By: Dr.

Jose Paolo De Castro

Stress is part of our everyday life. Living in a fast-paced, technological society with innumerable demands upon our time, the majority of people can state: I am stressed out.

Stress Statistics

of all adults suffer adverse health effects of stress.

of all physician office visits are for a stress related illness

Source: Miller, Smith & Rothstein, 1994

Stress Statistics
Over 75% of industrial accidents are rooted in stress. The effects of stress are linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

What is Stress?
In his book Stress Without Distress, Hans Selye defines stress as:

ones reaction to life events the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it Our response to any situation we find challenging, frightening, or difficult.

Typical Relationship Between Performance & Stress

Too Little Stress Optimum Stress
Excellent performance

Excessive Stress

Level of Performance

Distress

Poor performance

Stress

Eustress & Distress

Eustress is good stress results from exhilarating experiences. Eustress is the stress of winning and achieving. Distress is bad stress losing, failing, overworking and not coping. Distress affects people in a negative often harmful manner.

Two Ways Of Coping With Stress

Consequences of Unmanaged Stress

BURNOUT
Emotional and physical exhaustion Depersonalization Inefficacy

Absenteeism and turnover

Consequences of Unmanaged Stress

CHRONIC FATIGUE
Anger at those making demands on you. Self-criticism for putting up with the demands. Cynicism, negativism & irritability. A sense of being besieged. Hair-trigger display of emotions.

CONSEQUENCES OF UNMANAGED STRESS

Increased substance abuse Indecisiveness Insomnia & sleeping problems Eating disorders Loss of effectiveness at work

Recklessness Overspending Constant fatigue Toxicomanias

> the overwhelming desire to consume poisons

Depression

Health Consequences
High blood pressure Heart attacks / Heart disease Certain types of asthma Dyspepsia/ Peptic Ulcer Migraine headaches/ Tension headaches Back pains/Muscle Pains

What stresses you out?

The Environment

Negative Work Environment

Ouch!!!
YOU

Past Experiences

Beware of the Bullets!

Other Peoples Behavior

Bulldozers
Patronizers

Gossips
Complainers

Whiners Negatives
Backstabbers

Snipers
Walking Wounded Sluffers

Controllers
Exploders

Brown Nosers

Negative Work Environment

Dog eat dog . . . Everyone fighting to get ahead No one appreciates your contributions Too much work . . . not enough help Deadlines are unrealistic Longer hours, additional work Budget Constraints Competition is eating us alive Poor management/direction Job insecurity

Changing Environment

CHANGE . . . Challenges our paradigms Alters the way we think Makes life more difficult for a while Causes Stress Is an ongoing fact of life

Past Experiences

Abuse Anger Fears Distrust

Shame Guilt Bondage

Rejection

Betrayal

Lifes Little Question

Are some people just born positive thinkers . . . or is it their CHOICE?

Choose the Right Luggage

The Problem With Dodging Bullets

Youre going to get hit!

Choice #2

Wear Bulletproof Armor

BULLETPROOF ARMOR COMES FROM

SELF CHANGE

PUTTING ON THE ARMOR

How to Change Your Attitude

ATTITUDE

ATTITUDE

Accept Responsibility
I am responsible . . . . . . for who I am . . . for what I have . . . for what I do

Step #2 Take Control

Negative world view

YOU

ATTITUDE

FROM THE INSIDE . . . OUT!

How to Change Your Behavior

BEHAVIOR Changes take true assessment, determination & discipline

BEHAVIOR

Manage Your Self-Talk

If you think you Can, or you think you Cant YOURE RIGHT!
--Henry Ford

THINKING
This is going to be a wonderful day! This is going to be a crappy day!

Choose Your Behavior

REACTIVE Stimulus Response

PROACTIVE My Choice My Response

Stimulus
BEHAVIOR

The Choice is YOURS

With Positive Attitude STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backwards Its a piece of cake!

What else can you do?

Managing Stress
Exercise
Reduces anxiety and increases sense of well-being Mobilizes energy resources to complete the energy cycle Avoid compulsive exercise

Nutrition
Eat a balanced diet Avoid excess caffeine

Managing Stress
Sleep
Lack of sleep is both a cause and an effect of excess stress

Social support
Foster friendships Keep family ties strong Get involved with a group

Managing Stress
Communication
Balance anger and assertiveness

Spiritual wellness
organized religion spending time in nature helping others art or other creative endeavors

Managing Stress
Relaxation techniques
Squared breathing Listening to music Imagery Transference Meditation, Yoga Biofeedback exercises Massage Progressive muscle relaxation

The benefits of overcoming stress

Brighter outlook in our daily lives Positive attitude at all times despite our problems and obstacles Fewer medical burdens and consequences to face and handle Less expenses to deal with and more time to enjoy our lives

THE CARROT, THE EGG AND THE COFFEE BEAN

Put three pots of water over the fire.

In the first pot, put some carrots

In the second pot, put some eggs

In the third pot, put some coffee beans that have been grounded into coffee powder.

Boil all three pots for 15 minutes. Take out what you put in.

The carrots went in hard. They are now soft.

The eggs went in soft inside. Now they are hard inside.

The coffee powder has disappeared.

But the water has the color and the wonderful smell of coffee.

Now think about life. Life is not always easy. Life is not always comfortable. Sometimes life is very hard.

Things dont happen like we wish. People dont treat us like we hope.
We work very hard but get few results. What happens when we face difficulties difficulties?

Now think about the pots.

The boiling water is like the problems of life.

We can be like the carrots.

We go in tough and strong.

We come out soft and weak.

We get very tired. We lose hope. We give up. There is no more fighting spirit. Dont be like the carrots!

We can be like the eggs.

We start with a soft and sensitive heart.

We end up very hard and unfeeling inside.

We hate others. We dont like ourselves. We become hard-hearted. There is no warm feeling, only bitterness. Dont be like the eggs!

We can be like the coffee beans. The water does not change the coffee powder.

The coffee powder changes the water!

The water has become different because of the coffee powder.

See it. Smell it. Drink it.

The hotter the water, the better the taste.

We can be like the coffee beans.

We make something good from the difficulties we face. We learn new things.

We make the world around us better.

Stress gives us the chance to become stronger stronger and better better and tougher tougher.

What are we like when things do not go well? Are we like the carrot or the egg or the coffee bean?

Be like the coffee bean!

T H A N K Y O U !!!