Beating Stress

Introduction: Identify It

• There are many kinds of stress: -Normal and Sudden Stressors
• Stress results from the stressor, your reaction and your resources
• Understand stress and then consider how you react
• Determine what resources you have available such as friends, family, time, money, coping skills

Coping Mechanisms:

• Stopping, breathing, thinking and developing a plan
• Write down a plan
• Find a healthy outlet such as music, reading or socializing
• Forgive someone who is involved
• Seek trained professional help

Daily Living

• Day to day stress can be healthy
• Pile-up can create a tipping point

Coping Mechanisms:

• Planning a menu for the week
• Creating a grocery list in advance
• Using a calendar to organize events
• Packing lunches the night before school
• Making a to do list
• Find helpful apps
• Designate a time to shut down laptops or screen free time
• Build and rely on social relationships
• Go outside
• Reflect on how you decompress

Family and Business Relationships

• Bowen’s Family system theory: Triangles of people in business or family relationships
• Difficulty relating between generations
• Importance of understanding family history

Coping Mechanisms:

• Some people emotionally distance themselves from the situation
• Focus time and attention on another person or relationship
• Attempt to understand family history of oneself and partner
• Separate one’s personal feelings and thoughts from that of the family
• Consider your role in the misunderstanding
• Choose a different response for the future

Financial

• Money is central to many misunderstandings and pressures
• Money carries emotions with it and it is important to understand how you and those in close relationships (personal or business) value money

Coping Mechanisms:

• Don’t spend what you don’t have
• Create a savings account for emergencies
• Know your balance in banking accounts and on credit cards
• Talk about managing money in the beginning of a serious relationship
• Make a plan to meet goals that cost money
• Don’t keep secrets about expenditures and have ground rules about discussing money
• Have regular financial meetings and make charts and lists to work through details of goals and money management

Wellness

• Although many people like to help others, caregiving takes a toll on the individual providing care
• It is difficult to find time for personal wellness but caregivers are at a greater health risk than loved ones because caregivers neglect personal needs to care for others

Coping Mechanisms:

• Caregivers need to care for themselves
• Exercise, eat right and have regular medical check-ups
• Reduce stress through deep breathing, laughing, talking with a friend and exercising
• It is not necessary to have a gym membership, power walking around your home or in the neighborhood is still helpful
• Call a friend or family member on the commute home
• Find a quiet place at home or work to close your eyes, calm your breathing and reflect for 5 minutes
• Set personal goals for socializing or earning an additional certification to prioritize the caregiver’s goals
• To avoid caregiving burnout, ask friends or family for help with caregiving or access local support resource