A stress-free Christmas and more: Stress management short & sweet!
Christmas lights, Christmas music, the first snow and the smell of cookies – here comes the Christmas spirit! Possibly combined with the beginning of an internal nervousness and the hectic pace it brings. Everything has to be done BEFORE Christmas and must be as perfect as possible during the holiday season. The "right" gifts and decorations, home baked cookies, multi-course meals, relatives visiting – everything harmonious and without conflict!
However, the reality is often different and a stress-free Christmas is a pious wish for many! This doesn’t have to be, because we are not powerless over our stress but can learn to master it. In other words, accurately grasping the complex phenomenon of stress in order to find out where one can counteract it quickly and effectively.
My Christmas gift to you this 2018 is therefore:
1. An overview of stress components
2. Practical exercises for stress management and its prevention on all levels
3. A Christmas gift of 33% off from your next coaching with a Coaching gift voucher!
1. During stress there are basically 3 components* that work together:
*the "Stresstrias", Gerd Kaluza, 2015: Stressbewältigung, Springer-Verlag
-
Stressors can be external stress factors, such as pressure to perform, heavy workloads, time pressures and social conflicts that lead to a stress reaction – if we subjectively assess that we can not or not sufficiently master the challenge. Stress = challenge > coping skills
-
Stress response is the individual reaction of a person's body, mind and soul to stressors. For example, the release of hormones with the activation and mobilisation of energy reserves, faster heartbeat, higher muscle tension, faster or shallower breathing are all symptoms including "permanent activation" in chronic stress which is severely hazardous to our health eventually leading to burnout.
-
Personal stress enhancers are, in addition to our own personal assessments that the challenges are bigger than our coping skills, well-learned (in childhood) and often subconscious stress-exacerbating thought patterns such as: impatience, perfectionism, control, individual combat, negative thinking and self-exertion.
The first step towards a stress-free holiday season and a more relaxed, healthier life is being able to tackle each of the three levels of stress, one at a time or all at once, by breaking down the complex stress event into manageable "portions" so we find easier, workable ways to help ourselves:
For example, we can counteract the stressors with time management, planning, delegation and training and the physical stress responses with strategies to calm down, relax and become more resistant to stress using relaxation techniques & (mini) meditations, having sufficient sleep & exercise, hobbies, social contacts, etc.
The good news, with the "in-our-head" stress enhancers, is that only we ourselves can influence and change them. The bad news is that it can take some time to change patterns. Professional support is often useful here.
2. SunCoaching Stress management tips - not only for the Holiday Season!
-
Approach stressors: Plan, discuss and delegate before the holiday season gets into full swing who, what and when can others contribute to the success of the festivities – for example: Children and teenagers are a great help if they can be involved, help shape and have a say in preparations.
-
Approach stress response: The Hawaiian breathing technique, Piko-Piko (Piko = Hawaiian for "center") to relax and recharge your batteries. Click here for the instructions: MP3 download. Furthermore treat yourself to enough sleep, timeouts in nature, sports, hot baths, massages or saunas for physical regeneration.
-
Approach stress enhancers: Mental training: “Is my glass half full or half empty?”
Your glass is refillable! Be aware of your thoughts. If you find yourself thinking "half-empty" ones, do not criticise but acknowledge yourself for your awareness and then turn your attention to the positive aspects of the situation, on possible solutions, on your goal again and again, until you have internalised and automated the new pattern.
A stress management coaching is tailored to your personal needs as it works individually on all three approaches by finding many possible solutions and support to implement in your everyday life. In general can be recommended that you do not always have to do everything alone - getting professional support, early rather than later, can protect your nerves and save you a lot of time and further problems. Stress management makes a lot sense preventively, because, in the full possession of our powers, we can change most aspects of our lives to be positive. You can contact me for questions and answers, or redeem your voucher and set up an appointment with me.
3. Christmas gift: Voucher for a coaching unit of your choice with a 33% discount!
You can have a look at the regular fees for the various coaching offers here. The voucher is valid for one person and can also be given to a family member, friend or colleague of your choice.
I wish you and your families a stress-free, merry and blessed Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
Speaking of happiness: that’s the topic of the next newsletter J
Best wishes, Ingrid Stadtler-Pree
