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New Stress Management Technique Launches in UK

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Integration Training has launched a new approach to stress management in response to the rising levels of stress at work and its impact on performance. Called ‘Embodied Stress Management’, the technique incorporates a range of experiential training techniques covering the mental, physical and emotional needs of the individual.

The new Embodied Stress Management course from Integration Training is adapted for each client and helps staff gain an improved understanding of stress, their personal triggers and early warning burn-out signs. A tool-kit of coping mechanisms and physical techniques are taught, including anti-stress stretches, breathing and posture exercises and the ability to reframe and manage stress-inducing thought processes. Time management skills are also incorporated.

Mark Walsh, lead training and founder at Integration Training said: “Rising stress levels are a huge concern to organisations as they struggle to survive the worst recession in decades. Our integral approach, incorporating the new Embodied Management technique, has already proven highly successful in the US and we are now incorporating this for training in the UK . With stress being the second largest cause of employee absence and one of the leading causes of long-term absence, our new Embodied Stress Management training delivers consistently strong results. It also helps organisations meet their legal obligation to deliver stress risk assessments,”

Increasing levels of stress are well documented. RSA insurance recently found that 71 per cent of workers are reporting increased stress levels as a result of the recession and they predict stress-related sick days will top 13.5 million this year. Mental health charity Rethink also recently warned of increasing stress issues with more job insecurity as have MIND.

Mark Walsh of Integration Training offers the following tips, incorporating physical, emotional, environmental advice, to help approach and minimise the impact of stress in workplace:

Physical tips
1. Abdominal breathing and posture
Sit upright and relaxed position with feet flat on the floor. Expand your awareness above and below, left and right and front and back, balancing your posture. Put your hand on your front just below your belly button and breathe slowly and deeply so your hand is pushed out as you breathe in. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Put your concentration in the point just below your navel as you breathe. Repeat. Your breath is a stress busting resource that is always available!

2. Tense and relax
Tense your stomach muscles, shoulders, fists, eyes, jaw, and all the other muscles of your body you can while holding your breath. Release and relax. An excellent quick stress management technique.

Mental tips
3. Mindfulness
The "mindfulness" stress management technique has recently been tested by US and UK universities as a way to reduce stress, anxiety and depression and is being adopted by the British National Health Service. To experience it and reduce your stress, simply bring your attention to your senses. Notice your breathing. Whatever it's doing is fine, watch it go in and out. Feel the sensations of your body - yourself on your chair, the feeling of you clothes, your feet on the floor. If your mind wanders simply come back to the present moment. Repeat for three minutes.

4. Cognitive reframing - action and acceptance
How do you think about a particular problem? Is it the only way to think about it or just one way? Is it a problem or a challenge? Is the glass half empty or full? Often just changing the way you think about something will make it less stressful, as stress is always about PERCEIVED difficulty and you can always change your own viewpoint for a more effective one. Where you perceive the control to be is particularly important - are you a victim or an agent in your life? The flip-side of control is also important - acceptance.

Emotional tips
5. Empathy
Empathy - being listened to without judgement or blame is deeply stress-reducing. If you can, call a friend or trusted colleague and ask for them to completely listen to you for five minutes. If no one is available develop self-empathy - holding the judgements we have of ourselves or blaming others - is also a remarkably effective stress management tool.

6. Gratitude
Get someone to tell you why you’re great, and tell them what you appreciate about them. Be sincere and specific. Make a list of all you have to be grateful for and get some perspective. Gratitude is a useful stress management tool as gratitude and stress rarely coexist.

7. NVC, social support and team building
If you'd like to develop listening and empathy skills, try Non-Violent Communication. Developing a good social support network and spending time with friends and family away from work is also helpful for managing stress.

8. Laughter, creativity and play
Laughter is a stress resource that we can all afford. The most stressful professions often use humour as a healthy coping mechanism. Bringing some creativity and play into the workplace will also boost productivity and help staff stay happy and healthy.

Environmental tips
9. Organise
Rearrange office for five minutes and get your work environment in order to reduce your stress. Avoid doing this repeatedly just to procrastinate.

10. Design
If you have some say over office design and layout make sure that it is relaxing - plenty of plants, natural light and mellow colours help in reducing stress, as does minimising noise levels.

Integration Training provides interactive group and personal training courses for organisations looking to improve productivity and performance and ultimately improve measurable bottom-line results. The company offers bespoke, client-led training for needs such as time management, stress management, customer service, change management, conflict resolution, leadership and team building.

Integration Training is based in Brighton, London and Birmingham and is headed by lead trainer Mark Walsh who works with six specialist associate consultants. Clients include Harrow Primary Care Trust, Brighton and Hove City Council, SOS Children and the Institute of Development Studies.

For more information, please visit www.integrationtraining.co.uk