you to spot problems early, and giving you the opportunity to adopt a proven strategy for solving them as part of your corporate anti-stress policy. All products are available at http://tinyurl.com/29mnnm Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 20 8954 1593


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TOLLEY'S 'MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE' by Carole Spiers .

Comprehensive Bible for Managers, Health & Safety, Personnel and Occupational Health Advisors. Right now, this is all you need for in-depth specialist knowledge of stress.

‘TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF DRIVING’ This e book contains advice for both drivers and their passengers. It is intended as a constructive tool to help make journeys less stressful.

♦ Use it before and after a journey as a reminder of key ♦ SAFE driving points.

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The Silent Scream

By Carole Spiers

‘THE SILENT SCREAM’ - Coping with the short and long -term effects of trauma.

Defining Trauma and diagnosing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treating the physical, mental and behavioural symptoms of PTSD. Seeking professional help and building up your support network.

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‘What To SayWhen

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In this workbook, you will get proven tips, tools and tactics to improve your communication skills.

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‘MANAGE YOUR PRESS URE EFFECTIVELY BEFORE IT TURNS TO STRESS!’

Hear Carole on this audio CD and learn how to wrestle it down, gain control of your day, and live the ‘work hard, play hard’ life others only talk about.

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Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 20 8954 1593


Continue Where This e-Book Leaves Off! Get deeper into stress reduction – with CSG’s selective catalogue of Special Reports, Trainer packs, Manuals, CDs and Audio by Carole Spiers, Leading International Authority on Corporate Stress. Visit our ecommerce site www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk for the definitive solutions to stress management.

‘The 45 Essential Strategies for Stress Relief’ is just one E-Book out of a series, so please contact us for details of our other titles. Email: [email protected] Sign up here to read Carole’s weekly Gulf News column: http://bit.ly/Tqg7T

or for more information on CSG’s in-house Stress Management Training, Nationwide Employee Counselling Team, Workplace Bullying, Post Trauma Support, Mediation, Coaching and Mentoring Services, please contact us at:

Carole Spiers Group

International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore, Middx. HA7 3QR. UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8954 1593 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 8420 7618 Email: [email protected] Website: www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

‘thhe 45 essential strategies for stress relief!’ · ‘thhe 45 essential strategies for stress...

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