Seminars On Stress

11/25/2024

05/06/2024

Activities for Stress Management.

Learn practical stress management techniques through stress-reducing activities to enhance well-being and productivity.

12/10/2023

08/04/2023

You are so busy Monday through Friday and have so many tasks to complete. Some people try to make up time by sleeping less. Do you wonder where your time goes? We all get the same 24 hours a day Monday through Friday. How are you spending yours?

In my time management seminar, participants fill out a worksheet and reflect on where their time goes Monday through Friday. The questionnaire is broken down into 3 sections: utility time, employment time, and discretionary time.

Utility time includes, sleeping, bathing, dressing, eating, commuting and traveling. Employment time includes, working, taking breaks, waiting, and socializing. Discretionary or leisure time includes athletic and health, television or multi-media, hobbies, housework, family and social activities.

This is what we discover. I often have seminar participants trying to squeeze 27 hours into a 24-hour day. And just like you, many say they make it up by sleeping less. I would not recommend this strategy.

Instead, I recommend that we make minor adjustments in our behaviors to get back in balance. Answer these questions: What can you do 5% less of? What do you need to do 5% more of? What 5% can you stop doing? So you have 5% to start doing something new. That’s a 20% difference in behavior. That’s a day a week. This minor adjustment will have a major impact on your work and life balance.

Become more efficient by creating systems for routine tasks. Consider all of the tasks you can delegate to others and let them go. Stop participating in activities that are truly a waste of time. Invest your newfound available time in more valuable pursuits.

Your time is precious. Please treat it that way.

08/02/2023

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between activity and accomplishment. Often it feels like a rat race with constant pressure to hit the numbers. Pressure and stress is exhausting.

I suggest to my clients that they think of themselves as being self-employed. I ask them to try to see themselves as independent contractors or as consultants. There are two ways I recommend applying this strategy.

The first way is to stop at the threshold of your front door on your way to work and put out your hands like a scale. Then ask yourself, “What are my talents, abilities, and skills, and what are they willing to pay me for those today?” You are selling your talents and skills one day at a time. Realize, the more talents, abilities, and skills you develop; the more valuable you are to this organization, or the next one.

The other method I suggest, is to see yourself as a consultant. I love being a consultant. I go into organizations and I ask questions, make suggestions, and fail. Then I ask more questions, make more suggestions, and fail, again. I guess I have become a good “failer,” not failure, but “failer.” See yourself as a consultant: show up, be present, tell the truth, and then let go.

It is stressful to feel like you have little control over your personal and professional life. Thinking of yourself as being self-employed relieves the “rat race” feelings of a rapidly changing work environment. You will be more nimble with change and more eager to learn new skills. Develop a wide variety of skills to protect your career and protect your positive outlook on life.

07/24/2023

We have all heard of this concept called quality time. Sometimes, after work, however, you might just want to come home, close the blinds, and shut off the lights, and be left alone.

Historically, quality time has been described as carving out time for family and friends. However, recently I came across a study that claimed that more than 40% of the stress we feel is caused by our family. These are people that love and care about us, and they cause nearly half of our stress. So, I suggest getting away from them every once in awhile.

I get quality time three days a week. When my wife heads to cross fit, I head to the hot tub. I slide in there for twenty minutes of quality time, then shower off, and away I go.

In the old days I would go up to the second-floor bathroom and slip into a big old clawfoot tub full of piping-hot peaches and cream bubble bath. I wouldn’t let my wife’s cat in there, I wouldn’t let her dog in there, and I would just idle down. I would soak there for twenty minutes, pull the plug, fight the current, get my exercise in, shower off, and away I’d go.

Think of a quiet retreat for yourself and enjoy some quality time. Maybe it would be a casual stroll through the park, maybe some soothing music in the garage, or maybe just sitting by the lake, the stream, a babbling brook, or in the backyard.

Quality time with family and friends is important and valuable, but so are you. Try out a few low or no effort activities to find the right fit. Carve out some quality time for yourself.

