Emotional Regulation

Please choose your level

Combat stress

We will start the work of this WebQuest by looking at what you know about work-relatedstress and how it affects your day-to-day life.Once we have worked on the definition, wewill analyse different situations that can causestress and techniques to avoid or manage it.

Process

Step 1: What is stress?
The group stands in a circle and we project our Padlet screen which reflects the following
question: What is stress for you?
They have to connect to the Padlet through the QR and leave in messages what stress is for
them, their own definition. They can write, use images, songs, videos...

Once everyone has left their contribution, we do a quick reading and sharing to see the
coincidences or differences between the definitions.

We will continue giving the academic definition of stress and watching a video that talk
about this topic.
Stress definition:
“The World Health Organisation defines stress as "the set of physiological reactions that
prepare the body for action". In global terms it is a biological warning system necessary for
survival. Any change or different circumstance that comes into our lives, such as changing
jobs, speaking in public, going for an interview or moving house, can generate stress. But it
will also depend on the physical and psychological state of each individual.

A certain degree of stress stimulates the organism and allows it to reach its goal, returning
to a basal state when the stimulus has ceased. The problem arises when the pressure is
maintained and a state of resistance sets in. When certain circumstances, such as work
overload, economic or social pressures, or a competitive environment, are unconsciously
perceived as a "threat", a feeling of discomfort begins to set in. When this feeling is
sustained over time, it can lead to a state of exhaustion, with possible functional and organic
alterations.” (Estrés y burn out. Definición y prevención | Offarm (elsevier.es))

Video How stress afeects your brain:
(9) How stress affects your brain - Madhumita Murgia - YouTube

Step 2: My stress level
The GHQ 12 is a widely used research instrument to make a first rapid assessment of health
status with the aim of detecting psychological disorders associated with stressful situations.
We will hand out this questionnaire to each participant and allow them some time to reflect
and answer each question.
We should bear in mind that this is not a clinical diagnosis and that this questionnaire is
only intended to reflect how possible stressful situations are affecting them.
MOST RECENTLY:
1. Were you able to concentrate well on what you were doing?
a) Better than usual c) Less than usual b) The same as usual d) Much less than
usual

2. Did your worries cause you to lose a lot of sleep?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) No more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

3. Have you felt that you are playing a useful role in life?
a) More useful than usual c) Less useful than usual b) The same as usual d) Much less useful than usual

4. Have you felt capable of making decisions?
a) More than usual c) Less than usual b) The same as usual d) Much less than
usual

5. Did you constantly feel overwhelmed and under stress?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) No more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

6. Have you had the feeling that you cannot overcome your difficulties?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) No more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

7. Have you been able to enjoy your normal everyday activities?
a) More able than
usual
c) Less able than
usual
b) The same as usual d) Much less able
than usual

8. Were you able to cope adequately with your problems?
a) More than usual c) Less than usual b) The same as usual d) Much less than
usual

9. Have you felt unhappy or depressed?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) No more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

10. Have you lost confidence in yourself?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) No more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

11. Have you ever thought that you are a worthless person?
a) Not at all c) Somewhat more
than usual
b) Not more than
usual
d) Much more than
usual

12. Do you feel reasonably happy all things considered?
a) More than usual c) Less than usual b) The same as usual d) Much less than
usual

According to the method recommended by the GHQ, there are two possible scores for each
question (0 or 1). We will classify a problem as absent (0) or present (1) according to the
following criteria and add up the points.
- Options a) and b) are considered as "problem absent" and score "0".
- Options (c) and (d) are considered as 'problem present' and are marked '1'.
If you have scored a total of 3 or more points when adding the 12 questions together, it is
likely that you are suffering from a psychological disorder associated with stressful
situations.
We do not have to share the results of the questionnaire with the group, it is a personal and
intimate questionnaire, and we will only share it with the group if the group wants to and
without pressuring anyone.

Step 3: Stress coping techniques
We will start this part of the training by explaining that: The different preventive measures
aimed at avoiding or minimising the consequences of work-related stress can be divided
into the consequences of work-related stress can be divided according to the level of
intervention.
1. Person-centred measures (individual stress coping techniques): Aimed at reducing anxiety
levels, negative thoughts and conflicting social relationships.
2. Task intervention measures: Aimed at reducing problems that may arise during work
performance and also at increasing the efficiency of work performance.
3. Organisational intervention measures: Aimed at reducing stress problems related to
organisational factors such as communication and participation, personal relationships and
career development within the organisation.
We will divide the group into small groups of 3-4 people and give them some cards with the
name of the technique and its definition. They should divide the techniques into the three
groups discussed above.

Relaxation techniques: The aim of relaxation techniques is to reduce the degree of
physical activation present in stress.

