When starting on any journey it is important to see where you are now.

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1 Introduction Welcome to our five step programme. Pressure is an every day part of our lives, and it is healthy to experience mild levels of this in order to achieve what we need to. However, a build up of excessive strain can cause physical illness and render the sufferer unable to lead a normal life, possibly for long periods of time. This programme cannot replace the work of a counsellor or therapist, it is simply to help you to recognise, understand and manage your daily pressures and importantly, how to relax! Gain more control and obtain the knowledge and skills to make healthy changes in your lifestyle. Step 1 Where are you now? When starting on any journey it is important to see where you are now. Below is an Pressure Awareness Checklist. Use it to understand the causes of shortterm strain in your life. It will also give you an important insight into how you react to these feelings. The idea behind this checklist is that, on a regular basis, you record information about the issues you are experiencing, so that you can analyse these and then manage them. Tick each one in the column which most clearly reflects how true each situation is for you and then add up your scores at the bottom. Over the last four months how often have you: Lost your appetite Constantly nibbled at snack food Bitten your nails, or tapped your feet or fingers Been restless Found yourself getting angry or upset Felt you have to work extra hard or late? Felt worked up and aggravated by heavy traffic or other travellers Been more competitive at winning in sport Often Seldom Sometimes Never

2 Tried hard to win arguments or get the upperhand Struggled for perfection Felt you don t spend enough time with family and friends Found it difficult to sleep at night Used alcohol when you are under pressure Used cigarettes to help when under pressure Felt trapped by your lifestyle Found yourself too busy to do things you enjoy doing Found it hard to make decisions Worried about your future Found it hard to concentrate Suffered from headaches Found yourself grumbling or moaning Found it difficult to laugh or smile Now add up the number of ticks in each column TOTAL Then multiply each column by X3 X2 X1 X0 TOTAL Now add the four columns together GRAND TOTAL Stress Quiz Scoring sheet More than 45 - Your stress level is high. You maybe a workaholic or suffering physical signs of stress. You should actively take steps to manage the factors in your life that are causing you stress Your stress levels are higher than recommended. There are areas in your life that are causing you stress, you should look at changes that you can make to reduce your stress levels in order to achieve a better balance. Between 25 & 34 You have moderate stress level. Try to include relaxation exercise into your daily routine or increase your levels of physical activity. Below 25 Your balance is about right. You are demonstrating few signs of stress. Monitor your stress levels regularly and if they begin to increase implement lifestyle changes to reduce stress levels.

3 Step 2 Recognise that you need to relax The following are signs and symptoms that you may be under too much pressure. Take a look to see if you recognise any. Step 4 will look at how to address these symptoms before they get out of control. Altered sleep patterns Irritability & aggression Tiredness & lethargy Anxiety & apprehension Breathlessness Poor decision making Dizziness & light-headedness Preoccupation with trivial issues Indigestion / heartburn Inability to prioritise Nausea Coping difficulties Bowel disturbances (diarrhoea, constipation) Mood swings Headaches Difficulty concentrating Muscle tension & pain Short-term memory deterioration Nervous tics Feelings of failure Increased smoking and drinking Lack of self-worth Altered eating habits Feelings of isolation This list is by no means comprehensive, and there is some overlap between the categories, but it should enable you to map out your own pressure response and help you to understand that of others. Step 3 Learn to relax Adjust your thinking Your attitude has a lot to do with whether events and occurrences produce a feeling of pressure and anxiety. Once you admit that you are not able to control everything, you will be better equipped to handle unexpected situations. Building resilience in yourself comes down to finding ways to change your thinking and manage your expectations. Be realistic. Shed the Superman/Superwoman image. Don t expect too much of yourself or others. Be flexible. Give in sometimes. Rehearse/prepare for presentations and interviews. Think positively - look at each stressful situation as an opportunity to improve your life. Don t take work problems home or home problems to work. Laugh each day - rely on humour to relieve tension. Organise and simplify your life If one of your main sources of pressure is the sheer number of things that need to be done, getting organised should help you feel more at peace. Simplifying your

4 life also should help you feel less overwhelmed. Plan your day and your week around YOU Learn to prioritise. Do what is urgent/important first and realise that some things can wait until later. Cut out some activities and delegate tasks. Break large demands into small, manageable parts. Work through your tasks one by one. Talk it through. Talk to a friendly listener who remains calm and listens in a way that makes us feel understood. You can develop a network of friends and family members to turn to when this pressure threatens to overwhelm you. If you are a naturally private or independent person, it might seem challenging to build a support system. Think of individuals who care about you and with whom you can share your most personal thoughts. And relax Taking care of your body, mind and spirit can help reduce feelings of anxiety and frustration that often accompany excessive pressure. Practice relaxation techniques such as controlling your breathing, clearing your mind, and relaxing your muscles. Progressive Muscle. Lie down and practice breathing slowly in and out whilst concentrating on all the muscles in your body. Start at your toes and work upwards to your head, contracting each muscle feel the tension and then concentrate on letting it go. This is an excellent way to relax your entire body. Try relaxation therapies such as Yoga or Tai Chi or Meditation. Get 7-8 hours sleep if possible and eat a nutritious breakfast/lunch. Exercise. It relieves tension and provides a timeout from stressful situations. Reduce or eliminate caffeine (coffee, black and green tea, cola drinks, and chocolate) - caffeine is a stimulant, it can make you feel more anxious. Avoid or reduce intake of alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. Get a massage, read a good book or see an upbeat movie. Consider getting a pet. A pet s love is unconditional. Try to take time everyday to slow down and do something you enjoy, even if it is just for a few minutes. Set aside some personal time, but limit time spent with negative people. Go for a walk. Listen to music. Take some time off to rejuvenate yourself even if it s just one day midweek or a long weekend. If possible, go on vacation. Do volunteer work or start a hobby.