07/20/2023

Many of us have challenging jobs. We feel stressed and insecure at times. We’re great at motivating others and telling them how great they are, but we struggle to motivate and feel good about ourselves.

Positive affirmations really do work and help manage stress. We need physical remedies and psychological strategies to manage stress. Positive affirmations are a great psychological strategy.

Positive affirmations can be a powerful tool to reduce stress, to increase feelings of personal power, and to support change and transition. Here are some guidelines that guarantee positive results. Take some time and consider your intentions. Think about your long-term objectives. What would you like to see in your life? More peace? More confidence? More joy?

Draft the statements that reflect the reality that you want to create. Phrase the statements as if they are already true, and make them realistic, so that the subconscious mind will believe them.

Consider these statements: I feel peace. I am doing my best. I feel confident. I stay calm under pressure. I am a reasonable person. I can handle whatever comes my way. I can see challenges as opportunities.

Repeat these phrases throughout the day and enjoy the benefits of positive affirmations.

Pay yourself a compliment, when nobody else is. Change the conversation you have with yourself. Give yourself the credit you deserve. Include some positive affirmations in your self-talk. Change the input and you will change your outcomes.

07/12/2023

Are you always on the go? Do you have plenty of places to be and people to see? Always feel stressed? Have you been accused of being a Type A personality? How can a person avoid unnecessary stress?

Here are some Type A personality signs: People that are always in a hurry, quite competitive, seem to measure nearly everything by how many and how much. In their relationships they are vigorous and forceful in speech with lots of gestures. Even as a listener they keep the pressure on by nodding, interrupting, and finishing others’ sentences. They are busy personally and professionally. They are hard driving, set their own deadlines, and take their work seriously. If this sounds like you, you could be a Type A personality.

According to the research by Dr. Howard Glazer, Type A personalities are setting themselves up for a high risk of developing cardiac illness.

Here are some strategies to minimize the damage: Take the pressure off by changing your mindset and changing your focus. Move from competition to cooperation or collaboration. Take some time to reflect on all the other areas of your life that you can nurture. Relish the tender moments and consider the long- term benefits of close friends and a loving family.

As far as your career, you could step back and share the spotlight with someone needing mentoring and freely share experience and insights for the benefit of others. Become the leader that others want to follow and grow the winners that will carry on your legacy.

You probably put a lot of pressure on yourself. There are plenty of demands for your time and your talents. Maybe it would be wise just to breathe slowly, consider thoughtfully, and redirect your thoughts to a less stressful place and enjoy peace of mind.

06/29/2023

Do you feel like your career has stalled, your financial future looks grim, your family doesn’t seem excited to see you, you could lose a few pounds, and you’re losing hope that anything will change? Maybe you should set a few goals.

Setting goals relieves stress because it gives us hope that our lives can be different.

In every area of your life; career, financial, family, friends, physical, educational, and spiritual, the formula for goal setting stays the same.

First you need to decide clearly what you want. Be reasonable. The goal must be attainable. Next, give yourself a deadline for achievement. Consider the knowledge and skill you may need to acquire to be successful in reaching the goal. Then connect with the people, groups and organizations you will need to work with to learn the knowledge and to develop those skills. Finally, put together a plan of action. Identify the ten steps you will take to over the next 12 hours, 12 days, 12 weeks, and 12 months to reach the goal.

You will start feeling better right away. Jot down some ideas of what you would like to accomplish; not giant, earth-shattering ideas, but reasonable, yet challenging ideas. Commit to your goals by writing them down and start making plans.

Sometimes when the economy has been slow, our career hasn’t been rewarding, and our social life is non-existent, we start to feel the blues. There is no better remedy to relieve the stress of disappointment than a good round of goal setting. Set goals and relieve stress today.

06/23/2023

You’ve heard about this stress management stuff for years. It is important to have a few techniques to use throughout the day to manage the stress. Do you know, in 30 percent of cases, what the first sign of heart disease is? Sudden cardiac death – a heart attack.

