Natural Solutions for Stress and Anxiety

Natural Health Supplements 

One of the things I don't talk much about is the fact that a few years ago, I
took a course in Natural Health Fundamentals. It is important to me that I have as many resources possible to help clients who are struggling. One of the tools I discovered in my natural health exploration is GABA.

GABA  (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is produced naturally by the human body and it inhibits neurotransmitters that make us feel alert and excited. This promotes relaxation and reduces tension across the central nervous system. GABA may occur naturally in the human body, but we often are deficient. GABA's main role is to help calm the nervous system. I have found in personal use that GABA helps to quiet my brain while I sleep, and it is especially effective if you have a lot of nightmares. Even if the nightmares don't go away completely, I find that with regular use of GABA at night before bed, that I am able to wake myself up before they get "bad" or that my brain will simply switch the bad dream off. Regular use of GABA helps me feel more calm and balanced throughout the day.

Natural Solution for Stress and Anxiety

Many of my clients have reported that their driving anxiety decreases, they are able to focus better, and that they no longer feel that constant vibration of low-grade anxiety in their body after using GABA. 

Is GABA a miracle drug? First, it's not a drug, it's a natural supplement - an amino acid. Second, no - it doesn't work for everyone. Still, it's worth a try since it has few to no side effects, and after a few days of using it, you'll see a difference in your state of general arousal.

In my experience, GABA does not make you sleepy, so although it contributes to a better quality sleep, it won't help you fall asleep like Melatonin or 5-HTP will. 5-HTP is Tryptophan - the hormone found in turkey and bananas that make you feel like you're falling into a food coma after Thanksgiving dinner. Tryptophan makes you drowsy, and can help you fall asleep if you're struggling with insomnia.

Give it a shot! There are a host of vendors on Amazon that sell GABA, 5-HTP (tryptophan), and other natural supplements that help to calm and sedate the nervous system. When you see results, reach out and let me know how they are working for you!

Natural Solution for Stress and Anxiety

Stress Management: Attitude is Where It Begins

Attitude is

Where It All Begins

When you think about stress management, what do you think of? Do you picture hammocks, white sandy beaches, and azure blue oceans? Do you think of soothing music, candles, and a hot bath in a claw-foot tub overflowing with bubbles? Or perhaps you are picturing yourself laying on a plush leather couch while you free-associate about your childhood.  While the above strategies may prove useful to reducing your stress, I would like to begin with the simplest of concepts; one that is essential to managing one’s stress. 

Many have heard me say, “Belief is the basis of action. Your behaviour will always be in accordance with your beliefs.”  This is as true for stress as it is for any other aspect of our lives.  Richard Lazarus, one of the first to coin the word “stress”, described it as a feeling or state that occurs when the perceived demands on one’s life (whether emotional, social, financial, intellectual, etc.) exceed the resources one has available.  In other words, if you don’t think (or believe) that you can handle the demands currently placed upon you, you will experience stress. 

While stress may express itself through physiological cues, it is a total experience, encompassing mind, body, and spirit.  Thus, stress must be combated on all of those levels.  The first of these battlegrounds is that of the mind, as that is where stress begins. It begins with your perceptions, and the choices you make in dealing with them.  If you choose to believe that your situation is hopeless, your mind will stop seeking for answers and go into survival mode. Your body will assume the physiological state of fight or flight, causing a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, an excessive production of blood sugar and cholesterol, and an increase in the production of cortisol, norepinephrine, and serotonin. 

All of these physical responses can wreak havoc on the body if left unchecked.  Too often though, we tend to try to resolve what is happening in the body without first addressing what is taking place on the battlefield of the mind.   You must first adjust your attitude if you wish to successfully keep your stress levels in check.

Am I saying that one should not be justified in feeling alarmed when a crisis comes up?  Absolutely not.  It is a natural response to feel a little overwhelmed from time to time when crises arise in our lives.  However, how you respond to the crisis in your mind will, in the end, determine your overall ability to cope with it. 

A negative attitude will invariably gnaw away at your capability to fight, to seek answers or solutions, and to prevail against the presenting challenge.  By remaining solution focused, you can train your brain to look for the positive aspects of the current challenge.  You will be able to look back on previous crises in your life, and draw on the strength of knowing that you were able to survive it, and perhaps even take from some of the skills you used in the last situation to help you through this one.

