Stress Control User's Guide
Contents
1. You feel valued at work almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 You allow time for yourself almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 You feel rewarded at work in terms of salary status etc almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 If you allow some time for yourself you feel guilty almost always 4 most of the time 3 some of the time 2 never 0 Your job is the most important thing in your life almost always 4 most ofthe time 3 some of the time 2 never 0 Your managers enable you to do your work almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 You are in a rut that you can t get out of almost always 4 most of the time 3 some of the time 2 never 0 You feel part of a team almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 You are clear about what your job requires of you almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 never 4 12 occasionally 3 occasionally 3 occasionally 3 occasionally 2 occasionally 2 occasionally 3 occasionally 2 occasionally 3 occasionally 3 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 You look forward to going to work almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 You are too busy to take a holiday almost always 4 most of the time 3 some of the time 2 occasionally 2 n2. but using the relaxation CD will help to prevent stress from building up 30 60 You are showing definite signs of stress and would benefit from using the relaxation CD and other strategies outlined in this booklet 60 This suggests that you are suffering from stress and need to take action Use the relaxation CD and other strategies described in the booklet to help you cope with your stress more effectively No part of this publication may be copied in any way or stored in a retrieval system except for teaching purposes without the written permission of Uniview Worldwide Ltd 27 Uniview has a large collection of resources for social sciences health education and child development Go online to see a full list of resources or contact Uniview to request a free copy of their latest catalogue Uniview Worldwide Ltd PO Box 20 Hoylake Wirral CH48 7HY Tel 0151 625 3453 Fax 0151 625 3707 sales uniview co uk www uniview co uk Uniview Worldwide Ltd 2006 28
3. difficult or impossible to meet others have difficulty expressing what they think or feel and sometimes stress seems to occur for no obvious reason at all Because stress is a matter of balance between external demands and internal judgments of our ability to meet those demands it means the response can be changed either by changing the external situation or by modifying our response to it or both Stress The personal element and the vicious circle When we start to become stressed it can affect our ability to accurately assess the demands being made upon us and our ability to cope with it We tend to focus on the negative aspects of the situation and ignore the positive We do this by ignoring our strengths and good points and concentrating on our inadequacies by over estimating what is required of us or by anticipating dire consequences if we are not successful Another way of looking at it is that our thoughts become exaggerated and we view the situation in terms of black and white At the time we believe that these thoughts are true reflections of the situation when in fact they are exaggerated assessments of the demands being made upon us and an inadequate assessment of our ability to cope with them Recent psychological research has demonstrated that the more stressed we are the more distorted our thinking becomes The important thing to remember is that we are not aware of it at the time it occurs We may believe for example
4. energy is used in a way that is counter productive but this energy can be put to constructive and positive use as will be described later We can see stress as occurring when we perceive ourselves as being unable to meet the demands of the situation we find ourselves in without making a great deal of effort Extra energy has to be found to maintain this effort This is created by our autonomic nervous system through the secretion of adrenalin into the bloodstream and leads to an increase in physical arousal and interference with normal activity This mechanism known as the flight or fight response goes into action when a threat to ourselves is recognised It produces the familiar physical changes such as a pounding heart and butterflies in the stomach The flight or fight mechanism has survived from our more primitive past and probably evolved to protect us from physical harm We can understand this reaction when faced with a burglar or mugger or when we narrowly avoid being hit by a passing car but if it occurs when we are in the company of people we know or sitting at our desk in a meeting or shopping with a friend then it is not so easy to understand This is because in today s society it is not threats to our physical self that triggers off this reaction but threats to our psychological self e g losing a partner looking a fool or not being good enough failing an examination losing one s job or failing to get promoted fearing illness
