Handout and CD Contents

Introduction          

Section 1   What is stress?

• Definition of stress        
• The Human Function Curve      
• How to recognise the signs of stress     

Section 2    The work/life balance

• The Work/life Balance Wheel       
• Action planning to ensure a good work/life balance   

Section 3    Sources of pressure at work and at home

• Your control inventory       

Section 4    The effects of individual factors     

• Personality traits that may increase feelings of pressure  
• Challenging limiting beliefs       
• Challenging stressful thoughts      
• Revising unwritten rules       
• Exercise on changing your perspective     

Section 5    Some useful practical approaches

• Manage your time        
• Look after yourself        
• Change ways of thinking       
• Change ways of behaving       
• Summary of practical approaches      

Section 6   Your personal action plan

• Personal action planning table      

Contents of the Relaxation CD       

Conclusion          

 

The CD

• Breathing
  -slowing & deepening the breathing to slow down brain waves (like a car going from high revs to idling)
• Breathing & Relaxing the Muscles
  -muscles, especially neck, shoulders, back and limbs develop muscle tension as the day goes by
• Breathing for Energy (Paced Breathing)
  -this exercise uses the diaphragm to circulate the lymph fluid to remove the waste products produced by cells
• Breathing & Walking
  -allows you to relax when walking to and from car, an appointment, a shop, etc. and also increases awareness of the Present Moment and slows down the perception of time
• The Inner Voice
  -the inner voice is a very important concept.  It is as if mentally we are each two different individuals.  The first is existing in the real world, dealing with all the pressures of modern life.  Sometimes that life is so hectic that the second individual becomes masked or hidden.  
• The Tropical Island
  -a mini-holiday in your mind that fully relaxes you both physically, mentally and emotionally.
• The Forest with the Balloon
   -a relaxation and offloading technique

Please note that all the above techniques to be successful have to be practised and practised until they become automatic.

Relaxation Exercise Podcast

Click here to listen to a short relaxation exercise by Dr David Mason Brown - Dr Mason Brown's relaxation exercises are featured on the Audio CD which accompanies this course.