Issue 21: Stress Reduction and Personal Renewal
Did you know?
The American Psychological Association presents the following statistics adapted from The Stress Solution (Miller & Smith, 1997):
- Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
- Seventy-five to ninety percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
- Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death — heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.
"There is more to life than increasing its speed." –Mahatma K. Gandhi
Performance Learning PLUS is a monthly e-newsletter by Performance Learning Systems (PLS), a comprehensive educational services company that has provided a full spectrum of programs, products, and consulting services for educators and business professionals since 1971.
Have you completed your school year? Once you have, release the stress of the school year and take time to renew yourself over the summer. For specific STRESS REDUCTION AND PERSONAL RENEWAL techniques, read on.
Tips
As an educator, you are, in all likelihood, no stranger to stress. Though there's no way to completely eliminate stress from your life, there are many ways to reduce its burden and renew your body, mind, and emotions. Below are a few strategies for reducing your stress to a level that is manageable for you.
(1) SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFESTYLE
Here are a few ways to organize and simplify your lifestyle:
DO ONE THING AT A TIME.
If you need to "multi-task," be aware of when you're doing it and when you're through, then do a couple minutes of abdominal breathing to rebalance yourself.
REDUCE YOUR INFORMATION AND MEDIA OVERLOAD.
Cancel subscriptions to magazines, newsletters, and newspapers you seldom read. Reevaluate how much time you spend on the computer or in front of the television.
REDUCE TELEPHONE AND MAIL SOLICITATION.
Write a polite, brief note that includes your full name, address, and telephone number(s), and ask each of the following groups to delete your file. Tell them that you want no more unsolicited telephone sales calls or marketing mail. It will take two to three months, but this should eliminate a large portion of your current solicitation load.
Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmington, NY 11735-9014
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmington, NY 11735-9008
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CATALOGS YOU RECEIVE.
Cut out the mailing label and return it with a simple written request: "Please remove me from your mailing list."
(2) LEARN TO SAY NO
Learning how and when to set healthy boundaries is an important stress reducer. Here are a few ways to say no graciously:
SAY NO DIRECTLY AND POLITELY, WITHOUT APOLOGY.
For example: "Thanks for asking. I'm not available that weekend."
GIVE THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SAYING NO.
For example: "I've scheduled that day to grade mid-terms, so I won't be able to join you."
SAY NO, BUT TAKE A RAIN CHECK.
For example: "I'm still catching up from my vacation. Why don't we get together next month after the superintendent's visit?"
SAY NO, THEN ASK IF THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAN BE DONE INSTEAD.
For example: "Oh, I'm sorry I won't be able to help break down the stage after the presentation, but I could drive to the airport and pick up the speaker beforehand. Would that help?"
Saying no in these ways can help create a win/win situation.
(3) PRACTICE WELL-BEING
Here are a few basic ways to prevent anxiety and promote well-being:
EXERCISE
Exercise helps burn off adrenaline and releases endorphins, which are nature's "feel good" elixirs (Ornish, 1996).
EAT WELL
Low blood sugar can make a person more susceptible to mood swings. To keep your blood sugar level from dropping too low, eat smaller meals and eat more often (Haas & Stauth, 2001).
MEDITATE
Meditation has been proven to be extremely effective in helping reduce anxiety by directly affecting mood and outlook (Kabat-Zinn, 1991).
RELAX
When you are anxious, your muscles tense and contract. When you relax, your muscles release and extend (Benson & Klipper, 2000).
PLAY
Engaging in "play" releases endorphins and brings you into the present, leaving you feeling lighter and revitalized (Pearsall, 1995).
Make personal renewal a priority this summer. Whether it's camping with your family, relaxing in the park with a good book, or simply exercising your laughing muscles more often, identify the stress-reducing techniques that work best for you, and build time into your schedule to do those things that rejuvenate your spirits.
Source: The above concepts are from the PLS online resource, Stress Reduction and Personal Renewal.* For more information, see "Helpful Resources" below.
*Copyright 2001 Performance Learning Systems, Inc. and International Learning Center, Inc. All rights reserved.
References:
Benson, H., & Klipper, M.Z. (2000). The relaxation response. New York: Avon Books.
Haas, E., & Stauth, C. (2001). The false fat diet: The revolutionary 21-day program for losing the weight you think is fat. New York: Ballantine Books.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1991). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. New York: Dell.
Miller, L.H., & Smith, A.D. (1997).The stress solution: An action plan to manage the stress in your life. .Retrieved May 24, 2002 from http://helping.apa.org/work/stress2.html .
Ornish, D. (1996). Dr. Dean Ornish's program for reversing heart disease: The only system scientifically proven to reverse heart disease without drugs or surgery. New York: Random House.
Pearsall, P. (1995). The pleasure principle: Discovering a new way to health . New York: Simon & Schuster.
Survival Kit
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PDF: 21_Survival KitThe 4-7-8 Breath
Here's another tip from the PLS online resource, Stress Reduction and Personal Renewal:
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