From stressing to thriving presentation

Managing Stress

Suzanne Hazelton

FromStressing to Thriving

© 2013 Suzanne Hazelton

Suzanne Hazeltonworking with leaders and teams to THRIVE!

From Stressing to Thriving


MSc. Applied Positive Psychology 2012Transactional Analysis (2 years) 2008Firo-B 2007IBM Certified Learning Professional 2007Transactional Analysis 101 2006NLP Master Practitioner 2005MBTI Practitioner 2005Train the Trainer 2004NLP Certified Practitioner 2003IBM Senior IT Specialist Profession 2003NLP Diploma 2002Professional Cert in Management 2002Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer 1998Microsoft Certified Professional 1997BSc (Hons) Industrial & Business Systems1994

Suzanne’s toolkit

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From stressing to thriving

Stressed ‘Just ok’ Thriving


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Agenda

• The impact of stress in the workplace• Understand causes of stress at work• “good stress / bad stress”• Recognise physical & behavioural symptoms of

stress in self and others• Recognise your stress triggers• Learn techniques to reduce your stress & create a

resourceful state• Tools to thrive


Stress impacts the individual & the organisation

Individual

Team

Departments

Organisations

Problems of stress

• Less reasoning capacity (IQ drops by 10)• Becomes adversarial• Stops us listening• Precludes joint solutions• Time & energy• Stops creativity and innovation

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Stress Related Spiral

(Perceived) pressures and conflicts

Existing coping tactics failAnxiety over loss of controlTension

Concentration difficultiesCutting back on free timeDisturbed sleepTired

SuspiciousIndecisivenessHostile Time mismanaged

All means of relaxation lostPerformance declineDespair

ILLNESS

11© 2013 Suzanne Hazelton

In pairs: How is stress impacting

you?

Stress Exposed: uncomfortable truths

1. The causes of stress will not disappear

2. Working harder when stressed doesn’t help

3. Doing more of the same is futile

4. Pressure related discomfort is normal

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#1 - Sources of stress will not disappear

YouPersonality

Tolerance for ambiguityAbility to cope with change

Motivation

Intrinsic to job• Too much / Too little work• Poor physical working conditions• Time pressures etc

Role in organisation• Role conflict / ambiguity• Responsibility for people• No participation in decision making

etcCareer Development• Over promotion• Under promotion• Lack of job security• Thwarted ambition etc Relations within organisation

• Poor relations with boss• Poor relations with colleagues &• Subordinates• Difficulties in delegating

responsibility

Being in the organisation• Lack of effective consultation• Restriction on behaviour• Office politics etc

Organisation interface with outside• Company vs Family demands• Company vs Own interests etc

#2 – Working harder when stressed doesn’t help

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#3 - More of the same is futile

#4 - We grow when we’re outside of our comfort zone

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Agenda


stress in self and others• Recognise your stress triggers• Learn techniques to reduce your stress & create a

resourceful state• Tools to thrive



Your stress indicators …

• Identify your stress indicators ….. can’t find any you recognise? …. perhaps you might add “denial”

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Physical & Behavioural Symptoms of Stress

• Personalising everything • All-or-nothing thinking • Catastrophising • Mind reading• Jumping to conclusions • Magnifying everything • Minimising everything• Emotional rigidity (if I feel it, it must be true)• Terminal uniqueness (I’m so special; rules don’t

apply to me)• “It’s just my personality: it’s just how I am”• Sour grapes• Flooding others with information to prove a

point• Wanting to be right• Wanting the last word• Endless explaining and rationalizing• Saying ‘poor me• Obsessive thinking

• Sudden drop in IQ• Desperately wanting to make your point • High charge or energy in the body• Tension in neck/shoulders• Talking fast• Clenching fist• Fast breathing/heartbeat• Cold, clammy skin• Hot, sweaty skin• Tightness across chest• Tight stomach • Becoming physically immobile• Inappropriate laughter or giggling• Becoming addicted to alcohol, drugs, people,

shopping, working, gambling, chocolate, workshops

Physical & Behavioural Symptoms of Stress (continued …)

• Holding on to your position • Racing mind• Feeling unacknowledged• Want to avoid certain topics• Can’t focus on what people are saying• Feeling irritated• Losing your sense of humour• Feeling confused• Withdrawing• Not wanting to probe or look for causes • Wanting to blame• Wanting to pacify• Feeling you’re not to blame• Trying to solve everything with logic• Flare up or take offence• Don’t want to negotiate• Becoming indignant when challenged• Feeling that no one understands you• Taking offence

• ’Teaching or preaching’• Becoming rigid in thinking• Denial• Withdrawal into deadly silence• Cynicism • Sarcasm• Making fun of others• Being highly critical• Sudden onset of illness or accident• Confusion• Suddenly tired or sleepy• Intellectualising• Shallow breathing • Eccentricity • Being too nice • Selective deafness• Attacking (the best defence is a good

offence) • Holding a grudge• Trivialising with humour


What works in reducing your

stress?


