Hi ,

One of the best ways I’ve discovered to more accurately assess our stress is to look at our self-care practices. This is based on my professional life experience of over 20 years observing client behaviors. I also noticed a similar pattern in my own life.

What is the number one mistake most of us make when we’re experiencing increased stress? We decrease our self-care behaviors. We tell our Selves we don’t have enough time, need to focus on the increased responsibilities, will do it next week, or don’t have enough energy. These may seem like reasonable responses to the additional demands on us. However, such responses are the opposite of what would help us deal most effectively with our rising stress.

When we are under increased stress, the best strategy for our mental, emotional and physical well-being is to increase our Self-care behaviors during this time.  

So, with some reverse engineering 🙂, we can assess our stress zone!

What’s Your Stress Zone (based on Dr. Dana’s Self-Care Inventory)

• Green Zone: You are in this zone when life is going along relatively smoothly, you don’t feel stressed and you’re able to consistently maintain your daily and weekly self-care practices with relative ease (i.e., exercise, socialize with friends, play with your children, enjoy one or more hobbies).
   
• Yellow Zone: In this zone, you are maintaining most of your self-care behaviors. However, it is becoming more difficult and you noticed that some of your regular self-care practices have begun to slip (i.e., your exercise has dropped from three to two days per week; you haven’t played with your children/pet in days; quality time with your partner/friends has been rescheduled several times). You also have been experiencing some symptoms of stress lately.
   
• Red Zone: You are in this zone when most, if not all, of your typical self-care practices have disappeared from your regular routine. For example, you realize you haven’t done anything for your Self – workouts, time with family/friends, hobbies, meditation or spiritual practice – in weeks or months. You will also feel stressed, and likely experience several symptoms, for an extended period of time.

This week, reflect on your self-care practices over the past several weeks. Have you noticed any changes? Does it seem harder to find the time or energy to do something for your Self? Are you experiencing any symptoms of stress? If yes, consider which stress zone you’re likely in. Then identify one self-care behavior you can do for your Self this week that would feel good and help center you. Make it a priority, and do it! Notice how you feel afterwards…perhaps energized, more focused or peaceful 🙂

I would love to have the psychology and mental health concepts and tips in my emails shared with employees in organizations to help improve their overall wellbeing…and have a greater impact. Consider if your company’s (or another organization you know) employees would enjoy and benefit also from receiving these emails on mindset, wellbeing and healthy boundaries.

If so, please get in touch with me directly and let me know via phone/email, or you can have a contact person at your company (perhaps HR involved with employee health/wellbeing) reach out to me at dr.gionta@gmail.com.

To less stress, and more joy!
Dr. Dana