1.
STRESS
SOURCES
AND
SOLUTIONS
DREW
SCHULTZ
a
workplace
wellness
report

2. STRESS-­‐
SOURCES
AND
SOLUTIONS
©
Copyright
2015
Live
Well
Longer,
LLC.
All
Rights
Reserved.
1
The
main
appeal
of
wellness
is
the
improvement
of
all
parts
of
life,
which
directly
translates
to
better
on-­‐the-­‐job
performance.
One
wellness
topic
that
has
wide-­‐ranging
implications
is
stress.
Stress
can
be
a
major
factor
in
our
lives.
There
will
always
be
some
form
of
stress,
and
it
affects
each
individual
to
a
varying
degree.
Interestingly
enough,
we
can
turn
this
into
a
positive
and
realize
that
stress
can
be
an
agent
of
change
for
the
better.
In
this
article,
we
will
look
at
common
sources
of
stress
and
how
to
deal
with
them;
not
only
eliminating
problems,
but
also
improving
lives.
When
can
stress
be
productive?
Stress
can
be
a
catalyst
for
change.
This
is
true
whether
its
“life
stress”
you’re
tired
of,
or
deliberate
stress
from
exercise
to
change
your
body
and
improve
your
health.
By
modulating
or
eliminating
stress,
you
can
open
up
more
free
time
and
clear
your
mind
for
greater
productivity
and
enjoyment
of
life.
Ultimately,
dealing
with
any
type
of
stress
effectively
will
result
in
you
solving
a
problem.
Stress
and
Worry
Sources
of
“life
stress”
can
include
the
feeling
of
being
overwhelmed,
mental
anguish,
and
worry.
There’s
a
saying,
“Worry
is
interest
paid
on
a
debt
not
yet
incurred.”
The
overwhelming
majority
of
the
time,
our
worries
never
materialize.
According
to
Earl
Nightingale,
40%
of
the
things
we
worry
about
never
happen.
30%
of
things
we
worry
about
are
in
the
past
and
cannot
be
changed.
12%
of
the
time
we
worry
unnecessarily
about
a
health
problem
that
never
materializes.
10%
of
our
worries
are
about
various
trivial
things.
The
remaining
8%
are
only
serious
enough
to
concern
ourselves
with.
Worry
is
a
form
of
indecision.
It’s
a
way
of
delaying
dealing
with
the
“unknowns.”
The
neocortex,
the
logic-­‐based
executive
function
region
of
the
brain,
shuts
down
as
the
limbic
system
takes
over.
The
limbic
system
is
the
“fight
or
flight”
mechanism.
When
you
feel
on
edge
or
can’t
sleep
when
stressed
out,
your
body
and
nervous
system
is
working
overtime
as
an
emergency
response-­‐
albeit
in
an
inefficient,
and
irrational
way
of
dealing
with
the
problem.
Here
is
a
way
to
address
worry
head-­‐on.
This
method
takes
the
worry
out
of
the
issue,
and
relocates
it
from
the
limbic
“stress”
part
of
the
brain
back
to
your
rational
neocortex.
Whatever
the
stressful
situation
might
be,
write
it
down.
Use
your
executive
function.
This
cuts
through
the
1,500
words
a
minute
the
brain
processes-­‐
especially
when
under
stress.
Nightingale
likens
this
type
of
brain-­‐fog
to
a
seven-­‐block
100
ft.-­‐deep
city
fog
that
if
collected,
would
not
even
fill
one
glass
of
water.

