Stress Burnout Syndrome Avoiding Getting Overwhelmed PV236 – TIME MANAGEMENT & EFFECTIVENESS JOSEF SPURNÝ Stress Society vs. mind • Acceleration of life pace (Paul Virilio – Dromology) • Fast progress in technology & science •Boomer: “When I was a little kid, I was curious, I was playing with all kind of technical appliance, a radio for example. Today’s kids don’t do that anymore. How will they become radio-engineers…?” •Yes, but radios 40 years ago were much simpler than anything nowadays’ kids can play with J •Knowledge grows linearly, but potential combinations grow exponentially à increased specialization in engineering and science • Increased communication (media/social media, advertising…) • Globalization Society vs. mind Our brain is a result of exponential growth, too: •550 M years of brain evolution •60 M years of primate brain evolution •200-400 K years of Homo sapiens brain evolution •50 K years of cultural development •10K years since agricultural revolution •150 years since industrial revolution •50 years since computer revolution • • We live in modern society, but our brain is mostly the same as it was thousands of years ago What is stress? Living organisms: §Intake information from their environment §Process, accumulate and transform information into internal structure (i.e., they learn à evolution) §Information initiate reaction (fight vs flight) §Get rid of excess information § Excess information that cannot be “dissipated” (relaxed) causes damage (stress) § § Hans Selye §Nobel Prize laureate in medicine §author of stress response (alarm – resistance – exhaustion) §Origin of “civilization” and psychosomatic diseases § The Stress model - discussion intake excess Internal structure Coping strategy / Relaxation Source of stress Psychosomatic health Healthy techniques of managing stress • increasing awareness about what happens to me • direct efficient solution • looking for alternative solutions • avoiding stressful situation • seeking emotional & social support • maintaining narcissistic equilibrium (discussed already) à Burnout Syndrome Burnout Syndrome § accumulated emotional exhaustion from work-related stress § feeling of pressure that is §out of control §not possible to avoid § § §Symptoms: §feelings of being worn-out, depleted of energy, discouraged §negative attitude towards work and co-workers (paranoia, blaming others, problem-evading…) §unhappiness at work, mood-swings, lack of concentration… §Long-term consequences may include: §depression §sleeping disorders §psychosomatic diseases (migraine, eczema, non-specific digestion problems…) §weight-gain (or loss) §decreased immunity § How not to manage stress? How not to manage stress? • denying reality • not seeking help • refusing offered help • self-destructive behavior (substance abuse, promiscuity…) • social isolation … Avoiding Getting Overwhelmed Obsah obrázku text, vektorová grafika Popis byl vytvořen automaticky How can we use TM techniques to avoid getting overwhelmed? Why do we get overwhelmed…? § Procrastination § Poor planning à Feeling of “lack of control” § “Wrong” time management §Using TM techniques to fill-in all available time with work AND/OR Forgetting about leisure activities § Being high performer, but losing “the big picture” §Do I really need to do these tasks to achieve what I aspire for? §“Anti-Time Management” by Richie Norton Why is it better to make plans? § Better control § Think about your hardiness level § More efficient prioritization § Saving time § Avoiding “constant firefighting” § Lower risk of making mistakes § Less anxiety & procrastination More complex project need more time planning Golden rules of planning § Plan with deadlines § Record things down in writing § Know your strengths & weaknesses § Merge similar activities into blocks § Plan only for 60 % of time, the rest goes for §Time buffer §Unexpected tasks §Time eaters/disturbances/etc. Pickle Jar Theory Rocks – most important task(s) of the day – place them into jar first Pebbles – everyday agenda, non-critical tasks – second Sand – communication overhead, procrastination, unplanned disruptions – last “Plan only for 60 % of time” Inspiration from Project Management § Plan consecutive tasks to save time § § § § § § Think about activities that can happen simultaneously A B B A Inspiration from Project Management – Diploma Thesis Preparation § Work Breakdown Structure §Introduction 2D §Theory 14D §Conceptual Framework 5D §Description of existing approaches 5D §Review of most used tools 3D §Choosing best tool 1D §Case study 28D §Company overview 3D §Organizational structure 1D §Processes mapping 14D §… … …but beware of Parkinson Law “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion” § Deadline cutting §Set personal deadlines earlier (e.g., 33 % sooner) and use extra time meaningfully § Limit “overhead activities” § Max 20 minutes a day to reply to emails Eat a frog! “If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.” Does this work for you? What are your time eaters / distractors? Obsah obrázku text Popis byl vytvořen automaticky What are your time eaters / distractors? Note: Some are internal (in our head), some are external Coping strategy for internal distractions Note: §You gotta know yourself §Things one do that are emerging suddenly or that are hard to rationally explain are caused by some emotion 1. 1.Introspect yourself what behavior/feelings distract you. 2.Is there a pattern? 3.Do you understand why do you behave/feel like this? 1. Homework: Fight your time eaters / distractors! 1.Identify yours (internal, external) 2. 2.Can it be prevented? 3. 3.Find a coping strategy how to deal with it. Homework: Fight your time eaters / distractors! DISTRACTION CAN IT BE PREVENTED? PREVENTIVE MEASURE Room-mates want to play PS5 Yes Plan game sessions FB Notifications Yes Disable notifications Boss wants you to do something Hardly “I’ll do it once I finish this task I’m working on right now, supreme leader” …