Amanda Maher, LCSW, CEAP, SAPMark Center Employee Assistance

Program571-372-5617

PERS

Course ObjectivesReview different types of stress Develop self awareness of individual stress

triggers and reactions to stressUnderstand the impact of stress on your

body, your brain and your performanceIntroduce the High Performance Pyramid Learn about achieving your Ideal

Performance State (IPS) by incorporating stress management rituals into your daily routine

Types of Stress

Eustress (Positive Stress)

General Stress

Traumatic Stress

Chronic Stress

Identifying Your Stress TriggersIdentify your individual stressor triggersTry to avoid things that trigger stress or at

least limit themIf you cannot avoid certain triggers, circle

themLater you will identify stress management

techniques to help you cope with these triggers

Is This Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

The answer depends on your perception…

I can’t cope!

Appraisal of the Situation

It’s dangerous, difficult, or painful!

What Makes the Difference?Type and duration of stressThe person’s perceived ability to cope with itTemperament and coping styleOther stressors in the person’s lifeSupport the person is getting during stressful

times

Stress Symptoms ChecklistWhat are some of

your stress symptoms?

Do you notice any patterns?

Identify your symptoms and plan to manage them.

Why do we experience so many physical symptoms of

stress?

The Alarm Response

Fight

Flight

Freeze

The Body’s Reaction to StressCardiovascular System – heart beats faster,

raise blood pressure

Respiratory System – breathe harder and/or more rapidly (hyperventilation)

Musculoskeletal System – muscles tense up; can trigger tension headaches and migraines

Gastrointestinal System – diarrhea, constipation, change in appetite, heartburn and acid reflux

Stress and Your BrainThe neo-cortex is the “thinking brain.”

The limbic system is the “emotional brain.”

Emotional center gets the first signal and sounds the internal alarm flooding the body with Cortisol (stress related hormone).

Small doses have a positive effect.

High/prolonged levels have negative effect.

Cortisol- The Stress hormone It helps regulate your body's use of protein,

carbohydrates and fat.It helps maintain blood pressure and

cardiovascular function.The body produces more in the am.In the pm, cortisol level should drop by 90%.Sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels

and therefore causes weight gain.

What is the number one way to reduce

Cortisol?

Other benefits of exercise:

Other Benefits of Exercise

It improves blood flow to your brain.

It speeds the flow of blood through your brain, moving waste products out of the brain faster.

It causes a release of endorphins (natural “feel good” chemical) into your blood stream.

High Performance Pyramid

“The Making of a Corporate Athlete” Harvard Business Review Jan 2001

J. Loehr and T. Schwartz

High Performance PyramidPhysical Capacity

Builds endurance and promotes mental and emotional recovery

Emotional Capacity Creates the internal climate

that drives the Ideal Performance State

Mental Capacity Focuses physical and emotional

energy on the task at hand

Spiritual Capacity Provides a powerful source of

motivation, determination and endurance

According to Loehr and Schwartz…Stress is not the problem.

The problem is the absence of disciplined, intermittent recovery.

Chronic stress without recovery depletes energy, leads to burnout and poor performance.

What’s needed are rituals that promote OSCILLATION

“The Making of a Corporate Athlete” Harvard Business Review Jan 2001

J. Loehr and T. Schwartz

Rituals to Achieve Your Ideal Performance State (IPS)

Lifestyle Habit Formation• Adequate sleep• Balanced diet• Regular Exercise

• Reduces Cortisol

• Avoid alcohol and drug use

• Avoid other unhealthy coping

“When demand meets capacity, we begin to make expedient choices that

get us through our days and our nights, but take a toll over time. We survive on too little sleep, wolf down

fast foods on the run, fuel up with coffee and cool down with alcohol and

sleeping pills.” – Loehr and Schwartz

Positive Emotion DevelopmentPositive emotions

ignite energy that drives performance.

Use the ABC Approach.

Need to change the “B” in order to promote more positive emotions.

Developing Positive Emotion Using Cognitive Reframing

• Ask yourself, “What am I telling myself about this situation?”

• Challenge your thoughts and examine their truth and accuracy.

• Reframe the thought to a more rational/balanced/helpful thought.

• Rather than catastrophizing the situation, say to yourself:• “This is hard, but I can do it.”

Routine RelaxationEssential to manage

daily stress and for overall well-being.

Find ways of incorporating it into your work day.

Deep Breathing, Mindfulness, Meditation

Schedule it.

The Power of Deep BreathingActivates the calming response.

Sends the signal to the brain that “everything is ok.”

Pushes oxygen to your brain.Releases cortisol.Expands your window of tolerance.

Additional Relaxation TechniquesReading Calling a friend or family

memberWatching a movieTaking a hot shower or bathDeep breathingMeditation or PrayerLaughingDrawing/CreatingMaking or listening to musicGetting a massageAcupunctureTaking a walk outsideDoing an activity outside of

work that you enjoy

Time Management Task ManagementCreate a balanced

scheduleDon’t over commit

yourselfLearn to say “No”

when you canPlan regular breaks

during the day

Prioritize work tasksBreak projects down

into smaller stepsDelegate

responsibility when possible

Ask for help when you need it

Be honest about what you can take on

“Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of

high performance.”

Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

The Power of Full Engagement

4 Principles of Full Engagement1. It requires drawing on all 4 sources of energy.2. We must balance energy expenditure (stress)

with intermittent energy renewal (rituals to manage stress).

3. To build capacity, we must push beyond our normal limits, training in the same systematic way athletes do.

4. Positive energy rituals are the key to full engagement and sustained high performance.

“The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to

others. To be unavailable to our friends and family, to be unable to find time for the sunset (or even to know the sun has

set at all), to whiz through our obligations without time for a mindful breath, this has become the model of a successful life.”

- Wayne Muller

Learn to Disengage Since we have over-ridden our natural

rhythms, the challenge is to deliberately create new boundaries.

We need to intentionally carve out times to shift our attention from achievement to restoration.

“At the most practical level, our capacity to be fully engaged depends on our ability to periodically disengage.”

Loehr and Schwartz

Five Quick Sources of Restoration- In the WorkplaceEat SomethingHydrateMove PhysicallyChange Channels MentallyChange Channels Emotionally

ResourcesThe Power of Full Engagement and “The

Making of a Corporate Athlete” Harvard Business Review Jan 2001; Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

Don’t Panic Reid WilsonThe Relaxation & Stress Reduction WorkbookWhy Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers Robert SapolskyFlow Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiAmerican Institute of Stress

http://www.stress.org/

QUESTIONS?