It has been said that the mind is a terrible thing to waste.  Indeed, the mind is a powerful tool, when used correctly.  By asking yourself key questions, you can train your mind to work for you rather than against you in the battle for optimum stress.  Here are some questions you can use to help you train your brain to develop positive attitudes:

1.                   What’s good about this?

2.                  What can I learn from this?

3.                  How can this situation help me become stronger?

4.                  Who has been through something similar that I can call on for help or advice?

5.                  What skills or resources do I have that I can use to help me in this situation?

6.                  How can I become a better person as a result of this crisis?

Begin carefully asking yourself these questions so that you can prepare your brain with a positive attitude to help you deal effectively with each stress-inducing situation as it arises. Remember that the only time you will not experience stress is when you are dead. We will always experience some stress because it shows that we are growing, learning, developing, and evolving; the question is whether or not it will be mobilizing or optimum stress, or whether it will be the consuming kind. Maintaining a positive attitude, one that seeks to find the good in each situation, and looks for ways to learn from each challenge, will propel you towards a state of optimum stress. Whenever stressful challenges arise, remember, attitude is where it all begins.          

Do you like what you see here? For more on practical stress management strategies, get the book: When the Last Straw Falls: 30 Ways to Keep Stress from Breaking Your Back

BACK TO SCHOOL!!

Yesterday, my Facebook post went something like this: “Good bye summer – it was a slice; back to school – hope my students are nice.” This silly little rhyme was followed by a “high five to all the parents who work from home".

While the post was a little tongue in cheek, the sentiments were sincere. I thoroughly enjoyed my summer break from teaching, and was able to work the other aspects of my business at a less frenetic pace. It was an absolute joy having time to read, soak up some sun, and to putter in my garden while ensuring that my patients and customers still received caring, personalized service. Also, like many students and teachers heading back to school, there is always a little hint of anxiety associated with a new start. “Will my teacher be nice? Will the other students be friendly? Will my students be respectful? Will my classroom have air conditioning?” Seriously, every new change brings with it even a slight sense of trepidation, and rightly so.

Finally, I had to give a shout-out to other parents like me who work from a home office. Having the kids home for the summer (whether they are 8 years old or 18) carries another set of happy challenges for home-based entrepreneurs who need to get work done. When your 18 year-old texts you and says “I’m bringing my friends back here from the Mandarin to hang out...” the first question is, “WHEN?” (so you can change out of your pjs), and “How many friends?” (so you can guesstimate how much the noise levels are going to go up in your house), and finally, “For how long?” (meaning – how much work time will I lose? Maybe this is a good time to go to Staples to buy my office supplies). I call this a happy challenge, because even though kids can be a distraction and get in the way of work, they are a home-based working parent’s priority. Being there for them is why we work from home (that and the freedom to work in pyjamas).

All kidding aside, here are some takeaways from a silly Facebook post that may help you in the future.

One: Everyone needs to take a break or slow down now and then. After about five or six years of going hard with work, I decided enough was enough and I desperately needed to slow down. Last summer, in addition to teaching 3 days a week in Toronto, I was working desperately to complete my 300 hours of practicum training for my Master’s Degree, and trying to keep my business customers happy, never mind being available for my kids. Then in the fall, I returned to George Brown College for the regular fall/winter semester, picked up additional hours there, and finished my practicum. Then came the New Year and two more books – one a long job that was finally completed, and another that was written from start to finish in about 45 days. In between all of that I developed and published new curriculum for Anger Solutions. By the time summer came around, it was time to bring it all to a screeching halt. Now, I don’t claim to be any kind of super-woman, I just like to work hard and see great results; but then again, aren’t you just like that too? You work hard, you give your best to your families, children, partners, customers, students, etc., and you love to see positive outcomes. The thing is, that if we don’t take time to step back, take a break, and refresh/recharge, we will eventually crash and burn out. Not everyone has the luxury of taking summers off like teachers do, but when you have an opportunity to take a break – a weekend, a one-week vacation or a three-week holiday – wherever you can find time to recharge, take it.