Breathing techniques: Correct breathing control is one of the simplest and most powerful
strategies for coping with a stress response. One of the symptoms of stress is
hyperventilation: rapid, rapid and shallow breathing that contributes to increased stress
levels.

Cognitive techniques: Stressed people are not only stressed physically but also psychically,
as what happens emotionally in an individual is reflected in their thoughts and vice versa.

Time management techniques: When a person suffers from stress, one hears them
complain that they "lack time" to do all the tasks. Paradoxically, when they try to gain
time, their nerves end up causing them to lose it.

Social skills improvement techniques: In order to face challenges and relationship tensions
that may arise with colleagues or superiors, social skills are needed in order to approach
the difficulty correctly and find the best solution.

Once the different techniques have been organised in the 3 groups, we will share them with
the large group and reflect together on the techniques and how everyone is trying to
manage their stress levels.

Step 4: We put into practice
To end the session we will put into practice one of the techniques to show the participants
how they can do it in their daily life.

PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE (JACOBSON, 1929)
The aim is to achieve deep levels of muscle relaxation through different tension/relaxation
exercises, therefore it is important to pay attention to these sensations (tension/relaxation)
in order to become aware of our body. With the training, the person will put these skills into
action once he/she has identified the tension in some area of his/her body.

Preparation
- Find a quiet place free from interruptions.
- Wear comfortable clothing that allows mobility.
- Recline comfortably in a padded chair or similar and uncross arms and legs. uncross arms
and legs.
- If necessary, rest your head on a cushion so that it is slightly raised. slightly raised.
- Relaxation can be started by taking three deep breaths. three deep breaths. It is advisable
to progressively advance in the relaxation, applying it each time on different muscle groups
and practising it for about 15 minutes a day.
- If cramps or discomfort appear during the practice, generate less tension.

General steps
Voluntarily tense each muscle group for 3 to 4 seconds and then relax it for several
seconds (20-30 seconds) in the following order. Pay attention to the sensations of tension
and relaxation that are generated.

Relaxation of the face, neck and shoulders:

Forehead: Wrinkle, exerting tension on the bridge of the nose and around the eyebrows.

Eyes: Open and close. Notice the tension in the eyelids and on the outside of the eyes.

Nose: Wrinkle the nose, with tension on the bridge of the nose and the nostrils.

Mouth: Smile widely (or open your mouth as wide as possible). Note the tension in the
upper and lower lips and both cheeks. Then pucker your lips.

Tongue: Press the tongue against the roof of the mouth.

Jaw: Press the teeth together, feeling the tension in the lateral muscles of the face and in
both cheeks.

Neck and nape of neck: Stretch the neck forwards-backwards and right-left (without
abruptness).

Shoulders: Raise your shoulders, trying to touch your ears and then let them drop. then
drop
Relaxation of arms and hands:

Squeeze, without moving, first one arm and then the other with a closed fist, feeling the
tension in the arms, forearms and hands.

Leg relaxation:First contract the muscles of the buttocks and thighs. Then stretch one leg and then the
other, lifting the tip of the foot upwards and feeling the tension.

Relaxation of the thorax, abdomen and lumbar region:

Back: Lean your body slightly forward, bend your elbows and pull your arms up and back
(without clenching your fists), feeling the tension in your back.

Chest: Inhale by puffing out your chest and hold the air for a few seconds in your lungs.

Note the tension in the chest. Exhale slowly.

Stomach: Contract the stomach. Then repeat by pushing
outwards.

Quick and complete relaxation:

It consists of tensing and relaxing all the muscles at the same time. It can be done lying
down or standing. It requires some experience, but once acquired, a correct state of
relaxation can be achieved in just a few minutes. of relaxation can be achieved in just a
few minutes.

Evaluation

At the end of this WebQuest, the facilitator can use these self-reflection questions to find
out how the participants felt about this activity:

What did you learn from this activity - can you name 3 things?
How does being introspective have a positive impact on your work environment?
Can you say which stress management technique you think will be easiest for you to
apply? Why?
What do you think is the most important thing you have learned today that you can
take back to your work life?

Conclusion

Working to manage stress and anticipate it will help us to create a more comfortable workspace that is adapted to the needs of workers, whether they are young or older.

My stress journal

Introduction

Task

Up until now you have had a terribly stressful job, you have not been able to cope with the stress associated, with shuffles etc. You are now in the process of looking for a new and better job. This time, you have decided to take care of your wellbeing and you want to eliminate or learn how to deal with stressful factors. Your task is to create and keep a stress journal, which, by getting to know yourself, will allow you to monitor your stress levels and eliminate as many stress factors as possible from your private and professional life. So get to work!

Process

Step nr 1 - Defining stress and it's impact.

Stress manifests itself in different ways, and is a very individual issue. The first step to reduce stress in our lives is to understand what it is and how it affects us.

