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Managing Stress / Staying Positive Workshop Stephanie Zimmerman Training Coordinator Library System of Lancaster County szimmerman@lancasterlibraries.org 717-207-0500 x 1281 http://lslctraning.blogspot.com

I’m STRESSED out and you want me to stay POSITIVE?!!

What is Stress? -A natural part of being human. -A person’s psychological and physiological response to the perception of a demand or challenge. -Comes from the primal “fight or flight” instinct in each of us. -A body under stress produces hormones meant to alert you to something that is wrong. These cause the physical symptoms felt when under stress. -Mayo Clinic states 25% of people say their job is the primary stressor in their lives Why is Librarianship a stress-filled job? External Factors:

1. Perceptions of a threatening environment 2. Budget cutbacks / Competition for funds 3. Elimination of positions / Staff shortages 4. Torrent of new technologies (search engines, ILS systems, cell phones, text messaging, digital

objects) 5. Lack of training for job 6. Virtual Libraries - debates over alleged decline of reading and the importance of the book

Internal Factors:

1. Patrons and their demands 2. High workloads = work overload 3. Work that is so routine it is mind-numbing = work underload 4. Loss of motivation 5. Feeling of isolation 6. Irritable and negative coworkers, gossip 7. Balancing work and personal life

What can happen physically and mentally? -Erratic eating habits -Not enough exercise -Weight problems -High blood pressure -Elevated cholesterol levels -Cardiovascular disease -Burnout – emotional exhaustion and negative or cynical attitudes toward others and yourself -Depression -Heart disease -Stroke -Obesity and eating disorders -Diabetes -Cancer -Reduced immune system -Anxiety -Back pain -Headaches -Insomnia -Problems with relationships -Shortness of breath -Stiff neck or jaw -Upset stomach / ulcers

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What do I do about my stress? Coping strategies at work -Identify when you are stressed (keep a stress diary) – look for common triggers and ways to eliminate them -Getting away from or reducing the number of stressors -Obtaining more resources to meet demands -Setting realistic goals for yourself and others – don’t expect perfection. (SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based (or timely)) -Make a priority list -Managing information -Becoming an active communicator -Developing an effective social support system (provides self-esteem, feedback and appraisal of situations, information and advice, assistance in making changes in situations) -Creating a personal learning plan -Taking a break, remove yourself from the situation -Make the most of workday breaks – 10 minutes of “personal time” refreshes mental outlook: take a brief walk, chat with a co-worker about a non-job topic, or sit quietly with your eyes closed and breathe -Changing one’s perceptions of the situation Things you can do on a personal level -SLEEP. Need at least 7 and preferably 8 hours of good sleep each night. -Eat healthy, not just for your body, but for your mind too. -Exercise – your body will produce natural “feel good” chemicals that counteract stress. Whole body exercise is best. -Learn relaxation techniques. Breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation. -Have an outlet – spend time in activities you enjoy. All work and no play = burnout. “Sometimes the best way to deal with stress is acceptance that there is nothing you can do about the particular event. Doing so allows you to let go of some of the stress related to it. After all there is no sense in stressing out about something you have no control over.” http://itmanagersinbox.com/1833/how-to-deal-with-stress-at-work/

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Staying Positive – a great coping skill -In small doses, stress is a good thing -Stress isn't bad, stress without any recovery is bad! Stress - recover - stress - recover -A stressed brain operates from ‘survival mode’ – characterized by ‘tunnel vision’ (failing to see all opportunities) and a sense of ‘pessimism’ (failing to believe that better solutions are even possible). -Thoughts shape our behaviors and can lead to a sense of ‘learned helplessness’ making you feel too stressed to even begin to change things in your life. Or you can feel that your problems are so big that small changes won’t help. -Stress is actually an interaction between our circumstances and the way we think about our circumstances, changing the way we perceive our life’s circumstances can actually change the way we experience stress. -See stressors as challenges vs. perceived threats. There is a way to manage them vs. there is no escape. A challenge can create good stress – makes you feel vital and alive and stirs up creative juices, gives you a reason to look forward to going to work. -Simple techniques really can work; don’t look at your stress and problems as so big that small changes won’t help. Live by the Four Agreements -Book by Don Miguel Ruiz

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word 2. Don’t Take Anything Personally 3. Don’t Make Assumptions 4. Always Do Your Best

Other Ways to Stay Positive in Negative Situations

1. Control Your Response 2. Learn from Negative Situations 3. If You Make a Mistake, Admit it 4. Maintain a Positive View 5. Replace Negative Statements

-Milder Wording -Change Negative to Neutral or Positive -Change Self-Limiting Statements to Questions

6. Use Affirmations 7. Accentuate the Positive

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Links and Materials used to prepare this workshop:

Links:

“5 Ways to Stay Positive in Negative Situations”. IT Managers Inbox. < http://itmanagersinbox.com/1894/5-ways-to-stay-positive-in-negative-situations/ >. “Coping with Job Stress”. PsychCentral. American Psychological Association. < http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/coping-with-job-stress/ >. “How to Deal with Stress at Work”. IT Managers Inbox. < http://itmanagersinbox.com/1833/how-to-deal-with-stress-at-work/ >. “I’m Overwhelmed! Can Simple Tips for Managing Stress Actually Work?” About.com. Scott, Elizabeth. September 03, 2009. < http://stress.about.com/od/frequentlyaskedquestions/f/managing_stress.htm >. “Job Stress”. Metronet. Shaughnessy, Tom. < http://www.metronet.lib.mn.us/pro/jobstress.html >. Positive Quotes & Quotations YouTube Video. < http://youtu.be/2VxBc9UPZGw > “Reduce Stress and Improve Your Life with Positive Self Talk”. About.com. Scott, Elizabeth. April 11, 2011. < http://stress.about.com/od/optimismspirituality/a/positiveselftak.htm >. “Stress in the Library Workplace”. IDEALS. Bunge, Charles A. < http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/7642/librarytrendsv38i1k_opt.pdf?sequence=1 >. “Stress: It’s Worse Than You Think”. Psychology Today. Carpi, John. published on January 01, 1996 - last reviewed on November 22, 2010 <http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199601/stress-its-worse-you-think >. “Tips for Coping with Stress at Work”. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Staff. < http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coping-with-stress/SR00030 >.

Other Materials:

Brinkman, Rick and Kirschner, Rick. Dealing With People You Can’t Stand. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1994. Buckingham, Marcus. The Truth About You: Your Secret to Success. Thomas Nelson, 2008. See a video interview of the author at http://youtu.be/wAWCw--1x3o Ruiz, Don Miguel. The Four Agreements. San Rafael, CA: Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc., 1997. Ventrella, Scott W. The Power of Positive Thinking in Business. Audio recording read by author. New York: Simon & Shuster Audio, 2001.

Special Thanks:

Cheryl Gould Learning Facilitator http://www.fullyengagedlibraries.com/ -shared some of her ideas with me Pat Wagner Pattern Research, Inc. http://www.pattern.com -shared her ideas and resources with me Beth Avery Coordinator, Collection Development University of North Texas Libraries -shared some great links with me