3. STRESS-­‐
SOURCES
AND
SOLUTIONS
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2015
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2
Now
you
have
the
issue
in
front
of
you,
with
greater
clarity.
Write
down
the
very
worst
thing
that
could
happen
if
the
scenario
you
are
worrying
about
were
to
come
true.
Would
it
affect
your
job
performance,
you
family
life,
or
your
health?
You
may
find
it
turns
out
to
be
much
more
trivial
than
these
possibilities.
If
that’s
the
case,
delegation
and
outsourcing
of
tasks
may
be
the
answer.
If
indeed
it
is
a
serious
issue
that
could
affect
your
life
and
your
job,
then
take
action
immediately
on
the
first
step
necessary
to
overcome
the
challenge.
Write
these
solution-­‐steps
down
on
your
sheet
just
as
you
would
a
to-­‐do
list.
This
kinesthetic
action,
experience
through
physically
doing,
will
literally
implant
the
information
into
your
brain
so
you
are
much
more
likely
to
follow
through
on
it
with
a
sense
of
urgency
and
purpose-­‐
instead
of
merely
“knowing”
you
need
to
do
it
and
worse
yet,
worrying
about
it.
Now
you
can
use
the
pent-­‐up
energy
for
going
straight
to
work
on
the
issue
like
a
problem-­‐eliminator,
instead
of
letting
the
energy
eat
you
alive
in
the
form
of
stress.
With
this
mindset,
virtually
nothing
can
stop
you
but
yourself.
In
addition
to
learning
how
to
effectively
deal
with
worry,
the
good
news
is
that
we
generally
worry
less
over
the
years.
We
realize
that
we’ve
made
it
through
numerous
situations
of
varying
degrees,
and
now
the
challenges
do
not
have
the
promise
of
disaster
that
we
once
thought
all
but
guaranteed.
Stress
and
Sleep
Another
major
source
of
stress
is
lack
of
sleep.
Most
Americans
do
not
get
enough
sound
sleep.
It
can
be
due
to
various
reasons.
If
you
suffer
from
poor
sleep,
is
it
because
you
are
restless,
or
just
that
you
get
to
bed
late
and
have
to
get
up
early?
This
can
become
a
vicious
cycle.
Stress
and
worry
can
cause
restless
sleep,
and
restless
sleep
leads
to
a
deepening
of
the
situation
throughout
the
rest
of
the
day.
The
result
is
less
productivity,
presenteeism
(physically
present
at
the
job
but
somewhat
absent
in
mind),
irritability,
and
health
consequences.
These
may
include
poor
insulin
sensitivity
(the
way
the
body
manages
incoming
dietary
carbohydrates)
and
weight
gain,
which
can
result
from
the
lessened
insulin
sensitivity,
over-­‐eating
as
a
way
to
compensate,
or
both.
Current
research
also
shows
a
correlation
between
lack
of
sleep
and
diseases
of
the
brain,
such
as
Alzheimer’s
and
Parkinson’s,
as
well
as
a
correlation
with
cancer
and
depression.
Sleep
deprived
individuals-­‐
as
well
as
many
people
who
consider
themselves
stressed-­‐
often
have
elevated
resting
heart
rate
and
blood
pressure.
The
British
journal
Lancet
published
a
report
in
December
of
2002
that
found
a
doubling
of
mortality
from
ischemic
heart
disease
and
stroke
for
every
20mm/Hg
systolic
or
10mm/Hg
diastolic
increase
in
BP.
This
rate
of
increased
risk
begins
with
a
systolic
reading
of
115mm/Hg.

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At
this
point,
when
such
symptoms
have
been
recognized,
its
time
to
take
a
step
back
and
make
some
changes.
Otherwise,
it
is
simply
unsustainable.
“Burnout”
Its
interesting
how
similar
some
of
the
principles
of
stress
are
in
relation
to
exercise.
Just
as
you
may
have
heard
of
“burnout”
in
terms
of
overdoing
exercise,
there
is
a
professional
form
of
burnout
known
as
metabolic
syndrome.
Metabolic
syndrome
is
often
experienced
by
high-­‐achievers.
Its
very
similar
to
overtraining
experienced
by
athletes
or
exercise
enthusiasts,
as
the
adrenal
glands
have
been
over
stimulated
to
the
point
of
an
inability
to
produce
cortisol.
While
cortisol
is
often
maligned
in
media
and
advertisements
for
its
role
in
weight
gain,
it
is
actually
the
body’s
own
anti-­‐inflammatory
hormone.
Cortisone
(the
type
injected
for
joint
injuries)
is
the
synthetic
version.
Like
so
many
things,
there
has
to
be
a
balance.
Too
much
cortisol
results
in
midsection
fat
accumulation,
as
there
is
a
concentrated
amount
of
cortisol
receptors
in
that
area
(known
as
visceral
fat).
Elevated
cortisol
reduces
insulin
sensitivity,
further
contributing
to
weight
gain
as
well
as
muscle-­‐
wasting.
Highly
stressed
individuals
with
elevated
cortisol
have
less
energy
available
for
the
immune
system,
so
the
body
can
conserve
energy.
When
metabolic
syndrome
occurs,
this
results
in
a
hyper-­‐inflammatory
state
in
the
body
that
is
ripe
for
disease
and
injury.
At
this
point,
the
cycle
must
be
broken
and
stress
gradually
reintroduced.
This
occurs
through
changes
in
routine.
If
you
are
physically
inactive
but
stressed
from
work
or
life,
then
gradually
introduce
exercise.
If
you
are
physically
overactive,
a
complete
break
from
strenuous
activity
for
a
number
of
weeks
(usually
two)
is
warranted.
Reintroduction
of
exercise
in
this
case
would
be
similar
to
the
protocol
used
for
the
stressed
but
physically
inactive
professional.
Take
the
weight
of
the
world
off
of
your
shoulders
For
realigning
you
daily
activities,
it
comes
down
to
management.
What
tasks
can
you
delegate?
All
of
us
who
are
busy
professionals
have
multiple
projects
we’re
juggling
at
any
given
time.
If
it
were
simply
possible
to
stay
turned
on
like
a
cloud-­‐
storage
data
center
24/7
and
keep
processing
information,
we
would
most
certainly
knock
out
our
projects
and
accomplish
our
goals
more
quickly.
Being
the
kind
of
driven
individuals
that
we
are,
we
would
probably
start
even
more
projects.
Dealing
with
reality,
we
have
to
realize
that
we
can
only
do
what
we
can
do
in
16-­‐17
hours
a
day
and
still
reinvest
those
7-­‐8
sleep
hours
for
continued
success
in
the
next
day.
Some
things
have
to
wait.