Two: Every change carries an element of anxiety with it. That doesn’t mean that you should resist change. The truth of the matter is that change is happening all around us. We can either embrace it or we can buck it. Resisting change produces more anxiety and trepidation. Embracing change helps to lessen the anxiety but converting the interpretation of the change event into something exciting rather than something to fear. Just think of little kids who are starting school at the kindergarten level. They have been to JK (in most cases) and already know that leaving Mom and Dad is not as scary as it was last year. But they also might be worried about if their new teacher will be nice of if their friends will still be their friends. On the other hand, they are so excited about their new school gear, and their “first day of school outfits”, that in many cases, they are just bursting to get out of the car and into the school yard. If only we adults could balance those measures of fear and excitement – dealing with change would be a much easier and exciting task.

Three: Happy challenges are all around us. It may be balancing the demands of a home-based business, dealing with rapid growth in your industry, a rash of customer orders that all come in at once that instantly make you super, super busy, or a whiny dog who doesn’t care that you have a newsletter to write – he just wants to go for a walk. I call these happy challenges because they are “good problems” to have. Rapid growth in your industry means opportunity for your business to grow. A rash of orders means that your customers are loyal – they love your product, and it means that you are in demand. A whiny dog is a reminder that every now and then you need to step back from work and just take a break. A quick walk around the neighbourhood with my whiny dog Forrest Gump helps me to clear my head, to breathe, and to keep my heart healthy. It also helps to prevent saddlebag syndrome and numb bum from sitting at my computer for too long. The difference between a happy challenge and a hassle is all in your perception. If you perceive these gifts as problems or pains, that is how you will approach them. If you perceive them as opportunities and pleasures, then you will have less stress and enjoy the journey much more.

P.S.: Bullies are Back to School Too!

For some students, returning to school is a real source of trepidation, not for the reasons listed above, but because of their fear of children who bully. Bullying is a serious issue that is pervasive in both our schools and workplaces; however, there is a new resource for parents seeking to help their children deal effectively with bullying. Bullying is Not a Game: A Parents’ Survival Guide is now available – place your order at http://www.angersolution.com/store.php . You can also find the book at Heritage Christian Bookstore in the Grantham Plaza St. Catharines.

Author of Anger Solutions Releases New Book about Stress

Author, Speaker, and Coach, Julie Christiansen has released her new book, When the Last Straw Falls: 30 Ways to Keep Stress from Breaking Your Back. The book release party takes place May 12, 2011 at the St. Catharines Museum Interactive Room at the Welland Canal (Lock 3) in St. Catharines. Julie was recently interviewed by Hugh Reilly, Host of ThatChannel's Liquid Lunch and the book has also been featured on CTS Television's "Real Life".

When the Last Straw Falls is currently available EXCLUSIVELY at AngerSolution.com: http://www.angersolution.com/laststraw.php. Trade Paperback, 190 pages, $24.95 CN.

The Highs and Lows of Entrepreneurship

Today we were joined by Lynn Beaudry of 2Brains Inc. and The FRONT to talk about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Thanks Lynn, for an insightful show! Be sure to visit their websites: www.2brains.ca and www.thefront.ca.

To listen to the podcast I mentioned in today's rant, go to http://juliechristiansen.mypodcast.com to listen to the 5 minute dialogue on coping with workplace bullies.

Listen in to the show right here...



Next week, stay tuned as I talk with Motivational Speaker, Author, and Extreme Athlete, Rich Fettke! Check out his website at www.fettke.com.

Personal Branding Guru, Paul Copcutt

This was a great show with Paul - he is a real pro when it comes to matters of personal branding. If you are in transition, thinking about switching jobs, or moving into a new career - you MUST listen to this interview. Lots of great tidbits and worth the listen.

Check out Paul's website at : http://www.squarepegsolution.com.

Anger Solutions for the Holidays

Oh the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful... Yes, that sounds very romantic and idealistic in the lyrics of a song, but the truth is that often, while the weather outside might indeed be frightful, the climate indoors when families come together is not much better.

I don't know why exactly, but I have heard it over and over again that the holidays seem to bring out the worst in some families. Here are jus some of the things my clients and customers have relayed to me about holiday gatherings - and I'm not making this stuff up:

• I hold my anger in all year until right about Christmas time - and then when the whole family gets together, usually someone says something that is like, "the last straw", and I just explode! I lambaste the whole family and then I'm good for another year.
• Every time our family gets together, it always becomes a contest about who was treated the worst, who had the most unhappy childhood, and who was daddy's favourite.
• I hate family get togethers - my brother always says something unsavoury or rude, and it just ruins the whole thing!
• I would rather spend Christmas on the other side of the world, alone - than spend it with my family. They make me feel so unloved and unwanted.