5. or death Unlike the physical threats we faced in our caveman days when a massive amount of energy was needed to be made available for a short period of time the psychological threats are of a different nature The psychological threats of our more complex and competitive society tend to be more enduring and this energy has to be made available for longer periods than the body was designed to cope with Consequently they can have debilitating and exhausting effects These effects can have long term consequences and effect our mental physical and emotional well being but it is important to remember that stress and its effect is not abnormal Stress can be viewed as a normal process rather like a car that is going too fast because it is in need of some adjustment to its control mechanisms Although most cars are capable of being driven at 90 plus miles per hour they would soon start having problems if continually driven at that speed A stressed body is the equivalent of a car being driven at maximum speed The ride is less comfortable and reliable and uses up a lot of energy What causes negative stress There are many causes of stress and some are described in Table 7 One example is when several unpleasant or upsetting events occur at the same time another is a feeling of not being in control such as when you lose your job a close relative dies or you have a sudden illness some people set high standards for themselves which are often
6. thoughts at first but through monitoring his own thoughts and behaviour in difficult situations he was able to understand what was happening He found relaxation techniques helpful but more importantly when he finally allowed himself to stand back and look at the situation objectively he realised that he was not in a job where his talents were used to the full Table 1 Causes of Stress at work Insufficient resources and back up facilities Poor status pay and prospects i e not feeling valued and rewarded Long irregular or unsocial hours Poor management and organisation arrangements not being able to do your job as you feel it should be done Time wasted on unnecessary paperwork meetings and form filling Uncertainty insecurity too many changes in policies priorities goals and objectives Unclear job specification Little or no support from colleagues and managers Feeling unable to influence decision making Poor communication Poor leadership at home Too may household chores and too little time to do them Caring for sick or dependent relatives Personality conflicts e g partners reluctance to do share of the chores Conflicts of interest Poor communication not able to discuss important issues Financial problems Troublesome neighbours Role conflict e g working mothers within yourself Having unrealistically high standards perfectionist personality Feeling a need to be in control of all situations
7. work environment then adapt the question to your own situation The scoring system can be found at the end of the booklet 10 Personal Stress Profile 1 Are you at risk Circle the number by the statement which best describes how you have been feeling over the past few months Some of the statements apply to the world of work If they are not relevant for you then apply them to your own situation Recently you feel that 1 You are where you want to be at this time in your life almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 2 Your work is stimulating and interesting almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 3 You find it easy to switch off at the end of the day almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 4 You feel you have insufficient time to do your job almost always 4 most of the time 3 some of the time 2 occasionally 2 never 0 5 You feel satisfied with your achievements at the end of the day almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 6 You have someone with whom you can discuss difficult problems almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 7 You can accept criticism almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 11 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
8. Difficulty with delegating Not being assertive or being able to communicate your needs Low self esteem Over identification sense of self worth is defined by one s job Uncomfortable with uncertainty ambiguity disorganisation risk taking Feeling responsible when things go wrong Assess Your Own Stress Stress does not always affect people in the ways described above It can make us cynical and disenchanted and feel that it is not worth making any effort because it seems pointless We go through the motions of doing our daily tasks knowing we are capable of much more This is particularly so when we feel that Others are not appreciating our efforts We are not clear about what we are supposed to be doing We feel that the goalposts are always changing or that our objectives are not clear so that we find ourselves being criticised for things which go wrong when they are not our responsibility We can call this organisational or environmental stress This type of stress can be reduced by changing our response to it On the next few pages you will find two questionnaires which will enable you to establish your personal stress profile Complete these before reading the rest of the booklet as it will provide you with an insight into your own stressors as well as indicating whether or not you are at risk of the effects of stress or are already experiencing them Some of the questions are related to the world of work if you are not in a
9. Stress Control A Self Help Pack User s Guide I Mills M Sc A F B Ps S C Psychol INDEX Stress what is it The Stress response Case Studies Causes of Stress Table 1 Assess Your Own Stress Questionnaires Signs of Stress Table 2 Stress Control Are You at Risk Are you Stressed Methods for controlling your stress Stress Controllers Table 3 Relaxation training Coping with environmental stress Non verbal stress messages Making effective use of time Recommendations for Further Reading Scoring System for questionnaires Stress Control a self help pack Stress Control is a programme to help you understand stress and cope with it more effectively The relaxation audio CD and the User s Guide are designed to be used together To obtain most benefit from the package it is advisable to read the booklet and complete the questionnaires before listening to the CD Stress What is it Stress is a word that seems to be heard everywhere We are constantly offered articles and books about it as well as television and radio programmes In spite of this there seems to be little general understanding about what stress really is and even the experts argue about its exact definition Most people suffering the effects of stress are unaware of it It is useful to think of stress as being a question of balance between ourselves and the situations we find ourselves in We know when we have achieved the right bala
