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Everybody has stress, but you can learn how to use it to your advantage
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Stress Management
Is “Stress” really the enemy?
Today we’re going to change your mind about stress
What is stress? How stress affects our body Simple tips to reduce stress Strategies for time management
AGENDA
In typical stress response, your heart rate goes up, and your blood vessels constrict.
This is why chronic stress is sometimes attributed to cardio vascular disease.
It’s not helpful to be in this state all the time.
STRESS
STRESS SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
• Memory problems• Inability to concentrate• Poor judgment• Seeing only the negative• Anxious or racing thoughts• Constant worrying
• Moodiness• Irritability or short temper• Agitation, inability to relax• Feeling overwhelmed• Sense of loneliness and
isolation• Depression or general
unhappiness
• Aches and pains• Diarrhea or constipation• Nausea, dizziness• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat• Loss of sex drive• Frequent colds
• Eating more or less• Sleeping too much or too little• Isolating yourself from others• Procrastinating or neglecting
responsibilities• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or
drugs to relax• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting,
pacing)
COGNITIVE LEVEL EMOTIONAL LEVEL
PHYSICAL LEVEL BEHAVIORAL LEVEL
.
Tracked 30,000 people for 8 years Asked, “How much stress have you
experienced in the last year & do you believe that it is harmful for your health?”
Study #1
People who experienced a lot of stress in the previous year had a 43% increase risk of dying.
Only true for the people who felt that stress was harmful to your health.
People that experienced a lot of stress but didn’t view them as harmful were no more likely to die.
In fact, they had the lowest risk of dying than anyone in the study including those that had relatively low stress.
Results of Study #1
Researchers estimated that over the 8 years they were tracking deaths, 182,000
Americans died prematurely not from stress but from believing that stress is bad for you.
That’s over 20,000 deaths a year.
If that estimate is correct, that would make the belief of stress #18 in the cause of deaths in the US.
Killing more people than HIV, AIDS, homicide, lung inflammation.
Change your mind about stress and you can change your body’s response to stress.
Get excited about meeting the challenge.
That pounding heart is just preparing you to take action.
Can changing the way you think about stress make you healthier?
Science says YES.
Study #2
AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Participants were taught to re-think their stress response as helpful for their performance.
The pounding heart is preparing you for action.
If you’re breathing faster it means your body is getting more oxygen to your brain & your cells.
When participants view their response as helpful their heart was still pounding BUT their blood vessels stayed relaxed, which is a much healthier cardio vascular profile.
It actually looks like what happens in moments of joy and courage.
These participant were less stressed out, less anxious and more confident.
Results of Study #2
How you think about stress matters.
Don’t try to get rid of stress.
Think of stress as a facilitator for growth and productivity.
Say to yourself, “This is my body helping me rise to this
challenge.”
When you view stress in that way your body believes you and your stress response becomes healthier.
New Science Revelation
Tracked about 1000 Americans from age 34-93.
They started the study by asking, “How much stress have you experienced in the last year and how much time have you spent helping out friends, neighbors, people in the community?”
Then they used public records for the next 5 years to find out who died.
Study #3
For every major stressful life experience like financial difficulty or family crisis it increased the risk of dying by 30%.
But people who spent time caring for others showed absolutely no stress related increase in dying.
Caring creates resilience to stress.
Results of Study #3
Visual – Notice 3 things you see
BREATHING
Auditory – Notice 3 things you hear
Kinesthetic- Notice 3 things you feel
Sleep is an essential stress buster. Your body uses your sleep time to heal
and restore a better biochemical balance.
SLEEP
MOVE & EXERCISE
Exercise is the best stress reducer there is…after deep breathing and getting enough
sleep.
Take a brisk 15-minute morning walk before eating to help
your metabolism handle those extra
calories
Change your physiology and mental statesto get rid of stress. Interrupt your “Strategy”.
PATTERN INTERRUPT
Stand…and Visualize how you want to look and feel instead of all
the things you shouldn't be eating, doing, or drinking.
CHUNKING UP (Looking at the Big
Picture)1)“For what purpose …?”2)“What is your intention…?”3)“What is this an example of…?”
1.“What are examples of this?”
2.“What/whom specifically….?”
CHUNKING DOWN (Creating a Plan)
Planning for time
Time…For One Of The Biggest Culprit Of Stress
Perspectives On Time
“Time is continually
working against me. I am at time’s
mercy.”“Time is a natural part of life, I will develop effective
strategies to manage it.”
Perspectives On Time
“The way I use my time is totally up to
me. Time is a gift.”
“Time is something that I continually fight
against.”
1) The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes. The average interruption takes 5 minutes, totaling about 4 hours of the average workday.
2) Once interrupted, it takes workers 25 minutes to return to the original task, if they return at all.
3) The cost of interruptions to the US economy is estimated at $588 billion a year.
4) The average American watches 28 hours of television per week.
5)By taking 1 hour per day for independent study, 7 hours per week, 365 hours in a year, one can learn at the rate of a full-time student. In 3-5 years, the average person can become an expert in the topic of their choice, by spending only one hour per day.
STATISTICS ON TIME
Make the
most of small
POCKETS OF TIME
STRATEGY #1• Keep a list of things you can do in less than 15
minutes and have at hand the supplies or information you need to accomplish at least some of these tasks.
“In 15-minutes of prepared, focused work, you can often get more done than in one hour of
unprepared, unfocused work. “
1) Reply to email2) Make a phone call3) Review materials4) Confirm/cancel
appointments• 15 is about 1% of your average workday. • Over the course of a week, you may find yourself
with anywhere from 10 to 20 extra 15-minute blocks of time.
“”Work mindfully and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with getting
things done.“
• Big A are things that only you can do.
• Little A are things other people could do for you.
STRATEGY #2Agenda for your
life
Big “A”Little “a”
Take some “Me”Time
To Take
Care of “ME”
STRATEGY #3• By taking at least an hour a week (if not once a
day) to do something that you absolutely LOVE, you will:
• Minimize stress • Nurture your soul• Keep your body in top condition• Keep your mind clear & give you back
your perspective, flexibility & common sense.
• Make a regular practice to ground, relax and center yourself daily through:
• guided imagery• yoga• meditation• relaxation• deep breathing• petting the cat• listening to soothing music.
What is the most powerful word in our Time Management vocabulary?
"I'm currently working on the [______] report, [ ______] report and the [______]
report. How would you like me to prioritize this new
project?" .
I’ll get back with you in an
hour/tomorrow/next week.
“NO”
"I'm all booked until [insert
date]. I can put this on my list for then if you
like."
Let me check my calendar
Choose to view your stress response as helpful to create the biology of courage & joy.
Choose to connect with others under stress to create resilience.
Viewing stress in this way makes a profound statement that you can trust yourself to handle life’s challenges & that you don’t have to face it alone.
SUMMARY
The Key Word Is….
Balance
Thank You! For Taking The Time For Yourself To Understand
Stress Management
www.TheLifeOasis.com