That's pretty depressing, isn't it! Yet, a vast majority of people reading this can relate, and may even be nodding their heads in agreement with some of the above statements! So - how do we get through the holidays unscathed? Here are some tips for surviving holiday stress and beating holiday anger - the Anger Solutions way.

1. Remember the reason for the season. The holidays are not about presents. They are not about airing family grievances. They are not even about the turkey and the trimmings. The holidays are about honouring your faith, and spending quality time with the ones that you love as you celebrate. Keep your focus on the reason why your family is coming together, rather than all the horrid memories of Christmases past.
2. Consider your desired outcomes. We teach this until we're blue in the face with Anger Solutions: your events PLUS your responses equal your outcomes. The challenge is that too often, we don't pre-consider what outcomes we would like to achieve. Ask yourself: "How would I like this Christmas or holiday gathering to turn out?" "What's the best way to ensure that my outcomes are realized?" Decide in advance, what measures you can take to do an end-run around those who would attempt to derail your plans. My number one priority outcome is always to create great memories. If that is your priority outcome, how can you make that happen? That brings us to our next strategy:
3. Solicit partners in positive outcomes. Do you like the ring of that? Partners in positive outcomes. Talk to your family members BEFORE your big event. Be honest about your misgivings and state your expectations. Go beyond asking questions about who is bringing the sweet potatoes or the dessert. It might sound something like this: "So Christmas dinner is at our house this year, and I know we all want to have a really great time. What I'm hoping for is that we can all put aside any of the family stuff that we deal with all the rest of the year, and just really enjoy each other's company."
4. If there is a particular family member who tends to be the instigator, prepare a plan for how you will deal with this individual's behaviour. You may want to be proactive, and address them prior to the get-together in the hopes that they will agree to be on their best behaviour. Another approach is to call them on their behaviour as soon as they begin with their typical antics. Do this by calling them aside privately - no need to embarrass them or the rest of the family. Very gently and compassionately identify the behaviour that is problematic and request that they discontinue the behaviour for the rest of the evening. E.g. "Mom, I know that you want to be involved in the preparation of the food, and I'm grateful that you're here to help, but when you openly criticize my cooking in front of the family, I feel minimized and belittled. I'm guessing that others here might feel uncomfortable when that happens as well. I'm sure you don't mean to do that, but that is how I feel all the same. So I'm asking you if you would be kind enough to keep your criticisms to yourself for the rest of the night - I would really appreciate that." Other approaches may be to ban the "meddling" instigators from the kitchen under the premise that they deserve to relax and mingle while the last minute preparations are taken care of. This always works better when two or more people deliver the same message.
5. Be prepared for awkward moments. If you follow this blog, then you know you have seen the TSA model before, but it will really help you if you find yourself experiencing a frustration signal during your family get togethers. Here it is again in a nutshell: THINK - What is happening? What does it mean? How do I feel about it? How would I like this to be resolved? What should I do next? SAY - "I feel... I need... I would like... " Here's a little tip - rather than saying, "Please don't" - identify the exact behaviour that you would like to see instead. It keeps the conversation positive, and also clarifies your expectations for the other person. ASK - "Can you see where I'm coming from?" "How can we work together to help everyone have a really great time tonight?" Get the other individual involved in the problem solving process and you will get through even the awkward moments - AND you'll do it together.
6. Develop a structure for the evening. It doesn't have to be a fully programmed dinner party; however, it may be more enjoyable and less stressful if you have a basic idea of how the evening will flow. Here's an example:

- start with appetizers of course - people can mingle, listen to music, get caught up with each other while the last minute meal prep is being taken care of. Ensure that the beverages and finger foods are NOT in the kitchen area, so you can minimize traffic through your workspace. You may want to have some space set aside for the kids/youth in the family so that they can hang out, play games, watch TV or socialize while they wait for the food to be served as well. Once dinner is over, the designated cleanup crew clears the tables and gets them prepped for dessert. You may want to bring out some games (quiet ones at this point) - card games, chinese checkers, battleship, etc. for people to play. There are of course lots of new fun games on the market that engage conversation, and can be played by a large number of people. These are ideal to hel people stay focused on having fun, rather than wanting to bring up old family grievances. If there is a time for gift giving, designate a time for this as well.