10. are many everyday examples however where the close connection between mind and body is recognised in everyday sayings e g she gives me a pain in the neck or he makes me sick when someone irritates us or I had butterflies in my stomach when something exciting happens Spineless and a broken heart are further examples of when we use physical symptoms to describe the personality of others or personal experiences Psychologists have long recognised the close relationship between what goes on in our mind and what happens to our body To control the negative effects of stress we have to reduce the activity of our autonomic nervous system Normally we do not have control over this part of our nervous system as it s name suggests It is the regulator of all our basic functions such as breathing keeping our heart beating etc but we can learn to acquire some control by using muscular relaxation training It is impossible to be both stressed and relaxed at the same time By learning to relax our muscles we can relax our mind and body and as a result feel more in control of our lives Increased activity in our autonomic nervous system increases negative and distorted thinking which in turn leads to further increases in autonomic activity thereby creating a vicious circle 21 wr hh autonomic arousal negative thoughts e g pounding heart e g Whatever do can t win butterflies in our stomach I m going to make a mess
11. e this exercise find that their ideas of how they spend their time seems quite different from how it was actually spent This exercise can provide a great deal of information and suggest alternative ways of organising your day Another useful exercise is to make a list of what you have or want to do ona particular day or week Write an estimate of the time you think each item will require Then re arrange your list with the most important task at the top and the less important at the bottom Then do one thing at a time Without being aware of it we often move from one job to another before completing the first and reach the end of the day wondering where the time went to and having a collection of half completed tasks Don t rush from one thing to another Allow time for regular breaks and also stop regularly to assess your progress and review your goals or method of achieving them Most importantly give yourself credit for your achievements 26 Scoring for Questionnaires Are you at Risk Add up the numbers you circled for Q1 to Q 24 to obtain your total score 0 30 Your situation is relatively free from stress 30 45 Your situation is potentially mildly stressful 45 65 You are in a stressful situation 65 Your situation is potentially very stressful and you may need to protect yourself Are you Stressed Add the numbers you circled for questions 1 to 31 to obtain your total score 0 30 You are showing no significant signs of stress
12. eing more assertive Stand up for your rights Improving your communication Sharing concerns reduces misunderstandings and increases co operation Recognising your stressors If you cannot overcome them accept them Identifying alternatives Stressed people often underestimate the external resources available to them these include other people Taking regular physical exercise Burns up the excess physical energy safely Uses up excess cholesterol released as part of the stress response Eating well A healthy diet and regular meals will help to counteract the effects of stress Reduction of intake of tea and coffee will reduce arousal and stress Increase intake of other non alcoholic fluids water fruit juices etc Looking for the positive Identify strengths as well as weaknesses in others and yourself 20 Deciding on a positive action Taking action Rapid Stress Controllers gt Take a break Use your relaxation exercises Remember be firm with hassles Talk through your situation Decide on positive action Take action Take a break Vv Vv Vv VY V WV Use your relaxation exercises Remember be firm with hassles Relaxation Training One of the major influences of medical and scientific thinking has been on the artificial separation of mind and body with the effect that if a medical explanation for a physical problem can not be found then it must be all in the mind i e we are imagining the physical experience There
13. ever 0 You feel that you make the important decisions in your life almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 You respect yourself almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 You respect your colleagues almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 Your job is interesting and worthwhile almost always 0 most of the time 1 some of the time 2 occasionally 3 never 4 Do you work shift work or irregular hours Yes 6 No O Have you had any significant life events in the last six months such as a bereavement spouse relative friend Yes 10 No O b divorce separation Yes 4 No 0 c personal illness or injury Yes 4 No 0 d marriage Yes 4 No0 e retirement Yes 4 No 0 f change of role Yes 4 No 0 g moving house Yes 4 No 0 h any other life event which has made an impact on your life Yes 4 No0O The Scoring System can be found at the end of the booklet 13 Personal Stress Profile 2 Are You Stressed Circle the number by each statement which best describes how you have been feeling over the past few weeks Some of the statements apply to the world of work If this is not relevant for you then apply it to your own situation Do you feel Ve You have a lot to look forward to not atall 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are able to make deci
