Navigating stress through mindfulness Stress & Mindfulness Navigating stress through mindfulness

Navigating Stress Through Mindfulness Objectives What is stress? How stress impacts us at home and at work What is mindfulness? Benefits of mindfulness How to practice mindfulness at home and at work Resources to help you with stress

What is Stress? Defining Stress: n. A response, often physical or emotional, to life situations that alter our sense of balance and creates anxiety & discomfort.

What is stress? A natural response to any demand, positive or negative, placed upon an individual… … becoming problematic when there is an imbalance between the coping skills of the individual and the demands of the environment.

Stress cont…. Important Concepts: Stress affects everyone, is always present, and to some degree unavoidable Stress can be caused by both positive and negative life events Stress & physical health are linked Reducing stress requires personal responsibility

Stress cont… Is your job stressful? According to the Employee Insights survey… 71% say yes

Why Use Mindfulness to Cope with Stress? One study found that mindfulness can help reduce recurrence of depression as effectively as maintenance antidepressant medication Another study found that those that practiced mindfulness reported a 40% reduction in stress University of Oxford Mindfulness can also help lower anxiety In a 2013 Massachusetts General Hospital Study

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness means: Mindfulness also involves: Maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. Mindfulness also involves: Acceptance; meaning we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment.

Origins of Mindfulness Originally founded in Buddhist religions, and other Eastern religions, dating as far back as 1500 BC, moved to Western civilizations when It was studied Many people associate it with meditation, yoga, and other similar practices. While those practices can still help with mindfulness, it has come a long way as its made its entrance into Western civilizations. Today, there enormous body of research that points to the practical and measurable benefits of mindfulness practice–study after study shows that mindfulness in fact makes people less stressed, more productive, happier and healthier Companies like General Mills, BlueCross Blue Shield, Google, and Aetna are promoting and teaching mindfulness to their employees

Symptoms of being mindLESS Have you been guilty of these mindless actions……? Breaking things, spilling things, clumsiness, accidents because of carelessness, inattention or thinking about something else. Forgetting someone’s name as soon as you hear it. Listening to someone with one ear while doing something else at the same time. Eating without being aware of eating. Running on autopilot Reacting emotionally in certain ways – feeling like an emotion just “came out of nowhere”. Daydreaming or thinking of other things when doing chores. Doing several things at once rather than focusing on one thing at a time

Mindfulness cont…. So why is it so hard to be mindful? Why do we struggle to enjoy the moment that we are in? Conditions are never right to be in the present moment (unless you are lucky enough to be on vacation) Think about it, how often are you unable to enjoy the moment you are in? We balance multiple priorities; work, after school activities, taking care of family members, hobbies or social activities, and more We are generally always thinking of something else. We are rarely content with the current moment or situation

Benefits of Mindfulness

How can mindfulness combat stress? Try ‘Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction’ MSBR is a program that helps you learn to calm your mind and body to help you cope with illness, pain, and stress. Focus your attention on your entire body, starting with your feet and ending at your head. As you do this "body scan," you might note places where you're tense or have pain. You might notice how your belly rises and falls as you breathe. Focus on thoughts and distractions that run through your mind, but don't judge them. It is common for the mind to wander when a person begins to practice mindfulness. If that happens to you, it's okay. Keep trying. This is why mindfulness is called a practice-it takes practice to not judge your feelings and thoughts. It takes practice to stay in the present moment.

How to mindfulness to combat stress There are several tips and tricks to help you be mindful every day You can practice being mindful at home, at work, with your family, while you eat, while you drive, at a meeting, alone or with a loved one Surprisingly, practicing mindfulness does not require you to sit on a floor and meditate in silence (but if you have a manager who encourages you to do so, just go for it!) Your first step is to understand how to be mindful in any given moment where you need it The second step is to practice some simple strategies to Take note how these impact how you work and play

How to use mindfulness to combat stress Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you’re feeling intense emotions. Notice—really notice—what you’re sensing in a given moment, the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness. Recognize that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative thought patterns. Tune into your body’s physical sensations, from the water hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body rests in your office chair. Remember, mindfulness is simply about being aware in the present moment

Mindfulness at Work… Practice ‘strategic acceptance”: Whether you are in a meeting, on a call, working on a project, stop to let go of the emotions around it, and just accept the moment where you are at. Take one minute- Before a meeting, take one minute to stop and let go of whatever went on in the hour before, let go and turn your focus back to the present meeting. Before you respond to a colleague: Take one minute to accept any emotions (frustration, aggravation, etc) and let them go before you respond. Before you answer the phone or read an email: take one minute to consider how urgent it is to attend to that matter, or if you can continue to focus on the task at hand

Mindfulness at Work… Find a time to unplug; Try this: For one hour, turn off the email notification or turn the ringer off on your phone. Focus on the current priority and allow other times to turn back toward technology When you are at your desk: Do a full body scan: take a moment to sit up straight, pay close attention to every area of your body, where might you feel tension or stress? Try to ease or relax those muscles

Mindfulness at Home Try mindfulness when you first wake up: Take a deep breath, try not to judge the day ahead as good or bad, just be present in that moment In your commute: Pay attention to your surroundings, are there trees around you? is your favorite song on? is it sunny outside? In your shower: Pay attention to the sensations in that moment; the warm water, hot steam, relax your muscles, you might find it more enjoyable than you once thought.

Mindfulness at home Have mindful mornings: If you love coffee, this is for you. Sip, enjoy, take a few minutes to be in the moment before you think about the day ahead For parents: Hectic mornings can add to the stress before our work day begins, whether it helps to wake up a few minutes early, or pack lunches the night before, try to take even five minutes to just sit with your kids and listen to them and make it a morning habit Be mindful around the dinner table: Take a moment, even if its one time a week, to each share something you are grateful for. “Pause” when you notice anger: Whether communicating with kids or with a spouse or partner, if you notice anger or frustration, vow to take a pause to notice it and make a decision about how you want to respond

How stressed are you? Would you like to understand more about your own level of stress? Try this brief quiz: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/8

How mindful are you? Do you think you are already an expert at being mindful? Or would you like some suggestions to improve? Check out this assessment: https://hbr.org/2017/03/assessment-how-mindful-are-you (created by the Potential Project)

Other resources to help with stress? What is the EAP? The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary, confidential, FREE benefit designed to help you and your family address and resolve a variety of personal issues before they impact your well-being, health or productivity. EAP offers traditional counseling and work/life services to help in many other areas of our lives.

Resources to help with stress cont… Work-Life Services Confidential consultation, assessment, information and referrals for a wide variety of personal and social issues– both big and small Web-based information and real-time chat with work-life consultants Detailed resources and referrals that match your needs- referrals have confirmed availability Delivered, on average, within 12 business hours – 6 business hours for emergency requests Many resources for you and your family

Contact the Caterpillar EAP By phone: 1-866-CAT-0565 By web. Link on the Employee Assistance Program tab at: benefits.cat.com On-site EAP offices

References Greater Good Science Center- greatergood.Berkley.edu Harvard Business Review- HBR.org Mindful.org WebMD American Psychological Association- APA.org

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