Wellness Maintaining emotional equilibrium for a healthy personal and professional life

Wellness The process of living at one’s highest possible level as a whole person and promoting the same for others. The process of living at one’s highest possible level as a whole person and promoting the same for others.

Wellness is: 1. An ongoing, dynamic, fluid process through time (a continuing challenge that can fluctuate over time). 2. Functioning at one’s highest possible level 3. The whole person – mind, body and behaviour 4. Promoting the same for others. Promoting the well being of others. Attending to the effects of one’s moods and behaviour on others

Wellness lifestyle includes: Note: all of these are interrelated – positive progress in one area will usually influence another area Note: all of these are interrelated – positive progress in one area will usually influence another area

Environmental wellness habits Environmental awareness Environmental awareness Your effect on the environment Your effect on the environment

Intellectual wellness habits Ability to think clearly, recall Ability to think clearly, recall Thinking independently and critically Thinking independently and critically Basic skills of reasoning Basic skills of reasoning Being open to new ideas Being open to new ideas

Emotional wellness habits Awareness of one’s emotions Awareness of one’s emotions Maintaining relative control over one’s emotions Maintaining relative control over one’s emotions Being more positive than negative Being more positive than negative

Spiritual wellness habits Issues of meaning, value and purpose Issues of meaning, value and purpose Very individual Very individual

Physical wellness habits Nutrition Nutrition Exercise Exercise Sleep Sleep Non-substance abuse Non-substance abuse Using seatbelts, helmets Using seatbelts, helmets Safe sex Safe sex

Social wellness habits Friendships Friendships Group memberships Group memberships Practicing empathy and active listening Practicing empathy and active listening Caring for others and being open to others caring for you Caring for others and being open to others caring for you Commitment to the common good of the community Commitment to the common good of the community

Time wellness habits A pace of life that is within one’s comfort zone A pace of life that is within one’s comfort zone Maintaining relative control over one’s time Maintaining relative control over one’s time Balance work, home, relationships and solitude Balance work, home, relationships and solitude Balance chronic hurry versus boredom Balance chronic hurry versus boredom

Stress and wellness Stress relates to wellness in 2 ways: 1. Constructive, adaptive stress habits will contribute to wellness 2. Living a wellness lifestyle will minimize distress 3. Developing a wellness lifestyle is influenced by both social environment and personal choice 4. Part of a wellness lifestyle, and part of managing stress effectively, is maintaining daily practices and attitudes that promote and sustain one’s energy level. Being truly well is to have energy available when needed

Stress and energy The key to stress and energy is how you handle stress. Whether you can manage the stress or allow it to handle you The key to stress and energy is how you handle stress. Whether you can manage the stress or allow it to handle you Energy involves endurance and intensity Energy involves endurance and intensity

Types of stress 1. Anticipatory stress: stimulated by an expected stressor (tension before a test) 2. Current stress: stress during the experience (running a cardiac arrest) 3. Residual stress: after the experience has passed (difficulty sleeping after winning a game)

Coping Constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to mange specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person (Lazarus and Folkman) Constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to mange specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person (Lazarus and Folkman) What you think and do as you deal with demands (Schafer) What you think and do as you deal with demands (Schafer)

Stages of coping Primary appraisal of the stressor: is this worth being concerned about Primary appraisal of the stressor: is this worth being concerned about Secondary appraisal of the stressor: assess your resources for dealing with the stressor Secondary appraisal of the stressor: assess your resources for dealing with the stressor Coping: take whatever actions are appropriate Coping: take whatever actions are appropriate

Two types of coping 1. Adaptive: helping the individual deal effectively with stressful events and minimizing distress 2. Maladaptive: results in unnecessary distress for self and others. Erodes wellness

Common adaptive coping strategies Solitude Solitude Exercise Exercise Professional help Professional help Hobbies Hobbies Deep relaxation Deep relaxation Play Play Prayer, meditation Prayer, meditation friendship friendship

Common maladaptive coping strategies Alcohol and drugs Alcohol and drugs Smoking Smoking Overeating Overeating Physical and verbal abuse Physical and verbal abuse Blaming others Blaming others Overwork Overwork Denial Denial Escapism Escapism

EMS and stress Administrative: waiting for calls, shift work, off load delay Administrative: waiting for calls, shift work, off load delay Scene related: violent and abusive people, gory sights, noises Scene related: violent and abusive people, gory sights, noises Emotional and physical: fear, demanding bystanders, frustration, exhaustion, hunger and thirst, lifting Emotional and physical: fear, demanding bystanders, frustration, exhaustion, hunger and thirst, lifting Environmental: sirens, bad weather, infectious diseases Environmental: sirens, bad weather, infectious diseases

In order to manage these stressors you need to learn: Your personal stressors Each person has their own list Each person has their own list What is stressful to you may be enjoyable to others What is stressful to you may be enjoyable to others What is stressful last year may not be this year and what wasn’t stressful this year may be next year What is stressful last year may not be this year and what wasn’t stressful this year may be next year

The amount of stress you can take before it becomes a problem You need to know your limitations You need to know your limitations You need to know the signs for you of when stress is mounting You need to know the signs for you of when stress is mounting

Stress management strategies that work for you For personal well-being you need to find appropriate personal stress management strategies For personal well-being you need to find appropriate personal stress management strategies

Benefits of wellness Minimum frequency of illness Minimum frequency of illness Low illness risk Low illness risk Maximum energy for daily living Maximum energy for daily living Enjoyment of daily life Enjoyment of daily life Continual development of abilities Continual development of abilities Contribution of well-being to those around you Contribution of well-being to those around you