14. f herself and she refused to attend Case Study 2 Steven Most people find speaking in public or making presentations to colleagues stressful but find ways of coping with it so that on most occasions they feel they have done a good job Steven is an example of what happens when we fail to cope effectively Steven was an executive in a small firm and was responsible for the development of new products He had to make regular presentations on his progress at work When one of these was due to be made he would start to worry that he would not make a good impression and that his colleagues would think he was not up to the job This fear led to him becoming anxious about the presentation and the belief that he had to do it perfectly overestimating the demand As the time for the presentation became closer he would become aware that his hands felt as if they were shaking and he felt that he was no longer able to think clearly This in turn confirmed his belief that if he did not make a good presentation and if his colleagues saw his hands shaking and noticed his stilted speech then they would definitely believe overestimating the negative consequences that he was not up to the job and his promotion prospects would be affected Over a period of time the stress caused by these presentations proved too much and he started to take sick leave on the days that they were due to take place As it happened his prediction about his promotion
15. fortable when relaxing It is helpful to remember that relaxation is an active process during which you are developing your self control skills 5 The aim of muscular relation training is to acquire skills that can be used whenever required When mastered it is a skill which is invisible in use so you can use it in public places or meetings without other people being aware of it 6 You may feel that you do not have the time to spend 20 minutes a day relaxing Feeling like this only demonstrates your need to relax Try to establish a regular routine so that you develop the habit of relaxing at the same time each day e g after the children have gone to bed 23 7 When you are relaxing you may experience unusual sensations such as heaviness in your body tingling sensations sudden jerks or a feeling of floating These are normal reactions but if you are disturbed by them you can reduce them by opening your eyes or by briefly tensing your muscles 8 Sometimes people fall asleep during relaxation This is not a good thing and should be resisted unless you are using it specifically to help you sleep Coping with environmental stress a problem solving strategy Locate the Problem We may be experiencing a problem at work when the cause may be at home or vice versa Ailsa was a newly qualified lawyer who gradually felt overwhelmed by her new job Ultimately she was unable to face going to work at all and handed her notice in When di
16. ges We convey a powerful impression of ourselves to other people simply by the way we move and hold our bodies A stressed person can often convey an impression of not being in control Paying some attention to our body posture can help to convey an impression of confidence and of being in control Thinking about the way we are using our body can also reduce our stress levels directly by reducing the amount of energy we are burning up in unnecessary muscular activity When sitting adopt a relaxed posture have both feet on the floor sit well back in the seat rather than on the edge and rest your hands in your lap When walking slow down take long easy strides let your arms move easily and lower your shoulders Think out your actions and then approach them steadily and smoothly avoiding jerky and snatched movements 25 Making Effective Use of Your Time If you feel that you have too much to do and not enough time to do it then perhaps you could use your time more effectively Effective use of time means you are actually doing what you should be doing efficient use of time means that you are using your time well There are several good books on time management so we shall only deal with it briefly here A useful exercise is to keep a diary marked out in hours or half hours recording everything you do for a day a week or even longer Although this may sound like a lot of trouble and time consuming in itself many people who undertak
17. here or what the problem is so we need a strategy such as the problem solving methods described later in this booklet Internal causes Sometimes the cause of stress lies within ourselves We may hold certain beliefs that we must always be the best that it is terrible to make a mistake that we should like everyone or that we must be liked and respected by everyone at all times We can call these self defeating beliefs because they put us under a lot of unnecessary pressure There is nothing basically wrong with these beliefs they only become a problem when they become extreme It is helpful to be able to identify when we are thinking these thoughts because then we are able to deal with them When we are not able to bring about any change in our situation then it is helpful if we are as strong as possible to deal with it and that we are not wasting vital energy Relaxation techniques are helpful together with a healthy lifestyle As we have seen the negative effects of stress are the result of your autonomic nervous system becoming overactive To overcome these effects you need to slow down this system Mastering a relaxation technique such as the one on the accompanying CD is the most immediate and direct way of achieving this and should be the first step in your stress control programme 19 Table 3 Stress Controllers Relaxation see section on relaxation Using your time more effectively see section on time management B
