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
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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
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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.
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Unit One – Understanding the
causes of stress
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Stress Mastery is about finding balance
Who said this:
“You can’t teach a person anything, you can only help them find it
within themselves.”
Galileo
“Most folks are about as happy as the choose to be.”
Lincoln
“Most folks are about as stressed out as they choose to be.”
Dr. Phil
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
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!
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Dr. Hans Selye, the “father” of stress research:
Make the distinction between harmful and beneficial stress
Harmful stress Beneficial stress
• Helplessness • Achievement
• Frustration • Satisfaction
• Disappointment • Fulfillment
• Panic • Meaning
• Physical & psychological • Balance
damage • Emotional & psychological
health
FACT: You actually need moderate stress to stay alert
and perform.
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Four basic sources of stress
1. Environment
weather, noise, traffic, pollution
2. Social
deadlines, financial, job, demands for time, relationships
3. Physiological
aging, illness, injuries, exercise, nutrition, sleep, physical reactions
to stressors
4. Your thinking
your interpretations of events and experience
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Identifying sources of stress in the workplace
Activity
Take a moment to reflect on sources of stress in the
workplace for yourself and your co-workers. List three
causes – 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)
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Reactions to stress
Psychological and physical
Little or no
Brain No Threat physiological
interprets the determined response
environment
Threat
determined
Fight or Flight
response
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Physical Symptoms
• Light head • “Cotton” mouth
• Dilated pupils • Tight throat
• Tense neck and shoulders • Pounding heart
• Fast and shallow breathing • Clammy, cold hands
• Queasy stomach • Weak knees
• Sweating
What other symptoms do you experience?
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Signs of Fight-or-Flight: Psychological Symptoms
• Apathy • High-pitched nervous laughter
• Repression • Feeling of dissatisfaction
• Withdrawal • Irritability
• Forgetfulness • Poor Concentration
• Anxiety • Accident-prone
• Emotional tension – • Overpowering urge to cry, run,
keyed up or hyper or hide
• Nightmares • Tendency to be easily startled
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
Time Dependent Stress Stages
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.
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
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.)
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
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.
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
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
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Unit One Understanding the causes of stress
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.html
Balancing stress
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=WL00064
Work stress quiz from Mayo Clinic
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Unit Two – Effects of Stress
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Resistance to Stress
Phase 1: Alarm Phase 2: Resistance Phase 3: Collapse
Shock
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
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
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
Negative Physical Effects of Stress
Fact: Eighty percent of all visits to doctors’ offices are for stress-related
disorders.
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
Fact: Cholesterol levels in the bloodstream rise during periods of stress
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
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Unit Two Effects of 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
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
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.
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
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
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
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)
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Unit Two Effects of Stress
Distress Related Conditions
Activity
Place 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?
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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.
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Unit Three –
The Power of Choice
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Unit Three 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
Take a moment to reflect on the statement below:
Your world is:
10 percent what happens to you, and
90 percent how you think about and then how you react
to what happens to you
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
The Power of Your Mind
Activity
.
Rate 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
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
Barriers to Personal Power and Change
• 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
Activity
Click on the link below to assess your “Self-Talk”
Self-Talk
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
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
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
Accept responsibility
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven out
of 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
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
Ever Have One of Those Days
Activity
Click 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.
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
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
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
Mind Strategies
Take control of your mind and what you think
Make 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?
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Unit Three The Power of Choice
Stress Coping
Activity: Handling Anger
Access and read the Stress Coping Handout.
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Unit Four –
Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Click to advance to next slide Effective Communication in the Workplace
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
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Breathing
Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing can
reduce 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.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Breathing
Activity
Access the audio for
deep breathing exercises
Access and practice the
breathing exercises below.
deep breathing exercises
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
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.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
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.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Meditation
Activity
Access the audio for “special place”
And ”relaxation place” Meditation
Click here to access the script for “special
place”
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
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.
.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
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.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
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.
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Unit Four Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
Other Stress Reduction Factors
Nutrition
Mood and Food
Exercise
Reduce stress with exercise
Time Management
Capturing the elusive thing called time
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Your Action Plan
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
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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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