I trust you will find this advice helpful as you prepare to go full steam ahead into the holidays. Above all else, remember the reason for the season - that is my first and last piece of advice to you. Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday, and above all, be blessed!

3 Reasons to Stop Stressing About the Economy

I don’t know about you but there is only so much doom and gloom talk that I can take before I start thinking… Arghhhh! The media is obsessed with inundating us with bad news – and right now (for good reason) the economy is the flavor of the month.

I am currently reading (for the second time) Jack Canfield’s excellent book, The Success Principles, and just passed over his comment, “They’re having a recession, but I’ve chosen not to participate.” I like that kind of thinking. Last year while we were headed on an economical downward slide as a nation, I tripled my sales. Why? Because I was focused on creating abundance rather than “coping with lack”, or worse yet – “avoiding scarcity”.

And so, as we continue to plod through the recession, here are 3 good reasons to shift your focus away from our current economic crisis:

1. The first reason to stop stressing about the economy is the most important one: You Can’t Control It! Stressing over what you can’t control is an exercise in futility, frustration, and fatigue. This kind of stress is consuming. It will invariably lead to illness, depression, insomnia, and disease (all things which will interfere with your ability to be a peak performer). When you are in a state of poor performance, you will be less productive. Less productivity = less money. Stressing about the economy will guarantee fewer dollars in your pocket.

2. Reason number two: What you focus on is what you will achieve. When you spend all your time thinking about the recession, worrying about your portfolio, and watching the stocks fluctuate, your world will shrink to the size of your television or computer screen. When you focus on scarcity – that is what you will see all around you. I remember when I worked in the downtown core; the road I took to work went through a depressed part of town. Hookers frequented the street corners, the area was littered with crack houses and most of the unsavoury business that happens on all inner city streets took place in this area. It got so that I was beginning to believe that my whole town was nothing but a big slum because of this one little pocket within the core. Once I realized that my focus was beginning to colour my entire perspective, I made a simple decision: I changed the route that I took to work. By making that one shift in my actions, I was able to re-route my perspective back to a more positive outlook about my town and the people living in it. Now more than ever, it is imperative that you choose to focus on abundance – on gratitude – and on the blessings you currently have. Remember – you can’t control the markets, so focus on what you can control… that leads me to point number THREE.

3. Focus on YOU. That is the only thing you can control or change. You can’t change the government (until voting time comes back around). You can’t influence the markets either positively or negatively. You will not be able to change the numbers that are flashing across your television or computer screen. The only thing you can change is YOU.

Your efforts and your efforts alone will impact your personal economy and your net worth. Are you turning into a miser – because you feel like you need to “prevent any further losses?” Or are you doing what you know will work to keep the cash flowing in your life or business? I’m not saying you shouldn’t be careful in these turbulent times; I’m simply suggesting that you do so with the proper intentions. Keep your focus on the things you can control. You can control your spending and your choices for saving. You can choose to turn off CNN in favour of doing something constructive, fun, entertaining, or relaxing. Even in tough economic times, you can choose to creatively attract abundance into your life.

Learn more about how to deal with the stress of tough financial times in my new E-Book - soon to be released. Contact me via my website: http://www.juliechristiansen.com/ to sign up to get your copy as soon as it hits the E-Market!

The 5 Minute Makeover

Make Yourself Over in just 5 Minutes!

I hate putting on makeup.

Absolutely hate it.

The whole time I am "putting on my face", I catch myself thinking about what a colossal waste of time it is - and how I could be doing something more profitable.

Most days I don't wear any - thanks to the fact that I have nice caramel coloured skin that usually takes care of itself. But then there are those days when I haven't had enough sleep, or I have broken out with a bad case of adult acne that require that I do a little something to help that caramel coloured skin along. One of the challenges of wearing makeup - aside from the fact that it just makes my face feel gross after a while - is the time it takes to apply it properly.

For example, I noticed the other day that my face was blotchy and I was looking a little tired, so I decided to put on a little base and powder to even out my skin tone. As I was ruminating silently about the time it would take, it occurred to me that I should be able to apply base, powder, and a little eye enhancer in 5 minutes or less. In effect, I have developed a system whereby applying makeup no longer is a time consuming effort. I call it my Five Minute Makeover.