Your first task is to search the internet for at least 3 definitions of stress, and from this knowledge, describe your own personalised definition of what stress is for you, and how you feel about it.

Stress Definitions:

Source: [Place the link to the source of the definition]

Great! Now that you have learnt a few different formal definitions of stress, it is time to reflect on what it means to us and how we experience it. As you already know, stress affects everyone in our lives, sometimes more and sometimes less, and we cope with it in different ways - once better, once worse. In order to cope with stress and its negative effects on our health, it is very important to be able to properly identify and determine that stress. Just face it. That is why it is time for you to describe below, in your own words, what stress means to you, and how you experience it.

My definition of stress, and how I feel it:

Here are some links that may help you understand the concept of stress and it’s different symptoms:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11874-stress

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body

Step 2 - Identifying my stress factors

Teraz, jak już rozumiesz czym jest stres oraz jak go odczuwasz w swoim życiu – pora na zidentyfikowanie naszych stresorów.

Stresor to zwyczajnie mówiąc wewnętrzne lub zewnętrzne zdarzenie lub bodziec, który wywołuje stres.

Zatem świadomość naszych stresorów jest koniecznym, naturalnym krokiem w zwalczaniu stresu i budowaniu umiejętności radzenia sobie z nim. Jako, że w tym WebQueście skupiamy się również na życiu profesjonalnym i radzeniu sobie ze stresem w nowej pracy oraz przy jej poszukiwaniach, to w tym kroku należy zidentyfikować na podstawie własnych doświadczeń nasze stresory w życiu prywatnym i profesjonalnym.

IDENTIFYING MY STRESSORS
IN PRIVATE LIFE	AT WORK/PROFFESIONAL LIFE

The links below will help you to better understand what stressors are and provide some examples:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/

https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-stress

Step 3 – Analyzing different stress management techniques

Now that you know what stress is, how you feel it, and with a little reflection, you can identify the stress factors you are experiencing, it is time to learn about the different techniques of stress management and stress relief, and try to choose the technique that works best for you. As we already know, stress is a very individual issue. So is the effectiveness of particular techniques. There is no single golden advice on how to cope with stress or how to reduce it, but with the knowledge of oneself and one's preferences, it is worth trying different ones to check their effectiveness. Only then can we discover the one that works best for us.

Here are five popular and in many cases effective stress management techniques that you should familiarise yourself with and try out to try and combat your stress factors:

1. Creating your own space

One such basic method to help us reduce stress is simply to create our own space. We focus on ultimately having a place at home/work where we can feel comfortable, safe and ourselves. While at work the conditions are different, at home it is very important to have a place where we can spend time with ourselves and where we will not be disturbed.

2. Mindfulness

"Mindfulness means a special kind of attention - mindful, directed at the present moment and non-judgmental. Such attention develops great awareness, clarity and acceptance of the current situation. It awakens us to the fact that life unfolds only in individual moments" Jon Kabat-Zinn

Here is one of the basic mindfulness techniques:

Close your eyes, take a deep breath in and then slowly let the air out. Concentrate on the movement of your chest and try not to think about anything else. If you have a flurry of thoughts in your head, acknowledge them but don't concentrate on them, let them go by focusing on your breath.

3. Deep breathing

Deep breathing allows us to calm down and slow down our heart rate when under severe stress. You can find many deep breathing techniques, but one of them is to follow the steps below:

1.Sit comfortably, straighten your shoulders and relax your arms. Place your tongue just behind your teeth on the palate. Close your eyes and focus solely on your breath.

Start by exhaling forcefully through your mouth. On the count of 4, take a deep breath in through your nose.
Hold your breath while counting to 7 - this distributes the oxygen efficiently throughout your bloodstream.
Exhale slowly through tight lips and count to 8.

After 3 cycles your body should have become accustomed to this breathing pattern. Repeat this until you feel your body relax and your heartbeat slow down.

4. Progressive muscle relaxation

This method involves relaxing specific parts of the body according to two simple steps:

You tension certain muscle groups in your body, such as your neck and shoulders.

Then you relax your muscles and note how they feel when they are relaxed.

This technique can help you relax when you are nervous and reduce your overall tension and stress levels.

5. Acknowledging your achievements

This last method is very important especially when dealing with stress related to studies or work. People tend to focus on future upcoming responsibilities or failures, completely forgetting to stop and reward themselves for achievements or successfully completed tasks.

One example of using this method is by following these steps:

After each day's work, take 10 minutes to sit down and reflect on what we managed to do and achieve today. Even if we didn't manage to complete the whole task, we include completing part of it. We sit until we have written down our achievements. For this purpose, all we need is a piece of paper and a pen.

The aim of this method is to appreciate our work and our sacrifices, which in turn gives us more self-confidence and allows us to reduce stress related to, for example, future tasks.