5 Step 4 - Take action Relax yourself now. Quick Pressure Release Deep Breathing releases tension and increases the flow of energy to the body. Slow down your breathing - let an easy comfortable pattern develop. Breathe IN through your nose and OUT through your mouth. As you breathe in, breathe in slowly and deeply, allow the diaphragm to expand before your chest does. The out breath is long and slow, feel the out breath passing through your lips. Remember that deep easy breathing is low down in the body with very little movement of chest and shoulders. Repeat another two times. As you do it, think of your quiet place or your symbol of comfort. For a Quick Pressure Release (QSR) try these 1. Take an easy deep breath, release it slowly through gently parted lips, imagine and feel your tension being breathed away. The breath out is longer than the breath in. The 7/11 technique recommends breathing in slowly to the count of seven and out to the count of eleven. You might also like to include a positive affirmation - I am Calm, Confident, in Control 2. When you have experienced the Count to Relax technique a few times try this QSR technique: Identify where your stress feels physically centred i.e. tight, tense, knotted stomach. Take an easy deep breath. As you exhale, think of the number SIX & say to yourself Six..My abdomen is calm and comfortable, relaxed and at ease using the same words you use in the longer exercise. Feel that tension slipping away and the quietness flowing through. Relate the number used in count to relax to the area of tension 3. Take single easy deep breaths at intervals during the day - when you are waiting at traffic lights, washing up, shaving, before you pick up the phone. Remember to let the breath out slowly. This single deep breath repeated simply half a dozen times during the day will help to reduce overall tension and restore energy. 4. Use your colour breathing - two or three easy breaths, breathe in your colour and feel it flow though your body... As the breath flows through your body it picks up the

6 tension and stress. As you breathe out, the out breath releases the stress. A s you continue to breathe in your colour quietly, easily sense your mind and body calming... relaxing energising. More relaxation skills The following combinations of relaxation skills will produce deep and effective relaxation. Start each relaxation with three or four easy deep breaths and finish with positive affirmations. Try out these combinations and take your time. Breathing -Progressive Muscle - Visualisation - Affirmation Breathing - Passive - Visualisation - Affirmation Breathing - Count to Relax - Affirmation Breathing - Passive - Affirmation Breathing - Visualisation - Affirmation Breathing - Count to relax, but this time repeat each phrase slowly 3 times and imagine and feel that relaxation taking effect i.e. My shoulders are loose and relaxed, warm and comfortable My hands and arms are warm and heavy and comfortable Positive Affirmations The altered state of consciousness that can be attained with deep relaxation is highly effective in improving your inner reality. Positive affirmations will help you to eliminate tension and stress, to enjoy a growing sense of inner peace and to create a positive approach to your life. Some suggested affirmations are: I am at peace I am quite quiet I am deeply relaxed, calm and comfortable I am physically relaxed, mentally at ease I am calm, confident, in control I feel good about myself I am relaxed and mentally alert I am confident and comfortable within myself I now take control of my life I experience new optimism and enthusiasm I enjoy each day in its own unique way Energisers: 1. Yawn deeply two or three times, as you do so, massage gently any tight spots that you sense in you cheeks, around your jaw line or around your eyes. This will help whole brain integration.

7 2. Stretch one arm in front of you; clench your hand with thumb pointing to the ceiling. Draw a large imaginary horizontal 8 shape at eye level starting at the centre point. Follow the movements with your eyes and small movements of your head Repeat 3 times. Then do it with the other arm and then with both hands clasped together, repeating each sequence 3 times. This exercise helps to integrate left and right visual fields and will help you focus on mental work. Great if your eyes are feeling tired or strained. 3. Sip room temperature water dehydration causes physical and mental fatigue. 4. Stand comfortably, take an easy deep breath and hold it. Raise your arms with clenched fist to shoulder height. Bring them down sharply as you exhale forcibly through your mouth. You may find you grunt!! Then take an easy deep breath and let it out slowly. Good for releasing tension. 5. Stand up and march on the spot, lifting your knees. As you do so alternately touch each knee with the opposite hand. Repeat at least four or five times. This will help to engage both brain hemispheres and coordinate visual, auditory and kinaesthetic responses. Good for stimulating writing, reading and listening skills. Step 5 - Now you are more relaxed you can start to look at your goals This programme has been written to help you to build resilience via better awareness of the importance of relaxation. The first four steps have shown you how to recognise pressure and taught you simple coping techniques through adjusted thinking and relaxation. Your next step is to take action. Pressure Management Action Plan don t leave it as a vague I ll do it later. Make an action plan now and follow it for 6 weeks and notice the difference. Photocopy this sheet first so that you can monitor your progress. Week No:... Date:... Occupational Issues to Address and Action I will take Results Relationships

8 Diet / Health Exercise Sleep / Interests Personal Matters How did you feel at the start of the week? End of the week? What differences have you noticed through tackling some of these pressures? Diary Notes:

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