2. Managing Stress

3. 2 Richmond Foundation is an NGO which has been working in community mental health for the last 21 years. It has two main aims: Rehabilitation Prevention and Promotion Who we are?

4. 3 Health…….Mental Health Health does not merely mean the absence of illness; it incorporates a sense of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. (WHO) One of the major aspects affecting mental health especially at the workplace is stress.

5. 4 What is stress?

6. How stressed are you? 5 Spell Stressed Backwards

7. Stress Everyday living involves dealing with frustrations, conflicts, pressures and change. Stress is an inevitable part of our life. We cannot eliminate stress but we can learn how to manage it. Learning to cope with stress is essential if we hope to maintain a sense of wellness.

8. What can cause stress?

9. 1) Negative Stressors (distress) Health problems Difficulties at work Problems at home 2) Positive Stressors (eustress) Getting married Having a new baby Moving house

10. What are the symptoms of stress?

11. Symptoms of Stress 1) Physical symptoms Tension headaches, migraines, high blood pressures, heart problems, ulcers, digestive disorders and skin problems. 2) Psychological symptoms Irritability, social withdrawal, anxiety, unusual display of emotions. 3) Cognitive symptoms Forgetfulness, Preoccupation, Reduced creativity, Lack of concentration, Diminished productivity, Lack of attention to detail, Attention deficit, Disorganization of thought, Negative self-esteem, Diminished sense of meaning in life 4) Behavioural changes Increased consumption of tobacco, caffeine and alcohol, changes in eating and sleeping patterns.

12. Coping Strategies: How do you cope with stress? Quiz 11

13. Stress is not what happens to us. It's our response TO what happens to us… And RESPONSE is something we can choose. Maureen Killoran

14. Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time ! 13

15. Manage your energy not your time Time is a finite resource, energy is not. Energy comes from four main wellsprings in human beings: 1. The Body 2. Emotions 3. The Mind 4. The Spirit 14

16. Body Enhance your sleep by setting an earlier bedtime and reducing alcohol use. Reduce stress by engaging in cardiovascular activity at least three times a week and strength training at least once. Eat small meals and light snacks every three hours. Learn to notice signs of imminent energy flagging, including restlessness, yawning, hunger, and difficulty concentrating. Take brief but regular breaks, away from your desk, at 90- to 120-minute intervals throughout the day. 15

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18. Breathing Techniques: Learning to take control of our breath can help us learn to relax. By breathing more deeply, we can fill our lungs with more oxygen. By focusing on our breath alone, we can block out our environment and even those things that are making us tense. 17

19. Deep Belly Breathing Most people breathe by lifting the chest and filling the upper lungs. Deep abdominal breathing is the way to get the most oxygen into your lungs. To do a deep abdominal breath, breathe slowly through the nose to inflate the abdomen. Put you hand on your belly and feel it push out as you breathe in. Feel the lungs fill. Hold for a second or two, and then slowly release the breath through the nose or through the mouth. 18

20. Counted Breathing This technique is excellent for relaxing at stressful moments. Take a deep cleansing breath through the nose and release it either through the mouth or the nose. Breathe in slowly for two counts, pause for one count, then breathe out slowly for four counts. Take another deep cleansing breath through the nose and release it. As your breathing deepens, increase the number of counts that you breathe in and out. 19

21. The benefits of consciously directing your breathing are: reduced stress improved sleep clearer sinuses relief from headaches lower blood pressure relief from menstrual cramps emotional calmness 20

22. Stretching: An important part of relaxation! You can relax standing up, sitting on a chair or lying on the ground. 21

23. 22 Funny Face: Make any kind of funny face you like as long as you tense the muscles in your face. For example: stick out your tongue, and open your eyes very wide at the same time. Be creative. Hold the position for five seconds—relax. Repeat three times. Reach for the Sky: stand on your toes with hands pointing to the sky or hands on the head. Breathing is very important. When you rise inhale, when you go down exhale! Rag Doll: Sit down in a comfortable chair. Allow your whole body to relax and become limp—very limp and loose—as if all your bones have been taken away—as if you have become a rag doll.