18. his chest was tight and he felt that he couldn t breathe He was in a state of collapse and was convinced he was having a heart attack An ambulance took him to hospital and subsequent investigations showed no evidence of a heart attack or heart disease Malcolm could not understand this after all he had had all the symptoms Later he was able to recognise that his symptoms were related to stress When he looked more closely at the way he was approaching changes at work he could see he was having self defeating thoughts Notes Through becoming more assertive improving his communication skills and using relaxation techniques before meetings Malcolm was able to reduce his stress levels and the number of hours spent in preparation He became more effective and had more time for his family whom he then realised he had been neglecting Margaret recognised that she was expecting too much from herself To regain her confidence for social occasions she started meeting people at less formal occasions such as a young wives group She also found a relaxation technique helpful as it made her feel more in control of herself When she felt comfortable with other wives she started to invite one or two back to her house for coffee until she gradually regained her confidence for more formal occasions After a short while she was able to accompany her husband to social events without stress It was difficult for Steven to identify any self defeating
19. igestive system activity leading to nausea vomiting constipation distended abdomen diarrhoea loss of appetite abdominal pain heartburn Increased respiratory activity can lead to breathlessness pain in chest tight chest dizziness tingling wobbly legs lump in throat choking feeling blurred vision Other signs include sweating feeling clammy numbness of hands and feet feeling as if you or your surroundings are unreal sexual problems sleeping problems tension allergies nervous rash Mental signs Feeling nervous anxious rattled bored apathetic confused forgetful Difficulty unwinding loss of enthusiasm negative thinking Behaviour signs Working harder but achieving less increase in consumption of alcohol tea coffee cigarettes medication certain foods avoiding certain situations and people 18 Stress Control methods for controlling your stress Now that you have completed the questionnaires and have read the previous sections of the booklet you should have a greater understanding of stress and what it is that is causing your stress External causes your stress may be due to circumstances at work or home where for example you may have too much to do or get too little co operation from partners and colleagues In this case you need to exercise the problem solving skills that we all use every day on other aspects of our everyday life In stress we are often unaware there is a problem or w
20. l 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 16 most most most most most most most most most 26 27 28 29 30 31 You have been keeping up your social activities and interests not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are panicky in crowded places not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are getting irritated with people not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are reluctant to try out new ideas and experiences not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are unreasonably hot e g without exertion not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You have tightness or discomfort in your chest not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 The Scoring System can be found at the end of the booklet 17 most most most most most most Table 2 Signs of Stress Physical signs The physical symptoms caused by the release of adrenalin are numerous but include An increase in heart rate and blood pressure causing palpitations hot flushes missed heart beats buzzing in ears pounding heart faintness An increase in muscle tension causing shakiness tremor restlessness muscle pain and stiffness headache backache eyelid twitching Changes in d
21. nce We feel at peace with ourselves and others we feel positive about our achievements and we enjoy life When we do not achieve this balance however we become aware of a sense of strain We become aware of having to make a greater effort of feeling less satisfied with our achievements having doubts about our performance and being unable to enjoy the good things in life We become more inward looking and have less time for things and people outside our main concerns Life becomes more of a struggle and the effort involved in keeping going makes us exhausted We feel the need to make more and more effort to achieve less and less we become troubled by mysterious aches and pains which can lead us to believe we are ill which in turn can lead to extra stress This can be described as negative stress However this depressing picture can be redrawn The energy expended in negative stress can be channeled into positive stress Most of us are more familiar with positive stress than negative stress and therefore we can use the skills we already possess In order to do this we have to be aware of several things We need to recognise when we are stressed We need to recognise potentially stressful situations We need to remind ourselves of the skills we already have We need to improve on these skills and be able to use them effectively The Stress Response During stress extra amounts of energy are liberated When stress is negative this
