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STRESSMANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVESYou’ll be able to: • Manage the stresses of optometry school
• Understand your own responses to stress• Discover some scientifically-based,
immediate stress-busters• Learn tips on how to handle stressful situations• Avoid burnout as an optometric professional
“Stress can actually help you focus better and can be positive. Having small amounts of stress can stimulate you to think.
Being able to manage your stress is key.”
- Frank Long, New York Times best-selling author
WHY? • Emotional and mental health is important
because it’s a vital part of your life • It impacts your thoughts, behaviors and emotions. • Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity
and effectiveness in activities like work, school or clinic• It plays an important part your relationships• Allows you to adapt to changes in your life and cope
with adversity.
STRESSLEVELS
AREHIGH
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ACT
IVIT
Y YOUR STRESS RESPONSES
1. Take a few minutes to write two lists: - Your stressors, those things that trigger stress for you - Your stress responses, what do you feel happening physically or emotionally when that trigger surfaces
2. Come back together as a class and share your lists.
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STRESSORS STRESS RESPONSES
“Don’t sweat the small stuff … and it’s all small stuff.”
- Richard Carlson, New York Times best-selling author
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COMMON PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSES1
• Breathing becomes faster to move more oxygen to your blood
• Your muscles tense up to get ready for action
• Increase in blood pressure and pupil dilation
• Metabolism speeds up to jolt you with a boost of energy
• Your immune system becomes suppressed
• You sweat more to cool off your body
• Blood vessels traveling to the gastrointestinal tract, hands, and feet constrict
• Stomach acid increases and digestive enzymes decrease
• The arteries around your heart become strained
• Blood flow to the reasoning area of the brain diminishes as blood flows to the more primitive part of the brain
4STRESS MANAGEMENT
1. TAKE THREE TO FOUR DEEP BREATHS
This is the most immediate way to reduce stress because it shuts down your body’s stress response in just six to 10 seconds.
2. PLACE YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART
Place your hand on your heart and breathe deeply while remembering a time when you felt completely accepted by someone. Just the thought is enough to send the “love hormone” – oxytocin – surging through your body to return you to a calm state.
3. APPLY PRESSURE BETWEEN YOUR THUMB & FOREFINGER
Apply pressure between your thumb and forefinger and hold for 30 seconds. This spot is close to bundles of nerves and pressing on them relaxes the nervous system which ramps up when you’re stressed.
“WHO YA GONNA CALL?” STRESS BUSTERS!2
If you can pay attention to your physical sensations as soon as they kick in, you can learn to take action sooner and sooner. Here are 10 research-based strategies along with the science for why they work. They can take less than a minute and offer ways to quickly access your body’s relaxation response as soon as stress launches.
4. EXERCISE CONTROL
Take some action, no matter how small, where you can exercise some control. Taking action on your own behalf shifts you out of a sense of helplessness to regain a sense of control which reduces stress.
5. RUB YOUR HANDS TOGETHER
Rub your hands together briskly to open up the blood vessels. Because stress pulls the blood out of your toes and fingers and sends it to your internal organs, this stress bust-er will jar your brain out of its stress response.
6. CALM YOURSELF WITH SELF-TALK
Repeat calming self-talk such as: “This too will pass,” “I can stay calm,” or “I can handle this.” This soothing talk will keep your mind from revving up with habitual negative chatter.
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7. VISUALIZE LAUGHTER
Visualize a time when you were laughing with a good friend or family member. You’ll break into a genuine smile which lowers your heart rate and leads to quicker recovery from your stressful experience.
8. DISTANCE YOURSELF
Use “time-distancing” by asking yourself how you’ll feel about this a year from now. Keep moving the timeframe to a month, a week, a day, an hour. This is an instant stress buster because it helps you put things in perspective.
9. CHEW GUM
Pop a piece of gum into your mouth. Chewing loosens jaw muscles which hold stress so it’s actually a highly effective stress management technique.
10. EXAGGERATE
Take the stressful event to a ludicrous point – “I’m stuck in traffic, I’m going to be way late . . . I’ll probably get fired.” As you realize you’re fueling your stress by blowing the situation way out of proportion, your anxiety will dissipate.