Truth be told, with a little effort (5 minutes or less), I feel more ready to face the day because I don't have to worry about blotches distracting people, black circles under my eyes detracting from my appearance, and I can just move forward to deal with more important things. Knowing I look good when I go out the door DOES make a difference for the quality of my day.

You know what? When you get focused on the task at hand, it is amazing how much you can actually accomplish in 5 minutes. Reading this blog entry will take you less than 5 minutes. Making a phone call to book an appointment takes less than 5 minutes. Driving from your house to the corner Tim Hortons may only take you 3 minutes. On a good day, you can get through the Timmy's drive through in less than 5 minutes. Isn't it funny then, that so many people will avoid those 5 minute activities that could have a lasting long-term impact on their lives?

If 5 minutes a day were all it took to make you look and feel better - would you commit?

Well, here it is. An opportunity to take on average 5 minutes a day to invest in your ability to be a peak performer - to have more energy to go through your day - to remain focused on the more important tasks, and to achieve more success within a shorter time frame.

Are you ready for it? It is called the 90 Day Challenge. 90 Days - 12 weeks - 4 key sessions - and 5 minutes per day - all designed to help catapult you into forward motion, building momentum so that you can achieve the successes you desire in less time and with less effort.

Just think of what you could accomplish with just 5 minutes per day.

Are you interested in learning more about the 90 Day Challenge? Contact me at julie@juliechristiansen.com. I'd be happy to fill you in.

Visit my NEW website: http://www.juliechristiansen.com.

LIVE October 24th - Time Management and Overcoming Conflict

On October 24th, 2008, join international speaker and author, Julie Christiansen for two dynamic interactive workshops: Time Management for Real People, and Overcoming Conflict and Negativity. Both workshops will take place at the Holiday Inn St. Catharines, 2 South Service Road, near the QEW and Lake Street. You may register for one session only ($99 each includes refreshments, workbook, and a free E-Book), or attend both and pay only $180. Click on the image at the left to see a full-sized registration form - you may print, complete and fax it to the number provided to reserve your spot. Space is limited to the first 15 registrants, so don't miss out!

Work Rage - Time For Companies to get out of Denial

Anger management in the workplace: Raging bull
01 September 2008 00:00
The traditionally curmudgeonly British character shouldn’t lead us to overlook the risks anger at work can pose to staff health and wellbeing, writes Virginia Matthews.
And the anger isn't restricted to road, shopping or Naomi Campbell-style air-rage either.

Work rage
According to recent research from employment law firm Peninsula, eight in 10 of us suffer from 'work rage' triggered by anything from lazy colleagues to ill-defined job roles. As many as seven in 10 report that verbal abuse and shouting is common in their place of work.

Seeing a colleague hurl their BlackBerry at the wall or square-up to an unpopular boss may be diverting at the time, but according to Dirk Hansen, director of clinical and service quality at Employee Advisory Resource, a persistently angry colleague can be highly disruptive in a team.
"Anger makes people say hurtful things and it triggers insecurity and lack of trust. Staff may become tentative in their approach to a colleague with anger problems, obstructing the work process and flow, and in the case of explosive anger, may become fearful of violence."
He advocates a zero-tolerance approach when the red mist comes down. "Line management should directly confront any individual who exhibits anger in the workplace and HR should not hesitate to deal with it in a disciplinary context."

Mike Fisher, founder of the British Association of Anger Management, says most organisations are in denial over work-rage, making it "the hot potato that nobody wants to touch".
He argues that while stress, anxiety or low self-esteem are already familiar territory to managers, the gnawing rage suffered inwardly by some staff tends to be hidden under a veneer of self-deprecation and sarcasm.

"While HR has come to embrace the problem of work-induced stress, the anger that invariably follows it is still the elephant in the room," says Fisher, a self-confessed 'passive-aggressive'.
"Yet this is a problem that will only continue to rise along with the country's current economic problems," he adds.

Although most flare-ups at work are minor – an oath, a phone banged down or a slammed desk drawer – work rage can, on occasions, be dramatic.