22. nvolved a particular person In the pleasant event what was it that made you feel good In what ways did the pleasant event differ from the unpleasant ones 24 Decide What To Do Discuss your problem with someone to get a different perspective and to obtain information Try to think of as many ways as possible of dealing with it You will be able to do something about some of the things on your list immediately some will have to wait until you are in a stronger position and some you will not be able to do anything about and you will have to accept this Take Action Now Do not put off doing any of those things you can do to improve your situation Prepare your actions carefully think them through Consider any alternative courses of action and their respective advantages and disadvantages Identify any potential sources of support Assess the Outcome Did it work If not why not If it did remember what you did and how you did it so that you can use this strategy again Attitude Remember to have a positive attitude about yourself the situation and others involved You are more likely to be successful if you remember that problems are a normal part of life and that most can be overcome Problems are easier to deal with if you do so as soon as they start to develop they are less easy to deal with if you pretend that they do not exist expect them to go away by themselves or if you over react to them Non Verbal Stress Messa
23. of it q We can break this vicious circle by changing the way we think about ourselves or our situation and by physically relaxing our muscles Muscular relaxation has been tested many times in clinical trials and has been shown to be effective in reducing stress and relieving some of the physical problems that accompany it such as raised blood pressure digestive problems etc The Benefits of Relaxation Training 1 2 It helps self esteem and confidence It can help to prevent the onset of stress related illnesses It can reduce sensitivity to pain By reducing the general effects of stress it helps prevent over reacting Fatigue can be overcome more rapidly using relaxation It had been shown that relaxation can speed recovery after illness and surgery Interpersonal relationships can be improved High levels of stress interfere with normal thought processes and activities In difficult situations the relaxed person will be more effective and will have a calming effect on the other person This booklet accompanies an audio CD which will guide you through the relaxation programme To get maximum benefit from the exercises you should read the following section first 22 Notes on the CD Relaxation Training 1 Muscular relaxation training is a graded programme during which you will gradually speed up the relaxation process until you are able to relax and control your stress in most situations Part a Takes appro
24. prospects proved to be true but not because he was not doing a good job his colleagues were impressed with his work but as a result of his taking too much time off Notes Margaret and Steven avoided situations that were once no problem but which had become such an ordeal that they felt unable to face them This has several different effects The loss of confidence made them depressed as there were more and more situations they felt unable to face and this in turn confirmed their belief that they were unable to cope with them Avoiding difficult situations led to an increase in their stress They became irritable and short tempered with their partners and friends and felt less able to respond to them positively Both knew that they were stressed and had become avoiders Most of us however are not aware of being stressed and we carry on coping Unlike Margaret and Steven who were aware they had problems people who continue coping often develop physical problems such as high blood pressure or digestive problems which they do not associate with their situations at home or work or to a way they are thinking When stress becomes too much for these people it is often dramatic and unexpected as with Malcolm Case Study 3 Malcolm Malcolm was the head of a Government department It was generally acknowledged that he was doing a good job One day he was taking his children Christmas shopping in a large store when he suddenly felt breathless
25. scussing her situation more closely it became clear that although Ailsa s new job was stressful she felt competent to carry out the work However her flatmates were making considerable demands on her time and energy She felt that she had to comply with them in order to be a good friend She recognised that her needs to continue her career were as important as her friend s demands and that she needed to become more assertive Define the Problem Have you got too much to do in the time available Do you feel that partners and colleagues are not doing their share Are you clear about what your goals are Do you feel inadequate or that people will find out that you are not as good as you think It is possible that there is more than one problem try to break a large problem into smaller units Instead of saying I am unhappy with my partner or boss try to identify what specifically you are unhappy withe g they do not listen or will not talk things through Make a List Write down a list of your difficulties seeing them on paper often puts them into perspective and makes the overall picture clearer If you still have difficulty try to think of two recent events in which you felt most stressed and one in which you felt good What features did the stressful events have in common it could be that in both situations you felt powerless to influence the situation maybe you felt you were not doing the correct thing or maybe both events i