5. STRESS-­‐
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4
How
do
I
delegate?
The
first
thing
to
do
when
deciding
what
task
to
complete
is
to
ask
yourself,
“If
I
had
to
leave
town
for
a
month,
what
one
thing
would
have
to
be
accomplished?”
Resolve
to
then
go
to
work
on
that
one
task,
with
single-­‐minded
focus.
Another
powerful
strategy
is
to
ask
yourself
what
your
time
is
worth
per
hour.
Take
your
annual
income,
and
divide
it
by
2000.
This
is
based
on
a
40-­‐hour
billable
workweek.
Many
of
us
put
in
considerably
more
time
than
that
to
make
the
40-­‐hour
week
billable!
When
you
have
arrived
at
your
number,
ask
yourself,
“Would
I
pay
someone
this
much
to
complete
x,
y,
or
z?”
If
not,
immediately
delegate
or
outsource
that
task.
Results
through
others
is
the
definition
of
effective
management.
Examples
may
include
organizing
a
carpooling
schedule
with
other
parents
at
your
children’s
school;
hiring
an
administrative
assistant-­‐
even
part
time-­‐
who
can
also
run
errands
for
you;
and
hiring
a
personal
trainer,
so
planning
your
workouts
is
one
less
thing
to
think
about,
as
well
as
having
the
accountability
of
a
paid,
scheduled
session.
Stress
and
Exercise
Exercise
is
a
form
of
stress.
It
can
also
be
a
stress
reliever.
Just
as
there
is
a
“balance”
that
we
aim
to
achieve
through
wellness,
there
is
a
balance
in
enough
exercise
and
too
much.
There
are
three
stages
of
stress
in
exercise.
These
can
also
be
equated
to
other
stressors
in
life:
Alarm
or
“Shock”
Stage.
This
is
when
there
is
a
new
stimulus
to
the
body.
You
could
just
be
embarking
on
a
new
fitness
program,
or
adding
new
types
of
exercises
to
your
current
program.
In
life,
this
happens
with
any
new
stimulus
that
requires
a
reaction.
Adaptation
or
“Progress”
Stage.
This
is
when
the
body
is
able
to
handle
the
stimulus
more
efficiently,
such
as
achieving
a
sustained,
moderate
heart
rate
while
performing
a
higher
workload.
In
life,
this
is
when
we
have
learned
to
effectively
handle
new
tasks.
Plateau
or
“Stagnation”
Stage.
This
is
when
the
body
has
been
regularly
overloaded
without
enough
time
for
recovery
and
improvement.
You
can
probably
identify
with
this
in
life,
in
areas
you
feel
overwhelmed
or
where
there
is
a
vicious
cycle.

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Just
by
choosing
to
take
even
twenty
minutes
a
day,
you
can
perform
a
simple
activity
such
as
walking
the
office
parking
lot
to
clear
your
mind.
You
will
also
be
doing
your
body
well
by
getting
out
of
the
seated
position,
which
places
1.4
times
our
bodyweight
on
our
lumbar
spine.
Other
activities
such
as
swimming,
running,
weight
training,
or
sports
cause
you
to
focus
on
the
task
at
hand.
You
will
be
giving
yourself
not
only
the
gift
of
improved
health-­‐
be
it
cardiovascular,
muscular
strength
and
endurance,
balance
or
flexibility-­‐
but
you
will
also
be
allowing
the
stress
of
the
day
to
leave
your
mind,
like
a
cloud
floating
away
in
the
sky.
Once
you
have
built
up
sufficient
stamina,
you
can
exercise
up
to
an
hour.
For
achieving
a
balance
and
ensuring
that
you’re
not
causing
too
much
stress
from
exercise,
limit
your
time
of
vigorous
activity
to
no
more
than
an
hour
and
twenty
minutes,
as
this
is
when
cortisol
is
produced
in
excess
as
an
over-­‐compensatory
response.
I
hope
you
have
found
this
article
helpful.
Now
you
have
a
blueprint
for
moving
forward
in
dealing
with
stress
and
gaining
utter
clarity
on
the
possible
challenges
that
may
arise.
You
have
everything
you
need
at
your
disposal
to
take
complete
control
of
stress
and
put
the
outcome
in
your
favor.
Sometimes
life’s
challenges
turn
out
to
be
gifts.
For
more
information
on
wellness,
visit
my
website
at
lwlcoaching.com.
Also
see
“The
Three
Stages
of
Physical
Stress
During
Exercise”
http://www.lwlcoaching.com/the-­‐
three-­‐stages-­‐of-­‐physical-­‐stress-­‐during-­‐exercise/.
If
you
would
like
to
learn
more
about
how
to
address
stress
in
your
life
and
tailor
a
program
specific
to
you
or
your
organization,
contact
Drew
at
drew@lwlcoaching.com,
or
919-­‐805-­‐0520.