The Chazin Group. © 2011. www.TheChazinGroup.com

The Chazin Group

Managing Stress Managing Stress INSTANTLYINSTANTLY

The Chazin Group

Special ThanksSpecial Thanks

About ME

BA in Comms (MBA Mktg) 20 Years In Corp. America Started Career as Recruiter Downsized 8X Mktg/Sales BackgroundLaunched Biz Consultancy in ‘09

Contact me:T: (201) 683-3399EM: Ethan@TheChazinGroup.com

What I Do… Job Search Strategies Interviewing & Networking Career Coaching Life / Work Balance Business Owner Coaching Human Capital Development Professional Development Salary Negotiations

No Joking MatterNo Joking Matter((The The SymptomsSymptoms))

The Symptoms of StressEveryone reacts to stress differently, but there are some common effects that help recognize it. In times of extreme stress, people may shake uncontrollably, hyperventilate, or even vomit. For people with asthma, stress can trigger an attack. People who are chronically stressed are also susceptible to the following:

1·  periods of irritability or anger 2·  apathy or depression 3·  constant anxiety 4·  irrational behavior 5·  loss of appetite 6·  comfort eating 7·  lack of concentration 8·  loss of sex-drive 9·  increased smoking, drinking or recreational drug-taking

Physical Symptoms of StressExcessive tiredness Skin problems Aches and pains resulting from tense muscles, including neck aches, backaches, and tension headaches Increased pain from arthritis and other conditions Heart palpitations Hyper acidity Hypertension Diabetes For women, missed periods

Identify the Causes – Take Identify the Causes – Take a Quiz/Keep a Journala Quiz/Keep a Journal

Dealing with Stress Dealing with Stress From WorkFrom Work

The U.S. is the MOST The U.S. is the MOST Overworked Overworked

Developed Nation in Developed Nation in THE WORLD…THE WORLD…

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupThe Research PROVES It

• The White-Collar Sweatshop by Jill Andresky Fraser

• The Overworked American by Juliet Schor• The Working Life by Joanne B. Ciulla

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupA Field of Study Emerges

Overworked=More Stress=Overworked=More Stress= FatigueFatigue High Blood PressureHigh Blood Pressure Heart DiseaseHeart Disease OvereatingOvereating Substance AbuseSubstance Abuse Lost Time With Loved Ones Lost Time With Loved Ones Spousal/Child AbuseSpousal/Child Abuse Anger Management/Road RageAnger Management/Road Rage Early DeathEarly Death SuicideSuicide

Manage Time to Manage Time to Alleviate StressAlleviate Stress

168168 Hours aHours a Week Week……

Work-Life Balance Calculator

www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/04/balance.calculator

Family Matters…Family Matters…

• Cut back on extra-curricular activities.• Do away with/outsource ALL non-essential

and/or time-consuming chores/activities until TIME PERMITS.– Order groceries/pay bills online.

• Track your time for ONE week.• Ask your employer about flex time, compressed

work schedule, job sharing, telecommuting.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupFind More Time in the Day

Your Your ((22)) Options: Options:

Work Work MOREMORE hours hours LESS LESS efficiently or…efficiently or…

Work Work LESS LESS hours hours MOREMORE efficientlyefficiently

Find More Time in the Day

Take Control of Your Take Control of Your CalendarCalendar

• Post a 3-4 month whiteboard family calendar in a strategic location/common area.– Color code by family member & priority level.– Update daily, discuss with family on Sunday.

• Ensure there’s “DOWN” time blocked off on your calendar.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupManage Your Calendar

Control Your To-Do’s Control Your To-Do’s to Reduce Stressto Reduce Stress

Task

Name Description Priority Start Date

End Date Status Contingencies Owner Contributor

Provide details

1-3 scale. 1 is critical; 2 is a

“must” complete; 3 is get to it when you

can

In-progress, pending,

planned, or on-hold

Things that may affect/prevent completion of

the task

Whose responsibilit

y is it to ensure it

gets completed

Who is responsible

Forcontributingto the task.

Keep Task Lists

The Family The Family CHORECHOREWheel (of Fortune…)Wheel (of Fortune…)

YOUYOUSPOUSE

SPOUSE

CHILD 2CHILD 2C

HIL

D 1

CH

ILD

1

GARBAGEGARBAGE

MAKEMAKEDINNERDINNER

DISHESDISHES

LAUNDRYLAUNDRY

SET TABLESET TABLE SHOPPINGSHOPPING

Spend Spend MOREMORE Time Time With FamilyWith Family

• Do volunteer work together.• Have their friends sleep over YOUR house.• Participate in family sports/activities:

– Hiking, cooking/art classes, camping, etc.

• Take up hobbies together.• Say NONO to anything that threatens TOGETHER

time.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupMake Time Together

Make Time to Nourish YOU

DaydreamDaydream

• Pick a time of day that is ALL yours. Communicate to all there are NO exceptions .

• Rediscover your interests/passions.• Make time to exercise to increase your energy

level and makes you MOREMORE productive.)• Slowly introduce more activities that are

important/special/relaxing to YOUto YOU.• NURTURE YOURSELF NURTURE YOURSELF - Eat healthy, get MOREMORE

sleep.• Seek professional help – does your employer

offer an EAP?

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupNourish YOUR Soul

Manage Interpersonal Manage Interpersonal ConflictsConflicts

• Get PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE.• Practice avoidance.• Tell “NEGATIVE NELLIES” they cannot be in your

life.• Confront directly.• Manage relationships.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupManaging Social Conflict

• Defend your reputation as Personal Brand.”• Cut off Gossipers before they get started.• Enlist Your Manager’s Assistance.• Engage “Human” Resources.• X.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupManaging Work Conflicts

Use the 4 Use the 4 AAss

• AVOID the Stressor.• ALTER the Stressor.• ADAPT to the Stressor.• ACCEPT the Stressor.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupApply the 4 As

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. 

• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.

• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.

• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupAvoid Unnecessary Stress

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life:

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.

• Be willing to compromise.• Be more assertive.• Manage your time better.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupAlter the Situation

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive

perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

• Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupAdapt to the Stressor

A Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change

stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national

recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things

as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than

railing against a situation you can’t change.• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the

behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.

• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes.

The Chazin Group The Chazin GroupAccept What You Can’t Change

A Final Thought…

Periodically Periodically Check InCheck In With YourselfWith Yourself!!

Here lies Jane.Proud

mother.Loving wife.Could have

workedMOREMORE hours.

Helpful ResourcesHelpful Resources