school of something faculty of other working with increasing demands finding and keeping a sense of...
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Demands on our minds What we expect of our minds today Knowledge economy Demands - Information – Complexity – Relationships Spend time on physical health/fitness but not our minds – Why not?TRANSCRIPT
School of somethingFACULTY OF OTHER
Working with increasing demands
Finding and keeping a sense of balance
Mindfulness
Sally Rose Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service
Work demands and stress
A dynamic interaction between workplace and individual characteristics, demands, control and resources.
Responsibilities at all levels
Demands on our minds
What we expect of our minds today
• Knowledge economy • Demands - Information – Complexity –
Relationships • Spend time on physical health/fitness
but not our minds – Why not?
Balance
?
W WORKABLE RANGE - window of tolerance and effectiveness
Feelings and reactions are tolerable and can be considered
Thinking is more open flexible and creative
We can adapt our responses to fit the situation
We can take perspective and focus on workable and wise action
Workable Range of stress and emotion
Chaos
Rigidity
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service
Workable Ranges stress and emotional reactivity Hyper arousal reactions and habits HIGH ENERGY - Mobilisation CHAOS• frazzled, overwhelm and panic• fractured attention, racing thoughts FIGHT/FLIGHT • agitation, impulsive • anger-rage, frazzled • hyper vigilance
Comfortable, coherent arousal = calm energy
WORKABLE RANGE - window of tolerance and effectiveness
Comfortable, coherent slowness = calm tiredness
Hypo arousal reactions and habits LOW ENERGY – Immobilisation RIGIDITY • passive, lack of feelings, numb• can’t think or critical or pessimistic thoughts • shut down, given in, can’t protest FREEZE
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service
Regulated stress and emotion
Hyper arousal reactions and habits HIGH ENERGY - Mobilisation CHAOS
Comfortable, coherent arousal = Calm Energy
WORKABLE RANGE - window of tolerance and effectiveness
Comfortable, coherent slowness = Calm Tiredness
Hypo arousal reactions and habits LOW ENERGY – Immobilisation RIGIDITY •
time
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service
Dys-regulated stress and emotion Hyper arousal reactions and habits HIGH ENERGY - Mobilisation CHAOS
Comfortable, coherent arousal = calm energy
WORKABLE RANGE - window of tolerance and effectiveness
Comfortable, coherent slowness = calm tiredness
Hypo arousal reactions and habits LOW ENERGY – Immobilisation RIGIDITY
WIRED
WORKABLE RANGE
TIRED
Unworkable dysregulation
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service
How do we know? What can we do about it? When we are in our workable ranges When we are mobilised - charged fragmented - chaotic
When we are immobilised - closed- shut down - rigid
When we are on roller coaster wired and tired
What our minds are usually like
Mindfulness
47% of the time our minds are ………..?
Lost in thought
This means we have little control over our reactions and get caught in trying to solve problems with the wrong tools
Mindfulness
•The awareness that emerges though paying attention on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally to things as they are. Jon Kabat-Zinn 1990
•Conscious intentional awareness
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support ServiceMindfulness practice
Attention and Awareness
Arriving in the present moment
Coming to your senses
Dropping out of autopilot
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support ServiceMindfulness practice
Posture – waking up – releasing tensionStabilising attention Being with what is Choosing to respond
Staff Counselling and Psychological Support ServiceShort practices: tune-ins / circuit breakers
Stopp technique •Stop and step back •Take a breath or two•Observe – where is my attention? What am I thinking/feeling? Am I in a workable range? if not how am I? •Pull back - take Perspective •Practice what might help or what you know works for you
Every day activity practiceChoose a simple and time limited everyday activity that you do everyday
Bring the same quality of attention to the direct sensory experience as in other practices
Becoming aware of the patterns of our minds and bodies
Reducing reactions that reinforce stress Stepping away from overthinking and worry – having
a mental break Letting go of tension in the bodyPaying more attention to the need to rest and recover Establishing safety in your body Noticing the good as well as the bad
Breaking reactive cycles, learning to respond to find and maintain balance
Summary
• Working in workable range is important for heath and performance
• Tuning into your body is a good source of information to help regulate stress arousal
• Bringing attention away from your thoughts can help break stress circuits and widen your attentional range
• Choosing to notice neutral and positive sensations and experience will reduce stress reactions
• Regulate first – use thinking skills when more balanced
School of somethingFACULTY OF OTHER
Working with increasing demands
Finding and keeping a sense of balance
Mindfulness
Sally Rose Staff Counselling and Psychological Support Service