So, I notice I’m getting stressed …. what then?

• What will you do next time you notice your signs of stress?– There are some suggestions and you may

have others.

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Developing Your Early Warning System

Your top 3

What can you do when you notice?

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Agenda


stress in self and others• Recognise your stress triggers• Learn techniques to reduce your stress & create

a resourceful state• Tools to thrive


From stressed to thriving – what works?

1. Develop coping skills2. Discover the secret behind positive emotions– Unlink work from how you feel– Micro rests

Emotion

ProblemThinking

Stress & Coping

*http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/furtheradvice/wrs.htm

Seven benefits of Positive Emotions

• Health• Moods go viral• Builds resilience • Opportunity magnet• Create positive memories

Broaden thinking – noticing opportunities • Build high performing teams

It takes sunshine and rain to make a rainbow

Negative has more impact than positive

Balance of negative and positive

3 positive for every negative


What can you do to build your reservoir of

positive emotions?

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Positive Emotion

Balanced time

perspectives

Acts of Kindness Gratitude

Savouring

Strengths


Recovery betweenpoints

HeartMath Breathing

www.heartmath.com

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Slow your breathing down for 90 seconds

• Breathe out for a count of 5 …..• …. in for 5 …..• repeat

www.heartmath.com

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“As long as you live, keep learning how to live” ~ Seneca

Managing Stress

Suzanne Hazelton

FromStressing to Thriving

THANK YOU


Suzanne Hazelton’s contact details

• Email: [email protected]

• Twitter: @SuzanneHazelton

Suzanne is a leadership coach, working with individuals and teams to THRIVE! A positive psychologist, coach and trainer – she’s worked with thousands of people. She’s the author of not just one, but two books: Raise Your Game, and Great Days at Work (Kogan Page). She’s a contributing author to a third: Entrepreneurs Succeed With Us. She works with a range of clients on people & thriving related topics.


More info.

www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living

http://positivityratio.com/

Emotion

ProblemThinking

http://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living




More information

• Communicating for business action– Blog article:

http://suzannehazelton.com/2013/05/28/business-communications/

• Assertiveness– Blog article:

http://suzannehazelton.com/2013/03/17/6-ways-to-increase-your-assertive-language/

– Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0bR6nyxeb4


Emotion

ProblemThinking






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0bR6nyxeb4

Recommended Reading

• The Resilience Factor• The Time Paradox– http://www.thetimeparadox.com/

• The How of Happiness• Positivity– http://positivityratio.com/

• Assertiveness at Work• Great Days at Work• actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living

Emotion

ProblemThinking

http://www.thetimeparadox.com/




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Bono, J. E., & Ilies, R. (2006). Charisma, positive emotions and mood contagion. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(4), 317-334. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2006.04.008

Cheng, C. (2003). Cognitive and motivational processes underlying coping flexibility: A dual-process model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 425-438. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.425

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References (continued)Fredrickson, B. L., & Losada, M. F. (2005). Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human

Flourishing. American Psychologist, 60(7), 678-686. doi: 10.1037/0003-066x.60.7.678Huppert, F. A. 2009. Psychological Well-being: Evidence Regarding its Causes and Consequences.

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Reivich, K., & Shatte, A. (2002). The resilience factor : 7 essential skills for overcoming life's inevitable obstacles (1st ed.). New York: Broadway Books.

Schwartz, T., Gomes, J., & McCarthy, C. (2010). The way we're working isn't working : the four forgotten needs that energize great performance. London: Simon & Schuster.

Sheldon Cohen, P., Cuneyt M. Alper, M., William J. Doyle, P., John J. Treanor, M. a., & Ronald B. Turner, M. (2006). Positive Emotional Style Predicts Resistance to Illness After Experimental Exposure to Rhinovirus or Influenza A Virus. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68(6). doi: doi: 10.1097/ 01.psy.0000245867.92364.3c

Zimbardo, P. G., & Boyd, J. (2008). The time paradox : the new psychology of time. London: Rider.