Paul Dubois, senior anger management instructor at Reed Learning, talks of the two senior surgeons referred to him after they set upon one another with scalpels and knives in an operating theatre: Ivan Robertson of occupational psychologists Robertson Cooper, remembers seeing a colleague coolly smash every single window pane in his office with a metal waste basket.

Calculated subversion
In Fisher's view, though, the problem of "calculated subversion" is far more of a danger to most employers.

"Although it is still deemed acceptable in our society for senior directors to blow their tops and bawl out colleagues, overt aggression is very rare among the lower ranks."

For those workers who feel they don't have a voice at work, undermining the organisation at every possible opportunity can be a far more subtle and deadly way of fighting back, he says.
"Spending extra time at lunch and on breaks is a favourite, as is lying on expenses forms. Angry staff will also spread malicious rumours, phone in sick when it's most inconvenient, be less caring towards customers and be downright obstreperous towards new members of staff," Fisher says.
"You won't even realise what they've been doing until there's a wave of resignations or you lose your biggest customers or contracts."

When it comes to figuring out why we are so angry in the first place – and the rage appears to affect teachers and doctors as much as call centre or sales staff – the consensus of opinion is that lack of autonomy and control, as well as ill-defined work roles, are the number-one suspects, along with mounting workloads and smaller staff numbers.

In the Metropolitan Police, which recently launched 'Shrinking Clouds', a toolkit that aims to combat absenteeism, it is stress, not anger, that receives the most attention.
"I've never yet seen a doctor's note that says: 'Mr So-and-So is off work due to anger problems'," says chief medical officer Dr Eileen Cahill-Canning. "I consider stress to be a far less pejorative word than anger and far easier for people to talk about, even though the two are inextricably linked."

She adds: "Our officers are highly trained not to react emotionally or angrily when faced with highly stressful situations. While it is possible that repressing anger in this way could lead to severe problems later on, we believe our concentration on stress, together with our falling absenteeism levels, speak for themselves."

The right target
For many organisations, anger management only hits the radar when there's been 'an incident' – a shouting match in the middle of the accounts department, or wilful damage to company property.

Yet the individual chosen to receive lessons in managing their anger is not always the right one, says Dubois.

"In many cases, employers are happy to blame individual members of staff for the outburst against a manager, without examining either whether their treatment at work has been fair or finding out whether there's another reason – perhaps a deeply personal one – for their display of anger."

"Although our courses tend to be filled with staff, not their managers, in nine cases out of 10, I would argue that it is actually their bosses who need to manage their anger better too," he says. "Ultimately, we teach people how to say 'no' to their employer, but to do it in an assertive, rather than aggressive way that avoids both manipulating others and resorting to threats or violence.

Virginia Matthews (About this Author)
www.PersonnelToday.com
Tuesday, 02 September 2008

Zzzzz’s – Catch some!

(This is it, folks! Stress Less in 27 Days is finally ready to go to press! Have you ordered your copy yet? Go to http://www.angersolution.com/ and click on the link on the main page to print your order form for faxing or mailing. Our official book launch will be in July - I'll keep you posted!)

Sleep these days seems to be overrated. Do you remember that famous sitcom episode in which a member of the ensemble cast decides he can get so much more done if he only takes a few short naps throughout the day rather than sleeping a full night? As it always happens in sitcoms, chaos ensues. The character finally succombs to exhaustion in the middle of a make-out session with his girlfriend, who assumes he has died, and when he wakes up, he on his way down to the bottom of the Hudson River, rolled up in a carpet! It is a hilarious commentary on the dangers of sleep deprivation, and though humourous, it isn’t too far off the mark.

According to the website, http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/, sleep deprivation can have serious effects on one’ health in the form of physical and mental impairments. Inadequate rest can impair your ability to think, to handle stress, to maintain a healthy immune system and to control and appropriately express your emotions. In fact, sleep is so important to our overall health that total sleep deprivation has been proven to be fatal: according to this site, lab rats that are denied the chance to rest die within two to three weeks.Without adequate rest, the brain's ability to function will deteriorate rapidly. The brain will work harder to counteract the effects of sleep deprivation effects, but will operate less effectively: concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired.