26. sions easily not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are able to rely on your memory not atall 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are reasonably happy and content with your life overall not atall 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You have too much to do not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are making a useful contribution not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You have been forgetting appointments and deadlines not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 14 most most most most most most most 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 You are full of energy not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 most of the time 0 You are overwhelmed by your situation not at all 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 You have been mislaying or losing important items at work or at home not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 You are refreshed on waking not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 most of the time 0 Your alcohol intake is increasing not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 You are less interested in sexual activity not atall 0 occasionally 1
27. sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 You are clumsy dropping things bumping into things not at all 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 Your handwriting has changed not at all 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 most of the time 4 You have a good appetite not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 most of the time 0 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 You are seeing relatives and friends more often not atall 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are on top of things not atall 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You have difficulty getting off to sleep not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are let down by your colleagues not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You have been experiencing palpitations or shortness of breath not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You are enthusiastic about your work not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You have been waking early and are unable to get back to sleep not atall 0 occasionally 1 sometimes 2 very often 3 of the time 4 You can unwind or switch off easily not at all 4 occasionally 3 sometimes 2 very often 1 of the time 0 You are light headed or dizzy not atal
28. that we are not doing a good job when in fact our colleagues are impressed with our performance In the longer term however if this self defeating thinking is not checked it can affect our performance as we can see from the stories of Margaret and Steven Case Study 1 Margaret Margaret was married to a young executive who was keen to get on in his firm and had recently been promoted This entailed a move to a different part of the country where Margaret didn t know anyone and she missed the support of her family and friends They were invited to a party where there were people from her husband s firm whom she had not met before She was keen to make a good impression but after a while started to feel uncomfortable and felt that the other guests were finding her boring She felt that she was saying the wrong thing and feared that she was going to dry up completely She felt that her speech was becoming uneven and jerky Margaret was sure that the other guests were noticing these things and were thinking she was odd or strange As she became aware of these things her stress increased and she started to think what is happening to me As she did not understand what was happening she became even more distressed and wanted to leave the party The next time they were invited to a similar event she became anxious just thinking about it and started to feel uncomfortable This in turn confirmed her fears that she would make a fool o
29. ximately 20 minutes and enables you to recognise when you are starting to feel tense It also helps you to contrast tension and relation by tensing and relaxing your muscles Part b Speeds up the process and you will be concentrating on relaxing muscles Part c Is a quick relaxation technique that you can use in everyday situations 2 You will need to practice at least once a day for the first three weeks or so and allow 20 minutes to complete Parts a amp b Make sure that you are not disturbed It is better to relax having completed the activities of the day so that you are not thinking about the things you still have to do It is helpful to establish a regular routine for relaxation 3 During muscular relaxation you will learn to acquire control over those parts of your body that are usually beyond your control Just like any other skill it takes practice You may find it difficult at first Some people have difficulty concentrating and find that their mind wanders off onto other things but it will gradually become easier with practice You will probably also find that your ability to relax varies from day to day It will help you to keep the words FIRM and HASSLE used on the CD in your mind FIRM stands for Focus Identify Relax Muscles HASSLE stands for Head Arms Shoulders Stomach Legs Exhale 4 Occasionally some people find it difficult to let go usually because they have a fear of losing control and so feel uncom
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search