Workplace

wellness
starts here
Resilience and Self Care
Proudly brought to you by Venus

22nd July 2019

Bianca Fazzari- CaW Operations Lead and Psychologist
Acknowledgement of Country
I would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation
who are the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today.

I would also like to pay my respect to the Wurundjeri Elders, past,

present and upcoming, and extend this respect to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait people from other communities whom join us are here today.
Session overview
• Prevalence of mental health issues in Australia

• Impact of mental health issues on individuals, families and the

workplace

• Recognising stress

• What is resilience and self-care and how do we incorporate it in our

lives
Prevalence of mental health issues in
Australia
• One in four Australians will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime

• One in seven Australians will experience depression in their lifetime

• In each year, approximately 1 in every 5 Australians experiences a mental illness (including anxiety disorders, mood disorders,
psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders)

• Females are more likely than males to experience anxiety and depression

• More than eight Australians die each day by suicide

• Mental illness is the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia and accounts for an estimated 27% of the total years lost
due to disability

• The good news!

• Support-seeking appears to be growing at a rapid rate, with almost half of those with a condition now receiving treatment.
Treatment rate increased from 37% in 2007 to 46% in 2010
Impact of mental health issues
Mental illness has far reaching effects for individuals, their families,
their workplaces and the greater community

As a result of mental illness, sufferers may experience:

• reduced quality and enjoyment of life
• higher rates of physical health problems
• reduced engagement in fulfilling activities such as work, education, socialising
and leisure
• relationships difficulties with family and friends
Impact of mental health issues
In the workplace, mental health issues contribute significantly to:

• Absenteeism
• One in five Australians have taken time off work in the past 12 months because they felt stressed,
anxious, depressed or mentally unhealthy

• Presenteeism- attendance at work, but low productivity

• Increased staff turnover

• Reduced productivity

• Financial costs associated with worker’s compensation claims

• The median workers’ compensation payment for mental health-related claims was $24,500 compared to
$9,200 across all claim types between 2008 and 2015
Recognising stress
What is mental health?
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mental health as:

• “… a state of well-being in which an individual realises their

potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution
to their community”
What is mental health?
• We can think of mental health as falling somewhere on a spectrum
from very healthy to very unhealthy.
• Where we sit on this spectrum is fluid, much like our physical health
Signs of stress
Physical Cognitive
- Headaches - Memory difficulties
- Digestive problems - Indecision
- Muscle tension/ pain - Inability to concentrate
- Fatigue - Confusion
- Lack of energy - Pessimistic outlook
- Weight changes - Racing thoughts
- Skin problems - Thoughts of self harm or suicide
Behavioural Emotional
- Changes to appetite - Feeling fearful, nervous and anxious
- Sleep disturbances
- Low mood
- Withdrawing and isolating self from others
- Irritability, anger or resentment
- Lacking motivation, everything feels effortful
- More easily losing your temper - Feeling helpless, hopeless or worthlessness
- Teeth grinding/jaw clenching - Sense of overwhelm
- Restlessness and agitation - Apathy- lack of interest
- Using substances to cope with distress- increased - Anhedonia- loss of enjoyment in pleasurable
use of alcohol, medication and/or drugs activities
Resilience and Self Care
- What is it?
- How do we implement it in our lives?
What is resilience?
• “An individual’s ability to properly adapt to stress and adversity”
• A set of behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and
developed by anyone!
• Dynamic and ever-changing process
• Result of how we interact with our environments
• Processes that promote wellbeing, or protect them from influence of
risk factors
• Increased with good coping strategies, supports and self care
What is self care?
• Self- care refers to proactive actions and attitudes that contribute to, restore,
and maintain our health and wellbeing

• According to psychologist, Suzy Reading, self-care…

• “Is a way of nourishing ourselves…micro moments of nurturing dotted
throughout our days…rebuilds our energy stores so we can weather storms…”

• Self-care won’t help you resolve the underlying stressor or problem, but it will
give you the ability to cope more effectively and persevere through challenge
Reading, 2017
Self-care: “An energetic bank balance”
• Reading suggests thinking about self-care like an “energetic bank
balance”
• Just as a car needs petrol to run, we need energy to get us through
the day
• Self care is like refuelling your tank, or adding to a bank account-
each activity is like a deposit into our energy bank
• When we have a healthy energy bank balance, we are better able to
deal with stress
• Reading, 2017
A holistic approach to self-care
SLEEP
&
RELAXATION
SOCIAL EXERCISE
CONNECTION &
NUTRITION
VALUES
&
PURPOSE
PHYSICAL
COPING
ENVIRONMENT
SKILLS
GOAL SETTING
&
ACHIEVEMENT

