S T E P 1 A S S E S S : R A I S I N G A W A R E N E S S

Stress Prevention in 6 Steps

Putting stress management FIRST instead of LAST

Overview

Defining Stress

The fight or flight response

Counter-productive coping

Stress signs and symptoms

Introducing the 6-Steps to Stress Prevention

Why you should put stress first

Facts & Figures

66% of Americans cited work as a significant source of stress

64% of Americans feel anxious or irritable at work

80% of workers feel stress on the job

Workplace stress is as bad for the heart as smoking or high cholesterol

75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are related to stress

-APA, American Institute of Stress

Definition

Your body’s response to demands placed on it.

Stress is hard to define because everyone responds to it differently

Roller Coaster Ride

“Stress isn’t so much what happens to you but how you take it.”

The stress response = The fight or flight response Dr. Hans Selye

The fight or flight response

Fight or Flight Response

All about short-term survival: To save us from Lions and Tigers

We activate it when someone cuts ahead of us in line

Long-term survival mechanisms shut down

Immune system

Digestive system

Reproductive system

Acute vs. Chronic stress

Set points for heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol levels gradually rise

Short list of Stress-Related Dis-EASE

Heart disease High blood pressure Allergies Asthma Auto immune disorders Recurrent colds Gastro-intestinal problems Ulcers Colitis/irritable bowel syndrome Infertility/ED Insomnia Depression Anxiety Diabetes Migraine headaches Chronic pain

How do you think the average person manages their stress?

Counter-productive Coping

Smoking

Drinking

Emotional Eating

Spending money

Recreational Drug use

High risk behaviors like gambling, or minor infractions of the law like speeding

Why people put stress last

People treat stress like it’s a badge of honor

People think relaxation is akin to laziness

Doctor gets little or no training in stress related concerns

So what does doctor do?

When you mask the symptoms of stress it allows the person to pretend he has no stress

Connecting the dots between your symptoms and your sources of stress

Pounding heart Perspiration Muscle tension Headaches Anger episodes Sadness Easily frustrated Argumentative Dry mouth Cold hands Stomach upsets Feeling anxious

We need a new method for PREVENTING stress at work

One that prevents stress

One that can be used on the job

One that can be implemented at the individual and organizational level

It needs to be simple and easy to understand

The Six Step Stress Prevention Method

Step 1 Assess: Raising Awareness

Step 2 Avoid: Problem Solving

Step 3 Appraise: Cognitive Restructuring

Step 4 Accept: Mindfulness

Step 5 Activate: Resilience

Step 6 Attune: Social Support

Step 1 Assess: Raising Awareness

The more reasons you have for managing stress the more likely you are to stick with the program

Connecting the dots between symptoms and sources of stress

Taking the stress profiler: making your understanding of stress personal

TIP: 0-10 Stress monitoring system

Technique: Deep Breathing

Step 2 Avoid: Problem Solving

Stress is a vague term that disguises the PROBLEM

Journaling/keeping a log of everything that bothers you.

Problem-solving

Planning

Organizing

Time Management

TIP: Shift your focus forward

Step 3 Appraise: Cognitive Restructuring

Cognitive Restructuring : changing the way you think during a stressful situation

Negative Self-talk

A+B=C The Activating event plus your Beliefs equals the Consequence

Most people believe that A=C

Stephen Covey: All our opportunity for personal growth lies in the small space between stimulus and response

TIP tease out the space between A and C

A+B=C

Step 4 Accept: Mindfulness

Present moment awareness: What’s the benefit?

Mindfulness vs. mindlessness

Everyday mindfulness practice Eating, driving, walking, even mundane tasks

Formal mindfulness practice Breath awareness, sounds, thought watching

Flow: Work that is challenging but not too challenging

TIP: Think about what you are doing while you are doing it.

Step 5 Activate: Resilience

Stress is a term that was borrowed from bridge builders and engineers.

So you can either lighten the load or strengthen the bridge

Why exercise builds resilience

Yoga: flexibility, strength, balance

Why meditation builds resilience

TIP: Wear a pedometer, take the stairs, standing meetings, walk at lunch, chair yoga, stand when answering the phone

Step 6 Attune: Social Support

Emotional intelligence skills:

Listen more than you talk

Address people by name

Make eye contact

Value everyone equally

Brain releases feel good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin

TIP: Connect with every single person you meet.

The Six Step Method in 6 Tips

Step 1 Raising awareness: Self monitor using 0-10 system

Step 2 Problem solving: Shift your focus forward

Step 3 Appraise: Tease out the space between A-C

Step 4 Accept: Think about what your doing while you are doing it

Step 5 Activate: Yoga online

Step 6 Attune: Connect

How to start managing stress now

Make small changes

Think about short term gains

How behavior change works

Try something for 1 day

Make it a part of your daily routine: Build time into your daily schedule

If possible, do it in the AM

Attitudes follow behaviors

• How would your life be different if peace of mind (i.e., stress management) were your highest priority?

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