Under the effects of sleep deprivation, the brain begins to lose its ability to problem solve, make decisions, or to perform acts of simple logic. In other words, without sufficient sleep, you will not be able to do simple math like 8x7… what’s that? Insufficient rest can also cause people to have hallucinations, slower reaction times, slurred speech, tremors, irritability, and driver fatigue. Other typical effects of sleep deprivation include depression, heart disease, and hypertension.
While North Americans enjoy the benefits of sufficient sleep, studies have shown that as many as 47 million adults may be putting themselves at risk for injury, health and behavior problems because they aren’t meeting their minimum sleep need in order to be fully alert the next day.
Sleep deprivation causes dangers such as drowsy driving, stress, anger and road rage. But beyond all of this, sleep deprivation can adversely affect all areas of your physical and mental health.

People who suffer from sleep deprivation due to sleep disorders- sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, etc. may also suffer from other problems including diabetes, asthma, diabetes, cancer, illnesses that thrive on a weak immune system, or a second sleep disorder.

Sleep deprivation also contributes to stress and, again, stress weakens our immune system. So a sleep deprived, stressed individual will experience a double whammy effect on his/her ability to fight off illness and disease. To add insult to injury, sleep deprivation and stress, can upset your mental processes. You may experience confusion, memory loss, irritability or emotional highs and lows. If you already have a mental health disorder, sleep deprivation only adds to the problem.

Sleep deprivation is not just an issue for the young to middle-aged working class that is consumed by Hurry Sickness – madly rushing to and fro, trying to make ends meet. Many elderly people also suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders. For the elderly, sleep deprivation can prove to be even more dangerous. Sleepy people are less focused on what they are doing or where they are going. Disorientation could lead to falls or getting lost in a neighbourhood that is unfamiliar. Add to this the other problems that may be found in the elderly such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, or memory loss, and sleep deprivation presents a serious issue.

What can we do then, if we want to stay healthy? Start by getting the sleep you need. It may require you to change your lifestyle by altering your schedule, cutting activities, or making changes to your sleep habits. If you suspect you may have a sleep disorder, or you already know for certain that you do, talk to your doctor and ask about a sleep study.

While there is some disagreement about just how much sleep we really need, most experts agree that a night of seven to nine hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep is a good estimate for what we need, especially during times of high stress and anxiety.
Here are some general guidelines to help you fall asleep and stay asleep:

1. Spend your last hour before bed collecting and organizing your thoughts. Write in your journal or at the very least, make a list of the things that you need to do tomorrow – tell yourself you are clearing your mind so that you can rest without worrying about what will happen tomorrow.

2. Maintain a ritual to prepare yourself mentally for bed (e.g. washing face, brushing teeth, locking doors, etc.).

3. Limit your caffeine, nicotine and alcohol consumption. Do this throughout the day, and be sure not to consume too much of these substances at night.

4. Exercise vigorously each day. Do some gentle stretching before bed.

5. Listen to relaxation tapes.

6. Save your bed for when you are tired. When you feel sleep coming on, go to bed – don’t try to hold off, or decide then that it’s time to brush your teeth.

7. Do deep, slow, rhythmic breathing. Breathe slowly as if you were asleep.

8. Stop watching or listening to news programs at least an hour before trying to go to sleep. Don't expect to fall asleep immediately after hearing or watching disturbing news. In fact, you should leave all the bad news from television or radio in the living room or den and keep it out of the bedroom.

9. Create a sleep-promoting environment that is quiet, dark, cool and comfortable.

10. Get professional help. If sleeplessness is becoming a problem for you, talk to your family doctor. S/he may be able to prescribe natural or medical assistance that can help you fall asleep without feeling hung over the following day.

As one who has witnessed first hand the extreme ill-effects of sleep deprivation, I urge you to take this aspect of your stress management plan very seriously. It’s funny when it is portrayed in a sitcom, but not so amusing when played out in real life. Think of the “accidents” that could have been avoided, the lives that could have been saved, and the millions of dollars that would not have been paid out in lawsuit settlements if over the years, people were fully rested, and alert when driving, operating dangerous machinery, or making important decisions.

Think about your own sleep patterns and check out the vast array of resources we have available to help us determine if we are engaged in healthy or unhealthy sleep habits. Learn what you need to do in order to get a good night’s sleep, and then act on it. Your brain, your stress response, your body, and your immune system will be eternally grateful.


“If a man had as many ideas during the day as he does when he has insomnia, he'd make a fortune.”
Griff Niblack