Reading, 2017
Exercise and Nutrition
• Daily movement
• Not necessarily deliberate exercise
• Incidental movement counts (e.g. gardening, vacuuming, using stairs
instead of the lift)
• Keep it varied, choose activities that you enjoy to ensure
consistency
• Plan ahead- identify opportunities for daily movement ahead of
time
• Avoid all or nothing thinking- ten minutes is better than zero!
Food for thought
• What we eat can impact our energy, mood and capacity to manage
everyday stress
• J.E.R.F = Just. Eat. Real. Food
• Look for nutrient-dense foods, rather than avoiding whole food
groups or “types”
• Regular meals ensures stable blood sugar levels- linked to mood,
anxiety levels and regulation of stress hormones
Sleep and relaxation
• Without adequate sleep, we’re prone to:
• Have elevated stress levels
• Be more forgetful; concentration is poor
• Be more irritable
• Have increased risk of accidents and injuries
• Crave sweet, salty and nutrient-poor foods
How to “hack” your sleep
• Develop an evening (wind down) routine and keep this
consistent
• Go to bed early enough to get 7-8 hours of sleep
• Relaxation techniques (hot shower, reading, meditation)
• Block out all light- promotes melatonin production
• Avoid electronics- blue light emission disrupts sleepiness and
our circadian rhythm
• Make sure temperature of the room is cool and comfortable
(ideally, around 18c)
• Avoid caffeine and sugar late in the afternoon and evening
Relaxation techniques
• Mindfulness meditation- apps Calm, Smiling Mind, Headspace
• Controlled breathing
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Hot shower or bath
• Spending time with a pet
• Time out- any activity that allows you to “just be” and place less
demand on us, cognitively and physically
• Enjoyable hobbies that aid relaxation- the non-electronic kind!
Physical environment
• Studies demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of connecting with
nature. It improves mental health and wellbeing.
• Being in nature reconnects us with quiet, simplicity and meaning.
• Make time to be outdoors regularly (gardening, walking, sitting in a
park, visiting the beach, etc.)
• Pay attention to your physical space and how it impacts your
headspace- are you comfortable in a chaotic environment or would
decluttering help you to feel more energised and to gain mental
clarity?
Social connection
• DO give yourself permission to reach out and ask for help
• DO identify your “team”- who are the people who support and
nurture you in different ways?
• DO spend time with those that are supportive, non-judgemental,
helpful and energising
• DO remember the value of social connection when under stress
• DON’T isolate yourself and completely withdraw when under stress
• DON’T spend time with people who de-energise you, place further
demands and stress on you
Values and purpose
• Values are the principles that guide our behaviour, that give our lives
meaning and purpose
• Understanding your values supports you to live a purposeful,
authentic and happy life

• Your values lie at the core of WHY you engage in self-care

• Why is it important to you to be happy and healthy?
• By committing to regular self-care, you are in the best position to
live the life you aspire to. So, take time to connect to your purpose
and ask yourself “WHY?”
Goal-setting and achievement
Research shows we are more likely to achieve behaviour change if we
set goals around it, so set some goals around implementing some of
these self care strategies!

We are even more likely to achieve our goals if we commit them to

writing
Goal-setting and achievement
The process of recognising achievement is, in itself, a source of energy
and boosts your sense of satisfaction and self-worth

Notice what you have achieved on a regular basis

• What did I do well today?
• Where am I now compared to where I was six months ago?
Coping skills
When we are stressed, our ability to think clearly, problem solve, use
good judgement and remember information is compromised

Hence why it is useful to have a “toolkit” of effective coping strategies

and approaches to readily draw from and look after ourselves
Coping skills
• Focus upon what you CAN do, rather than trying to change things that aren't going to
shift
• Share your feelings in an appropriate setting (eg. Supervision, or with a health
professional) otherwise they’ll find their own way out
• Self compassion- be kind to yourself, pay attention to your self-talk
• Acceptance- give yourself permission to feel however you feel
• Aim for excellence, not perfection!
• Learn and practice techniques to reduce arousal levels; be aware of your reactions to
stress and learn to address/ moderate them
• Practice gratitude- research shows this can shift our perspective and negative cognitive
bias
• Make the pleasurable things you do a priority
• Allow time for recovery after periods of chronic stress, crisis events
Unhelpful coping
Be careful of short term coping:

• Increasing high sugar/ salt/ fat foods

• Switching from food to coffee
• A few extra wines after work
• Overwork
• Withdrawal
• Complaining
• Sleeping in & absenteeism
Resilience strategies in the workplace
• Learn and practice techniques to reduce arousal levels
• Be aware of your reactions to confrontation and stress
• Learn how to best moderate/ address them
• Take proper work breaks; take regular annual leave to recharge
• Maintaining work-life balance; leave work at work!
• Maintaining boundaries; act within your role and recognise what you can
and can’t influence
• Aim to find a good balance and variety of tasks within your role that are
fulfilling and meaningful to you, so that your work is purposeful and
sustaining
• Share your feelings in an appropriate setting – seek professional support
from managers, team leaders and colleagues, EAP
Seven tips for dealing with change
1. Recognise the worst- is this as bad as what you think it is?
2. Ask yourself how much you can control- focus only on what you can
actually influence and what you can do to make things easier
3. Celebrate the positives and be open to new possibilities
4. Take action
5. Mindset- accept and reframe- change is an opportunity to learn,
grow, improve and adapt
6. Manage your stress
7. Seek support
http://au.reachout.com
Seeking Support
• G.P.
• Psychologist or mental health social worker- Mental Health Care Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Low cost counselling service via local community health service
• Lifeline: 13 11 14- free 24/7 telephone counselling service
• Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636- free 24/7 telephone counselling service
Key messages

• Learn to recognize your signs of stress

• Develop a “toolkit” of coping strategies to manage stress, but also to

implement proactively for self care

• Use these self care/stress management tools daily to build your resilience
to stress and adversity

• Seek support when needed

Looking for customised
training?
• Tailored training makes up the majority of the training services we design and deliver
• Facilitated at your workplace or at one of our training venues
• At a date and time that suits you
• Customised to your organisation’s requirements and the needs of the employees taking part
Get in touch
E: training@caraniche.com.au

W: work.caraniche.com.au/training

P: (03) 8417 0500

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