WHICH OF THESE HAVE YOU TRIED AND FOUND HELPFUL?
WHICH OF THESE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY THE NEXT TIME YOU FEEL
STRESS IN THE MORNING?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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SURVIVING THE STRESSES OF OPTOMETRY SCHOOL3
Exams, boards, clinicals, quizzes, assignments, and clinic are stresses that we all deal with in optometry school. On top of that, it’s an understatement to say that COVID-19 is causing additional stress. The uncertainty caused by this world pandemic stretches across all aspects of our lives. From school to home. From family to friends. From our current normal to what the future looks like. IF there was ever a time to focus on learning proven techniques to managing stress, THIS IS THE TIME.
First things first, identify your personal signs of stress which can include stress eat-ing (over eating or under eating), grinding your teeth, clenching your jaw, random changes in mood, becoming ill, general fatigue and skipping classes. Once you know your own signs, you will be able to react quickly to your stress and attack it early on. The second thing to do once you realize you’re stressed is to manage it.
NAPSAs students, you do not get nearly the amount of sleep we should and that can affect our everyday functions, not to mention our ability to retain information. Naps are a good way to get extra bits of sleep and help you to take a mental “time out.” The National Sleep Foundation recommends 20-30 minute short naps for short term alertness.
YOGA AND/OR MEDITATIONYoga provides both exercise and meditation which can be scheduled into your planner, while meditation can be practiced anywhere and anytime. Both provide you with deep breathing and relaxation techniques to help reduce and eliminate your stresses.
EXERCISESome people lift weights to take a break from school while others go on runs to help clear their minds. Exercising has many benefits – it is overall healthy for our body, increases our immune system, and releases our happy drugs (dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline). Even if you take 15 minutes out of your day to exercise, it can help decrease stress and depression and improve your focus. For those of you who do not have time for exercise, you can even bring your notes with you while you use stationary machines as the ellipticals.
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EATING PROPERLYBuying and making food can be stressful, but the nutrients that you get from eating healthy will help to reduce your stress and provide energy for your brain. Some tips to eating healthy is to buy groceries after you have eaten, preferably at the beginning of the week and before the evening rush allowing you to get fresh food. Buy your frozen food for a month and buy your vegetables and fruits every week. Even going grocery shopping can be a stress reliever if you enjoy it! Take time over the weekend to meal prep for the week, so that you are not stressing the night before or the morning of classes thinking of what you need to pack.
WRITE IT OUTEveryone has that moment when he/she needs to vent and writing out your thoughts often works as well as saying them out loud. Writing it out also allows you to keep a log of what has been bothering you so you can track if something is a recurring issue and find a way to deal with the problem.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE POSITIVEBeing with classmates all day is fun but sometimes you just hear the same complaints and nobody has time for that negativity. Try to find positive people around you. Sometimes turning to your loved ones and asking for support is all you need.
OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS FROM OTHER STUDENTS:
• Study earlier for exams• Scents – candles/oils• Wind down with a glass of hot tea or
other drink that gives you comfort• Videogames• Take breaks• Reward yourself for a job well done• Connect with a friend virtually through
text or video conference
If you find yourself reading this and thinking “I don’t have time for any of these things,” then you might need to take a look at your time management. If you take anything away from this article, let it be that there are many ways to relieve stress but the main
goal is to take time for you.
STRESS MANAGEMENT 8
REMEMBER THAT NOTHING (AND NO ONE) CAN “MAKE” YOU FEEL ANYTHING
Which of these approaches might have helped you?
REPLACE A POOR ATTITUDE WITH GRATITUDE
Your reaction to the situation is just that…your reaction. How you feel about and ultimately deal with a situation is your choice. There is no way to control the actions of others, but you can control how you respond. When the uncontrollable happens, we must accept it as is.
RELAX, THEN RELAX SOME MORE
The attitude that we have towards stressful situations has a definitive effect – positive or negative. A negative attitude is often the automatic, default mechanism that can have an adverse effect on our mental, physical and even spiritual wellbeing.
Instead, consciously attempt to replace this negative, default reaction with gratitude. Think about things to be appreciative of.
