“Why ‘Calm’..?”

Stress is the workplace and at home is now widely acknowledged to be the 21st century's main concern for individuals, employers, employees and health professionals - almost two-thirds of the UK workforce are suffering from one form or another from time to time. It has already become a major cause of depression, absenteeism, health and relationship problems and ultimately a loss of enjoyment of life for the individual and a loss of productivity in the workplace. Stress has now overtaken the common cold as the main reason for short and long-term absence, and a BBC report [click here] suggests that untreated stress is costing UK businesses over £3bn every year in lost productivity, the cost of covering absences, increased risk of accidents and a host of other knock-on effects.

“What’s the Problem with Stress..?”

• “I don’t see what the problem is – they should just pull themselves together!”
• “Problems at home should be left at home and not brought to work.”
• “A professional thrives on stress – you can’t work without it!”
• “Stress is just an excuse to take time off work!”

The good news is that statements like these are becoming rarer in the workplace as employers and employees understand that life and work in the 21st century are getting increasingly complicated. We are coming to realise that the effects of stress have affected our ability to focus on work, our motivation and energy levels, and our resistance to infections (a stressed person is more likely to need to take time off with illnesses as well as stress!), along with creating a variety of other problems.

Now, the truth is (though some would never admit to it) that we all feel stress to varying degrees through-out our lives. Small amounts are actually good for us – it’s how we learn and adapt and grow as people. ‘Small amounts’ is the key here though – as human beings we’re not designed to cope with prolonged periods of stress, whether at work or home, whether from the outside world or from our own thoughts and feelings.

“So how does ‘Calm’ help..?”

Research suggests that it’s not the big things that seem to be the major causes of ongoing stresses either at home or at work, though obviously life events such as moving house, marriage or a new job are short-term high-level stressors. In fact there are two main factors that contribute to long-term stress. One is the build-up of a lot of smaller things in the background (such as unfinished jobs or reports, bad traffic on the way to work, changing deadlines, family troubles, unsupportive or abusive colleagues or partner, to name a few!) so that when the big events come we find we have already used up our capacity to cope. The other main issue is our general state of mind – how we react to the events around us, especially the smaller things.

That’s where ‘Calm’ comes in. ‘Calm’ is a way of providing a chance to learn how to be more balanced in our approach to all of life, to gain some information about how we respond mentally and physically to stress, and an opportunity to experience deep relaxation first hand. The main idea behind this approach is that if we can deal with the hassles of life more effectively, both at work and (perhaps more importantly to the individual) at home, our background stress levels drop. This means that, instead of giving our life what we think we can spare or get away with, we are able to devote the time and energy that we deserve.

Using a simple but effective combination of awareness-raising information, tension-relieving stretching, deep and focussed breathing, and Eriksonian Metaphor (stories with a purpose!), those attending leave feeling noticeably calmer and more relaxed, and armed with information and techniques to take a new view of the events that once stressed them. By relaxing we prime our bodies to regain their true level of energy and immunity, and we prime our minds to be able to focus on what really matters, let go of fruitless anxiety and work towards solutions rather than just seeing the problems.

The ‘Calm’ sessions are conducted either as weekly or fortnightly 45-50 minute workshops over a period of a few months, or two or three intensive 2-hour sessions. So far the feedback from the people who’ve attended them has been overwhelmingly positive, and the results for some have been nothing short of miraculous.

[click here to read some comments from past participants]

"What if I decide on 'Calm'..?"

Each 'Calm' session reinforces and builds on the preceeding ones, providing and increasing awareness of how to achieve greater mental, emotional and physiological balance. Run over a lunchtime, prior to starting work, during an evening, or even a team-building event or away-day, it has both immediate and long-lasting effects.

All that remains is to get in touch when you’ve decided that you’d like to reap the benefits of ‘Calm’, whether for yourself, your colleages or employees, a social or support group, or just a group of friends.

Some links to refernce material:

• “Absence; an Audit of Cost-Reduction Methods”, Gee Pub-lishing, 1999
• “Stress 'biggest work health hazard'”, BBC article, 29th November 2000
• “Stress costs firms £3bn a year”, BBC article, 19th April 2001
• “Why we’re sick of the sight of work”, Telegraph article, 23rd February 2002
• International Stress Management Association (www.isma.org.uk)