1. How to manage stress in your life
MANAGING STRESS
How to manage stress in your life
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2. Instructions for moving through this course
Each slide will advance automatically when you click on the button.
You can guide yourself through the course at your own pace.
To advance please click on the Next Slide button

3. Additional Instructions for moving though course
During the course you will be asked questions to test the knowledge that you have learned.
Navigation buttons will be available for your use to advance through the slides and to check your answers.
Once you have checked your answers you may click on the return to course button.

4. Course Objectives
You will be able to identify the common causes of stress.
You will also be able to make good choices about managing your stress.

5. Overview
What is Stress?
What is Stress?

6. STRESS
Stress is the uncomfortable gap between how we would like our life to be and how it actually is.
Stress affects all aspects of our life but if managed correctly can be controlled.

7. Life’s Stressors Getting married Becoming a parent
Serious illness or injury
Death of a loved one
Money problems
Moving
Changing schools
Retirement
Separation or divorce
Children leaving home
Changing jobs

8. Identifying Stress Do any of these relate to your life?
Working long hours
Conflicts with co-workers
Sleeplessness
Frequent Headaches
Depression
Hard to concentrate
Irritability

9. There will always be stress, but some stress can be avoided.
You have to take someone to the airport that is located two hours away. You leave two hours before the flight and run into traffic.
Taking on an extra project to challenge yourself when you have the extra time.
Avoidable stress
Good Stress

10. Planning ahead can help to eliminate stress. Here are some tips….
Keep a calendar
Don’t take on more than you can handle
Learn to say no
Work on one project at a time when possible
Leave room for down time in your schedule
Prioritize your day
Make a to do list
Leave time in your schedule for last minute emergencies
Don’t sweat the small stuff

11. Test Your Knowledge

12. How can we avoid too much stress?
Plan and make to do lists
Adding more to a already busy schedule.
Sweat the small stuff.

13. What is not one of life’s major stressors?
Getting a pay raise
Getting Married
Winning Lotto

14. How to Deal with Stress

15. Some dangerous ways of dealing with stress
Drinking alcohol
Overeating
Getting Angry
Taking drugs
Ignoring the stress

16. Healthy ways of dealing with stress
Exercise
Diet
Listen to music
Talk to a friend
Meditation
Taking time out to relax
..\Local

17. Music-Stress Connection
Music can be very soothing and relaxing.
Listening to soft music in your car or at home can relieve stress.
Playing music during exercise or down time is a great way to relieve stress.

18. Talking to a Friend
Just getting something stressful off your chest can be a huge stress reliever.
Speaking to a friend or speaking to a professional counselor is a healthy way to relieve your stress.
Knowing that you have an outlet is a stress relief.

19. Meditation
Finding time to relax your mind each day will help prevent stress.
If the stress is already there, than taking a few moments in a quiet place can help calm you down.
Prayer and Yoga are just a few ways to meditate.

20. Food-Stress Connection
People use food as a stress reliever.
Many times when we feel stressed out we turn to food, this is called emotional eating.
Food should not be a comforter.

21. Test Your Knowledge

22. Choose the best answer Name a healthy way to relieve stress?
Take pills
Have a drink
Exercise

23. Why is food a bad outlet for stress?
It is high in calories
It tastes too good
It can turn you into an emotional eater.

24. Congratulations you have just completed the Course
You should be able to prevent avoidable stress.
You should know some common ways to relieve stress.

25. The following are some stress relieving exercises for you to try
The following are some stress relieving exercises for you to try. The exercises will require some time and a quiet place. Please hit the Next Slide button to view the exercises.

26. Hot Tub Enter the bath tub and relax. Focus on your breathing.
Exhale and let chest and belly expand as you inhale.
You should begin to feel lighter and lighter.
Imagine you are relaxing in a bubbling spring.
The steam water enfolds around you.
Gently massage your skin.
Watch as your tension evaporates.
Enjoy the warmth.
When ready, return to the routine of your day..refreshed..revitalized…unworried..
Take the peace of this place with you.

27. Revitalize Your Eyes
Gently close your eyes and relax as much as possible
Take a deep breath and allow your mind to clear
Draw your attention inward and let your eyes relax by visualizing the color “black”
Now use your thumbs or middle fingers to massage the pressure point along the ridge of your eyes
Second pressure point are on either side of the bridge of the nose find it and grasp it with our thumb and massage it by squeezing up and down to the 8-count.
Rest and repeat

28. Sigh of Relief
Sighing is the body’s natural way to release tension and get more oxygen.
Sighing exercises the diaphragm, deepens breathing and relaxes tight jaw and throat muscles.

29. References
Tubesing, Nancy & Tubesing Donald Structured exercises in Stress Management.
U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion Targeting Health Stress Management.