8 WAYS TO HANDLE HIGHLY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS4
From the time that you wake up to the time your bed hits the pillow at night, any number of difficult and stressful situations can occur. At the risk of sounding cliché, it is how you respond to these situations that might make all the difference.
It can be difficult to remember the importance of our response when the drastic happens; you’re laid off, the car breaks down, money is tight (sometimes really tight), your job is stressful, how are you going to balance study for boards, exams, and clinic…any number of these things can happen to any of us. Let us remember to respond quickly and rationally if we should encounter any of these situations.
In the midst of a busy, hectic, stressful day, it is very easy to forget about taking care of your emotional and physical wellbeing. It’s very tempting to allow negativity to take over your day. Instead, take a break - take a few minutes to step away from everything and let go.
THINK OF A STRESSFUL SITUATION THAT YOU HAD TO FACE RECENTLY
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SEE THE BIG PICTURE
When you are running late, forget something, or something else unexpected happens, it is likely to be of little consequence. However, your “fight or flight” response hardwired into your brain will release stress hormones that make this event seem much more significant than it actually is. Most times, it’s not worth your time and energy, so move on.
LEARN SOME “STRESS STOPPERS”
As mentioned, encountering stressful situations has a big effect on your mind and body. You might walk away from the stressful situation, and handle it later; or take a few deep breaths.
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
We all talk to ourselves throughout the day. The default reaction when we encounter a difficult situation, task, or event sometimes leads to negative self-talk. This negative self-talk only serves to increase stress and makes the resolution of the problem more difficult. Instead, practice using positive self-talk to calm down and control stress.
TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME
Sometimes we need a small shift in mindset. Too often, when faced with a difficult task we jump to the finish instead of facing one obstacle at a time. It’s much easier to narrow our focus, complete one task, and then tackle the next one.
ASK FOR HELP
With all of the tips, hints, and advice about dealing with stressful situations, this one may be the most important. Depending on the scale and longevity of the stress encountered, it may become necessary to ask for help. It is important to understand that there is no shame in asking for help.
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As you feel comfortable, please share your stressful situation and the approach you took or might have taken to reduce your stress.
10STRESS MANAGEMENT
DEALING WITH BURNOUT5
Burnout is the state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion caused by stress. When you are burned out, you feel helpless, worn out, or you don’t even have the energy to care anymore. This can affect your physical health, your quality of work, professional business, and personal relationships.
Our demanding careers, hectic schedules, and years of schooling can all lead to optometry burnout. It's important to find what works for you.
WHAT IS BURNOUT?
SIGNS YOU MAY BE SUFFERING FROM BURNOUT• Every little thing that goes wrong feels devastating.• Everyone’s little quirks are annoying.• All your dinner table conversations start with
“Today, I had this crazy patient…”• You talk to strangers about their glasses and contact lenses.• You feel unappreciated.• You are constantly exhausted.
Remember, sometimes things go wrong. Your refraction was off by a diopter. OK, re-do the glasses. It’s not the end of the world. The computer goes on the fritz, restart it or call your IT guy. Your tech calls out sick and you’re short-handed and running behind schedule, apologize to patients for making them wait and move on. When things go wrong, focus on the solution, learn from your mistakes, but don’t let the little things affect you more than they should.
You’ve studied and worked hard to get to this point in your new career. It’s something you should be very proud of. But work should only be part of your life, not your entire life. Enjoy activities and hobbies outside of work. See the movie that just came out. Have dinner at the restaurant that everyone is talking about. Take the class that you’ve always wanted to take for fun. Spend time with friends and family. When you are enjoying activities with friends and family, try not to talk about work or patients constantly.
As healthcare providers, you get used to taking care of other people. You take care of your patients. You take care of your family. You have to take time to take care of yourself also. Spend a few minutes to breathe, enjoy your coffee, or take a walk—whatever you need to do. It’s ok to think about yourself. It’s necessary. It doesn’t mean that you are selfish. You can’t continue to take care of everyone else if you neglect your own health.
If your schedule really is overwhelming, talk to your employer or your employees and be honest. This one may not be easy at first. But remember, the people you work with should want you to be happy and healthy. They should value what you do and be understanding if something needs to change. And if they aren’t, then be ready to make a change yourself.
