BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES, INC.

Managing Stress

Objectives

• Identifying Triggers

• How do you know you are stressed?

• Good Stress – Bad Stress

• Best Practices

• Visual Exercise

Identifying Triggers

• Questions to ask: What sets you off? What are your worries?

• Inner Stresses Comparing yourself to others Unrealistic expectations Fear of failure/success

• Outer Stresses Money Weight Children Family

How you know you’re stressed

• Trigger happens, nervous system responds with

increased adrenaline and cortisol

• Body ready for action

• Heart pounds faster

• Muscles tighten

• Blood pressure rises

• Breath quickens

• Senses sharpen

Good StressGood Stress Bad StressBad Stress

• The only “stress free” people are deceased

• Adrenaline sharpens our senses

• Helps us get it done

• If we get too stressed it lowers our immune system

• When you push it onto your co-workers or family members

Good Stress – Bad Stress

Best Practices

• Attitude• Nutrition – Healthy Body Mass Index• Exercise• Sleep• Friends and family – support system• Time management• Finances• Volunteerism

Attitude

• Mind over matter

• Having a positive outlook is key to managing stress

• Remove or suppress negative people in your life

and work

• Know what your personal goals are and focus on

moving in a positive direction

Nutrition – Weigh Control

• Accept that there may be an issue

• Brainstorm all the choices you have

• Realize there is not one answer

• Understand there will be set-backs - acknowledge it

is hard work

• Try something new, if it does not work try something

else

• Do it with a friend or join a weight loss group

Exercise

• How much is enough? Aim for 5 minutes more a day.

• Many benefits! Health Weight Appearance Reduced Stress

• You don’t have to join a gym - increase your physical activity by changing how you do your daily tasks. Take stairs not the elevator Park farther from your office or when you shop Walk at lunchtime, after dinner instead of watching TV

Sleep

• Keep a regular bedtime

• Have a bedtime routine, including relaxation

• Aim for at least 6-8 hours uninterrupted sleep

• Avoid drinking or eating 3-4 hours before bedtime

• Stop hitting the snooze button

• Improve your sleep environment (dark, quiet)

• Curtail watching upsetting TV or news before going

to sleep

Friends and Family

• Spend quality time with family

• Focus on quality – make it big

• Make sure to have couple time

• Keep your friends and family in the loop when

making healthy changes.

• Create a “fun” list

10 things that you do with your loved ones that

involve no food or money.

Time Management

• Get a BIG calendar

• Mark down “Can’t Miss” events

• Add in down time

• Say “no” as many times as you say “yes”

• Learn to prioritize

• Get unpleasant tasks done first.

• It is a skill – take a time management class or course

• Stop procrastinating!

Finances

• Know what your goals are and set them

• Have a plan to specifically achieve your goals

• Get the tools and help you need to implement your

plan

• Re-visit your goals and your progress often

Volunteerism

• Giving back and helping others will help you

• Sets a good example for children

• Focuses attention outside of yourself

• Provides perspective

• May also include spirituality

Visual Exercise

• You are standing at the bottom of an escalator, you can make the situation worse by taking the escalator up or make it better by taking the escalator down.

• You cannot change the trigger, but you can make the situation better or worse by your response.