There are many benefits to managing stress: reductions in occurrences and the severity of the common cold, depression, anxiety, muscle tension, chronic pain, road rage, anger, insomnia, skin rashes, digestive tract disorders, diabetes, and hypertension.

Unfortunately some people manage stress by self-medicating through eating too much, spending too much, or maybe smoking or drinking.

According to the Wellness Council of America, stress is considered by many experts to be one of the top lifestyle risk factors for heart disease. Overall, experts estimate 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress related conditions. If stress is a risk factor in your case, you might not get any warning before you find out that your level of stress has been too high.

Of course there are long-term benefits to stress management, like reducing the chances of early cardiac arrest. But don’t forget the immediate benefit of less stress and more enjoyment of your life today.

Practice stress management techniques. Make it a lifestyle. Enjoy the benefits. Pick up a few more stress management strategies to keep it fresh.

Stress is the wear and tear caused by life. Stress management is a big deal. The strategies, however, are not that hard to do. Learn a few techniques, work them into your daily schedule and live a long, happy, and healthy life.

If you and your coworkers are suffering from significant stress, contact me at [email protected] and I will deliver a presentation packed with dozens of stress management strategies.

06/16/2023

Have you heard of a worrywart? Is worrying a problem? I remember hearing one time that most of what we worry about never happens. Some things we worry about; already have happened and we just haven’t accepted them.

We also worry about needless healthcare concerns. Am I going to get the flu? Am I going to develop heart disease? All you can do is eat well, get adequate rest, and engage in a little exercise. The rest is fate.

Some things we worry about are petty. That’s the day we don’t like how our hair looks, isn’t that funny, that’s the day we get the most compliments about our hair. But when we do worry, we need a proven strategy to minimize the damage. Here are some thoughts: Write it down. Make a list of your worries and identify what you are really worried about.

When worries come into your mind, consciously say to yourself, “I’m going to write this down, I’m not going to worry about this now.” Redirect your thoughts and energy. Later, review the list when you can actually do something about it. When you write down your worries, it removes the anxiety of trying to remember them. Later, you can turn what would have been anxiety, into energy, and take action. So, get a pencil and a pad of paper. Write down your worries.

Worrying can be destructive to your physical and psychological wellbeing. Worrying can wear you down, along with everyone else around you. Write down your worries, brainstorm solutions with others, take action, and watch worries wash away!

If you and your coworkers are suffering from significant stress, contact me at [email protected] and I will deliver a presentation packed with dozens of stress management strategies.

06/12/2023

Do you find yourself sitting at your desk responding to endless emails? Do you find yourself sitting in important meetings and making critical decisions? Do you have a stressful job? At your last meeting, did one of your coworkers say, “Take a hike.” Should you take a hike?

If you have a stressful job, and you don’t get much of a chance to be active throughout the day, it might be a good idea to take a walk, not necessarily a hike. A walking break helps to relieve stress.

Instead of a coffee break, go on a walking break. Instead of sitting around during break eating junk food, smoking ci******es, or talking smart, go for a walk. Take a couple of laps around the building or down the hall to relieve the stress and anxiety of your fast-paced career.

Maybe over lunch you can invite along someone you need to talk to about a stressful topic or conflict situation. Walking together will relieve the stress, burn up the adrenaline and blood sugars caused by the stress response, and give you time to respond rather than react.

It works at home, too. Take walking breaks with your family. Don’t stink up the dining room table with conflict. Go for a walk and talk about family struggles. Wave at your neighbors, pet their dog, and dodge some cars. This will give you time to reflect and respond kindly. Protect the dining room table for positive family exchanges rather than conflict situations.

I always feel better when I get outside and get some fresh air. You might, too. Stress can build up throughout the day. It is a good idea to relieve the stress occasionally and make sure you perform at your best. Going for a quick walk a couple of times during the day can revitalize you physically and psychologically, and your coworkers, friends, and family members will appreciate it.