The Art of Relaxation & Self Care Presented by: Jay Weiss M.A.,L.L.P. EAP THERAPIST Henry Ford Health System Employee Assistance Program
Objectives Define & Understand Identify areas of concern Strategize for healthy changes Motivate & Gain Commitment
Relaxation Relaxation stands quite generally for a release of tension, a return to equilibrium. What do you do to relax at home? At work? Does this give you balance?
Work-life Balance What is it? Meaningful daily achievement and enjoyment in all aspects of the person s life including work, family, friends, and self Ensuring that no factor overwhelms, dominates, damages or causes negative stress. Different for each person. There is no one size fits all in work-life balance
Symptoms of Being Out of Balance Physical: Headaches, upset stomach, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, muscle tension, fatigue, heart palpitations Emotional: Depression, anxiety, irritability, difficulty making decisions, angry outbursts, resentment, feelings of powerlessness Personal: Lost time with friends and family, job burnout, isolation, relationship difficulties, self medicating
Strategies To Improve Balance Understand what is beyond your control to change Take action to reduce or remove the stressor Break problems into manageable pieces Take a time management course Replace negative relationships with positive ones Adopt self care practices Develop hobbies, interests, social events Seek guidance from others Commit to the notion that managing stress is a permanent and ongoing activity
Strategies To Improve Balance Learn to say no Delegate (ask for help) Leave work at work Leave home at home Practice good enough Bolster your support network Identify options at work and take advantage of them Know when to seek professional help (Contact EAP)
The Body s Mind Compassion fatigue is a condition of the mind and body A result of internalizing and absorbing negativity It is done unconsciously It can lead to distraction, sensitivity and overload It can negatively impact our relationship with our coworkers and our families
Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue Excessive blaming Bottled up emotions Obsessive negative thoughts, Chronic physical ailments Compulsive behaviors Difficulty concentrating Mis-use or abuse of drugs
Organizational Symptoms High absenteeism Constant changes in co-workers relationships Inability for teams to work well together Desire among staff members to break company rules Outbreaks of aggressive behaviors among staff Inability of staff to respect and meet deadlines Lack of flexibility among staff members Negativism towards management Strong reluctance toward change Inability of staff to believe improvement is possible Lack of vision for the future
Psychological Environmental Spiritual WELLNESS Vocational Physical Social
Environmental Air, water, & land pollution Secondhand smoke Safety & Set-up Vocational Unhappy work/life, Exclusion, Lack of challenges, More with Less Psychological Low self confidence Arguments, Mental fatigue, Worries, Sadness, Anger Chronic Distress/Fatigue Social Loneliness, Isolation, Poor communication, Being labeled, Being seen as negative Spiritual Guilt, Apathy Decisions about religious and moral issues Physical Illness, Injury, Lack of sleep, Mis-use or abuse of drugs, Lack of exercise, Improper nutrition
Psychological Monitor and question your thinking Express emotions and concerns Assert yourself Accept reality (E + R = O) (Events + Response = Outcomes) Believe in lifelong learning to keep your mind active Learn to embrace the present moment Gratitude for Attitude
Spiritual Question your guilt for appropriateness Focus on the meaning and purpose in your life Meditate daily on staying connected with your inner self, significant others, and the universe Live and behave your values
Physical Nutritious eating habits Adequate sleep Safe & moderate use of alcohol and caffeine Quit any tobacco use Take care of self: check-ups, self-exams, proper use of medication Physical fitness and exercise
Social Having satisfying and trusting relationships Planning time for fun with family & friends re-charge Showing fairness, justice, and concern Feeling of connectedness toward community Volunteer
Vocational Focus & appreciate meaning & purpose Stimulating, challenging and rewarding work Work in harmony with others to accomplish goals
Environmental Our survival depends on quality air, water, and land resources Environmentally friendly at work Safety
What happens that causes you to not be able to relax?
Stress? Lets take a look at how our beliefs and emotions contribute to our stresses by taking a test.
Is Stress Really So Bad? Contrary to popular belief, not all stress is bad stress: The stress our distant ancestors experienced helped them survive fight or flight mechanism Modern stress can promote survival in the workplace, helping us meet deadlines and get more done But moderation is key: Too much stress causes us to feel overwhelmed, which leads to procrastination, which leads to more stress Unhealthy levels of stress interfere with a person s ability to think creatively
2 Types of Stress #1 Distress #2 Eustress
The Body Response of Stress Inability to sleep/oversleeping Racing heart & increased blood pressure Breathing becomes shallow Confusion and trouble concentrating Irritability/intolerance Lack of Concern/motivation Muscle aches Overeating/under-eating Digestions drastically slows down
Serious Diseases Related to Stress Heart Disease High Blood Pressure Depression Obesity
Sadness vs. Depression Sadness Can be shared with others Humor interspersed Periods of energy Light at the end of the tunnel Depression Isolated, withdrawn Little or no sense of humor Tired, deflated No hope, pessimistic
How do we keep these physical symptoms to a minimum? By taking control of our attitudes! Our perceptions create our stress: Employee A vs. Employee B
Fight or Flight Instinctual reaction - 3 possibilities Stay and fight Run away Stand and get eaten E + R = O
Brain Activity in the state of: High Challenge, Low Stress Stress, Anxiety, Threat
RelaxationKit EMOTIONAL Manage your thoughts & reactions to news, events, people Live in the present (not past or future) Keep perspective Give it a day PHYSICAL Get adequate sleep Communicate your thoughts & emotions Exercise Eat a nutritional diet Drink plenty of water Laugh & Play
THE LENS THAT WE WEAR All or nothing thinking Overgeneralization Disqualifying the positive Magnification or minimization Should statements Taking things too personally Assuming without asking
ADJUST YOUR LENS Look through lens with optimism Be kind and less judgmental Seek out positive, supportive people See the benefits of eating healthy Look for ways to encourage Check rather than assume
Proven Stress Reducers Organize and plan ahead Don t rely on your memory Get up early/leave on time Get a massage / yoga / meditate Make friends with non-worriers Live in the present moment Let Go Eliminate destructive self-talk Simplify
BE NATURAL Breathe deeply and slowly Exercise daily Nutrition keep it healthy Attitude keep it positive Time manage it Uniqueness enjoy yours and others Relaxation do it Ask for help when you need it Laughter find the humor
Change Steps to Relax 1. Identify: Determine the most important behavior to change at this time that is preventing you from being able to relax. Write it down. List the reasons WHY you want this change. How will it help you relax? 2. Explore: Become aware of the thoughts, feelings, and events that occur before and after the behavior you want to change. 3. Plan: Determine a plan of action to replace your unhealthy behavior with a healthy one 4. Set goals 5. Monitor your results
Steps To Change Behavior What does it take to change a behavior?
Recognize all effort & accomplishments Log all progress Recognize baby steps Pat yourself on the back Journal all positive actions Celebrate with healthy rewards Allow only positive self-talk
Monitor Am I accomplishing my goals? Is what I m doing working? I am relaxing more each day?
Commitment Time Make a positive change for You!
Questions For any questions regarding these services or any other EAP concerns, please contact the HFHS EAP directly at: (313) 874-7122 or toll free at (888)-EAP-HFHS