24. Emotions Defuse negative emotions—irritability, impatience, anxiety, insecurity—through deep abdominal breathing. Fuel positive emotions in yourself and others by regularly expressing appreciation to others in detailed, specific terms through notes, e-mails, calls, or conversations. Look at upsetting situations through new lenses. Adopt a “reverse lens” to ask, “What would the other person in this conflict say, and how might he be right?” Use a “long lens” to ask, “How will I likely view this situation in six months?” Employ a “wide lens” to ask, “How can I grow and learn from this situation?” 23

25. Mind Reduce interruptions by performing high concentration tasks away from phones and e-mail. Respond to voice mails and e-mails at designated times during the day. Every night, identify the most important challenge for the next day. Then make it your first priority when you arrive at work in the morning. 24

26. Mind Relaxation Techniques 1. Now is the only Time that is important – How often do we find ourselves worrying about the future? If you always live in the past or future you will never be able to relax. To be in a state of relaxation means living only in the present moment. 2. Your environment Matters – Where you spend time has a subtle influence over your state of mind. Spend time tidying up your living/work environment. Its essential to relaxation and will also make you more productive. 25

27. Mind Relaxation Techniques 3. Meditation – Meditation helps because we learn to control the relentless flow of thoughts. During meditation, the aim is to keep the mind still; this brings clarity and inner peace. Find time to meditate for 10 or 15 minutes each day; through meditation we can easily detach ourselves from the pressures of the world. 4. Productivity not Procrastination – We need to learn how to relax, even in the midst of our daily activities. Prioritize the things that you need to do. If you do things systematically, one at a time, you will feel less stressed and get things done quickly. When you’ve completed your necessary work, then you have the reward of pleasing yourself without a guilty conscience. 26

28. Mind Relaxation Techniques 5. Do Not Depend on the Opinions of Others – Subconsciously, we work towards trying to please others. However, no matter what we do or say, there will always be someone who manages to criticise or find fault. Therefore, we should develop an attitude of detachment to both praise and criticism. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to lose our inner peace because of other people’s opinions. 6. Time to Yourself – Don’t allow yourself to always be at the beck and call of work and other people — make time for yourself. Only take calls and answer emails at certain times of the day. When we allow pressures to build up, relaxation becomes very difficult. But, if you really try hard, you should be able to reduce the demands placed on your time and energy. 27

29. Mind Relaxation Techniques 7. A change is as good as a rest – If you find yourself stuck in the same routine, do something completely different. For example, if you spend all your evenings watching rubbish on TV or surfing the internet, you will not get a feeling of real relaxation. Go for a walk or do some sporting activity. The change of scene and activity will help you relax and get away from the monotony and frustration of daily activity. 28

30. Priority setting There’s an old saying that if you wake up in the morning and eat a live frog, you can go through the day knowing that the worst thing that can possibly happen to you that day has already passed. In other words, the day can only get better! The idea here is that you tackle the biggest, hardest, and least appealing task first thing every day, so you can move through the rest of the day knowing that the worst has already passed.

31. Spirit Identify your “sweet spot” activities—those that give you feelings of effectiveness, effortless absorption, and fulfillment. Find ways to do more of these. Allocate time and energy to what you consider most important. For example, spend the last 20 minutes of your evening commute relaxing, so you can connect with your family once you’re home. Live your core values. For instance, if consideration is important to you but you’re perpetually late for meetings, practice intentionally showing up five minutes early for meetings. 30

32. 5 Tips to Make Room for Recovery 1- Schedule it. No matter whether or not you think you need a break, schedule fun or relaxation activities in advance and stick to them. 2- Double the break you think you need. You are most likely underestimating the toll that all of your hard work is taking on your body and mind — even if you’re having fun. 3- Enlist family and friends. If you schedule a weekend get-away with family or friends, you’ll have no excuse but to unplug. 31

33. 32 4 - Make a list of the benefits of relaxation, and brainstorm your favourite rejuvenation activities. Making a list of the benefits will help motivate and remind you to actually take the breaks you’ve set-up. Make a list of any/all activities that bring you joy or relaxation. 5- Break down your biggest goals into achievable, measurable chunks and reward yourself often! Instead of celebrating when we hit the BIG goals, break them down into smaller parts and reward yourself for all of the smaller milestones you hit along the way.

34. 33 Summary

35. Questions?

36. Thank You