Work-Life Balance Maintaining Life Outside of Work (Or School)

Negative Effects of Stress After seeing our classmates’ reactions after our first anatomy exam this summer, it’s fair to say most of us looked as though we were hit in the face with a humerus Our stressor is no longer a physical predator Balancing school and home is a challenge!

Mental Health Not coping with stress can bring on depression and anxiety (NY Times) Study of British college students -Two surveys (before semester start and mid semester) -9% depressed and 20% increased to clinical anxiety levels -Financial stress (depression) and relationship stress (anxiety) contributed to decreased exam scores (BJP)

Physical Health Constant stress= High cortisol (shuts down) and epinephrine (turns on) High BP, abnormal rhythm, increased HR but decreased blood to heart, IBS, peptic ulcers, weight gain (cortisol and abdominal fat), tension headaches STRESS CARDIOMYOPATHY High calorie foods reverse HPA pathway

Interpersonal Relationships Carrying stress home will eventually cause problems! Become too tired to socialize, focusing on tasks instead of the overall goal The crankiness may make us not fun to be around sometimes! Do not want to push others away, so a work- life balance is crucial

Life Satisfaction Stress disrupts serotonin levels. (NY Times) Serotonin is a pleasure hormone Forbes magazine suggests that money doesn’t make us happy; however, money aids us in all the things that do make us happy “We spend our entire careers sacrificing our health to gain money, and in retirement, we spend all our money to try and regain our health.”-Anonymous

Positive Effects of Balance Studies show: Better health – mental – physical Better interpersonal relationships Increase in happiness and satisfaction

Mental Health Benefits Reduction in disorders – Reduced anxiety – Reduced depression – Often times similar success to chemical treatment Increase in positive behaviors – Better self-esteem – Better sleep – Increased concentration

Physical Health Benefits Weight management Less risk of coronary disease More energy Increased immune system activity Reduced muscle tension

Relationships Better interactions with significant other and family – Increase in mood and ability to be positive – Increase in cooperation Better interactions with peers – Ability to work with others – Fewer things are bothersome

Happiness Ratings Health is most important factor worldwide Positive social interaction is another important factor Finding balance increases mental and physical health, and betters interpersonal interaction Finding balance increases happiness and satisfaction with life

Activities to Maintain Balance Hang with people you care about Workout Meditation Taking time out for yourself

Relationships Make time to spend with a significant other can decrease stress in your life. Going out to dinner or a movie can take your mind off school for a few hours. Setting aside time in your schedule to make time for loved ones so they know that you haven’t forgotten about them.

Working Out Working out can improve mood by increasing your serotonin level. Schedule a workout at the gym or a brisk 30- minute walk throughout your day either before or after school. Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance and provide you with more energy to study.

Meditation Meditation helps to reduce stress by teaching us to switch off from the worries that can plague us through the day. Meditation takes us to the source of happiness, which is to be found in our own peace of mind. Through meditation we gradually improve our powers of concentration.

Taking Time Out for Yourself Making time in your schedule to take a break and do the things that you enjoy is important aspect to life balance. Schedule a mini vacation during times when you do not have major studying to do. Take time out to do the little things you enjoy such as reading, bowling, sleeping or going to the pool.

How do we fit all of this into our busy schedule!? As a student there are many ways we can incorporate fun, relaxation, and exercise into our busy daily routine. By following these few tips we can all be happy, healthy, and more focused students.

Relax! Sometimes the best thing we can do as a stressed out student is take a deep breath and step back from our studies for a moment. Try and keep a log of your daily activities and find the times where you can cut a few unnecessary activities out. By cutting these unnecessary activities, we can have more time for extra functions.

Exercise Here are a few tips for getting the most out of the limited time we have to exercise: – Get in a routine or set aside a specific time of day where you can work out – Instead of going all the way to Kirmayer to do your cardio, run around outside for 20 min over your lunch break – If your going to do cardio, try and use the elliptical machine or ride a stationary bike where you can look over notes at the same time

Exercise Continued Do your research! – Try and find out what types of workouts work best for you or give you the desired results – Find specific exercises or routines that maximize your time at the gym – Try jumping rope to warm up instead of doing a light jog (5mph) 10 min jump rope session = 180 calories VS. 10 min light jog = 125 calories

FUN In return, by managing our time better and developing a routine as a student, we can have more time for fun. And that’s what learning and school is all about!

Sources index-oped-cx_hra_0423happy.html index-oped-cx_hra_0423happy.html Crucial-Daily-Emotional-WellBeing.aspx Crucial-Daily-Emotional-WellBeing.aspx ress-and-anxiety/possible-complications.html ress-and-anxiety/possible-complications.html British Journal of Psychology Volume 95, Issue 4, pages , November 2004