Even if things are going well, try something new. Add new equipment to the office. Try out a new contact lens. Take on a different role at work. Or if you have to, change your work. Don’t feel obligated to continue down a path that doesn’t make you happy at work. Don’t be afraid to make a change if you need to.
KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
FIND A BALANCE
MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
GET SUPPORT
CHANGE SOMETHING
HOW TO PREVENT BURNOUT
11 12STRESS MANAGEMENT
AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS
MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINES:• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255)• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)• Healthcare Professional Burnout, Depression and Suicide
YOGA/BARRE WEBSITES AND APPS: • Daily Yoga• Down Dog | Yoga, HIIT,
7-minute, Barre• Melissa Wood Health• David Lloyd Gyms• Sky Ting• Alo Yoga• Yoga Works• Core Power Yoga• Hot 8 Yoga• Yoga with Adriene• Wheelhouse Yoga• Glo Yoga• Cosmic Kids Yoga• The Ballet Spot• 305 Fitness• Physique 57• The Sculpt Society
by Megan Roup• Barre 3• Exhale Spa• Pure Barre• Amanda Kloots• The Class
CARDIO WEBSITES AND APPS:• Daily Burn• Tone It Up• Down Dog | Yoga,
HIIT, 7-minute, Barre• Nike Training Club• AKT Fitness• Froyo to Fitness• Peloton• ConBody• FitOn• Les Mills On Demand• FitBod• Planet Fitness• Orangetheory Fitness• OBE Fitness• P.Volve• Fhitting Room• Jet Sweat Fitness• Fitness Blender• Tracy Anderson Method
YOGA AND MEDITATION WEBSITES AND APPS• Melissa Wood
Health• Ziva• Alignment
Essentials• Calm• Breathe 2 Relax• Pocket Yoga• The Mindful
Podcast
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MICHELLE CASTELLANOS
FL, GA, SC, PR
[email protected] 513-426-4717
ADRIENNE BRANNEN
MA, ME, NY, VT, CT, NH ,R I
KERINDA BEDELL
US: AK, CA, HI, OR, WA, UT, OK
CANADA: AB, BC, MB, NT
MAGGIE [email protected]
847-450-8562MN, IL, ND, SD, MT, IA,
MO, AZ, NE, CO
LISA [email protected]
936-230-4490AL, AR, LA, MS, NM, NV,
TN, TX, ID, WY, KSDR. MICHAEL HOSFORD
MI, KY, WV, PA, IN, WI, OH
NANCY KEARNY [email protected]
513-635-7007US: MD, VA, DC, NJ, NC, DECANADA: NL, NS, ON, QC
MEREDITH [email protected]
201-249-0485SR. MGR OD RECRUITING
LUXOTTICA EYE CARE RECRUITERS
14STRESS MANAGEMENT
APPENDIX 2Dr. Barbara Larrivee, 2020, “10 Instant Stress Busters You Can Turn to When Stress Strikes (Ac-cording to Science),” YogiApproved.com, Web, March, 16, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.yogiapproved.com/health-wellness/stress-management-techniques/
3Dr. Barbara Larrivee, 2020, “10 Instant Stress Busters You Can Turn to When Stress Strikes (Ac-cording to Science),” YogiApproved.com, Web, March, 16, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.yogiapproved.com/health-wellness/stress-management-techniques/
4Jade McLachlin, November 4, 2016, “Surviving the Stresses of Optometry School,” Optometry-Students.com, Web, April 2, 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.optometrystudents.com/surviv-ing-stresses-optometry-school/
4Power of Positivity, 2020, “8 Ways to Handle Highly Stressful Situations,” PowerofPositivity.com, Web, March, 16, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.powerofpositivity.com/8-ways-handle-high-ly-stressful-situations/
5Dr. Thuy-Lan Nguyen, October 16, 2017, “How to Prevent Optometry Burnout,” covalentca-reers.com, web, April 8, 2020. Retrieved from: https://covalentcareers.com/resources/optome-try-burnout/
STRESS MANAGEMENT
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