Sources:

https://www.betterup.com/blog/stress-management-techniques

https://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-management.html

https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/tips-to-control-stress

Do you know any of these techniques? Or have you tried any of them? If so, describe your impressions below:

Your task is to try to use each of these methods in a stressful situation. Which do you think will be most effective for you in your personal life and at work and why?

Next, it is time for you to do some online research and list two different methods of stress management or stress relief that appeal to you and - based on your own preferences, behaviour and character – you think would be most effective for you. Try to find techniques that you can practise when you are stressed at work, before job interviews and on the run. It is important that they are practical in everyday situations and when searching for a job. Describe these techniques below:

Name of the technique:

Description:

How does it help you cope with stress?

Step 4 – Keeping a stress journal

Now that you have an understanding of the basics of stress, and have considered the various techniques for yourself - it is time to take the final step in this stress relieving journey, which is designed to help you cope with stress in everyday life, when looking for a job, and when acclimatising to a new job and new responsibilities.

Keeping a stress diary is an effective way of finding what causes us stress and discovering the level of stress that is beneficial to us.

In our stress journal we will be tasked with recording our stress levels and how we feel during our day. In particular, we record stressful events.

Below you will find a template with the information you need to fill in our stress journal during the day.

Your task is to fill in this template as it stands today and, if possible, to keep this journal in the future.

MY STRESS JOURNAL

Day/date:

………………….

Time (We can write at different hourly intervals)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

The amount of stress we experience (e.g. on a scale from 1 to 10)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

How/what do we feel?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

How effective is our work

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

What stressful situation has occurred?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

When and where did it occur?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

What factors caused this event?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

How stressful was it?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

How did we cope with the event?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

What method did we use to try to reduce the stress?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Did it work? If so, how?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Great! If you would like to learn more about keeping a stress journal, and its other methods, visit the links below:

https://psychcentral.com/stress/how-to-begin-journaling-for-stress-relief

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_01.htm

Evaluation

Basic knowledge of personal stress triggers
Basic knowledge of the impact of stress on health
Basic knowledge of the impact of stress on work performance
Basic knowledge of practices to promote resilience against stress

Discuss what stress is, and how it impacts on health and job performance
Identify personal triggers which cause stress
Identify triggers in the workplace which cause stress
Keep a stress journal to better understand one’s reaction to stress
Discuss some techniques to reduce the impact of stress on health

Ability to self-reflect and identify stress triggers in one’s personal and professional life
Ability to self-reflect and honestly identify the impact that stress has on one’s mood
Willingness to keep a journal to log how often stress is encountered, and one’s reaction to stress

Conclusion

Congratulations! By keeping up with the steps given, you have managed to increase your knowledge of stress, analyse your own stressors in both your personal and professional life and explore multiple techniques to support stress relief. By applying these techniques and keeping your stress journal diligently, you will be able to better navigate your job search journey as well as cope in your everyday life. This is a very important skill that will make your life much more enjoyable! In the meantime remember after a very important thing that Albert Einstein once said - “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Congratulations, your knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is excellent now!

OPTIMISM AND STRESS

Introduction

Stress and negative emotions are experienced by people of all ages, at different stages, for different reasons and at different intensities. The perception of stress, our reaction to it and the consequences are very individual, and can vary from person to person. However, what do we all have in common? The fact that we all feel it and have to cope with it somehow. There are many different techniques for coping with stress, relaxation and regulating negative emotions - some less effective (for us) others more so. In many cases, however, we have to go through several other equally important steps before we can cope with it. In today's WebQueue, we will focus on steps that are extremely important in the fight against the regulation of negative emotions, including strong acute stress, in both personal and private life.

Task

The main purpose of this WebQuest is to guide you through 7 unique steps, with relevant exercises and supportive resources, the completion of which will enable you to better understand and regulate negative emotional states in yourself and others in a variety of circumstances, and to teach you a positive approach. This WebQuest will help you develop your ability to recognise stress, adapt appropriate tactics to combat it and broaden your awareness of the essence of a positive approach.

So let's get to it!

Process

1 - COLLABORATE WITH PEERS - Identify triggers of stress within a team

By now you should be able to identify your own stress triggers in different situations and surroundings, but have you ever thought about how this very individual issue looks and manifests itself in others?

In this, the first step, the task will be a group discussion on stress triggers and their symptoms in a workplace.

The whole group should sit in a circle and the task is for each person in turn to name at least one stress trigger and its possible symptom/consequence that they personally do not have/feel they would not have. The rest of the group raises their hand if any of these examples coincide with them and their reactions to the stress.

Then, each person proposes an example of a coping strategy to deal with/ minimize or help them in this stress and together with people who have experienced these triggers and their consequences, they discuss their experiences with these strategies, their helpfulness and how it might look for others.

At the very end, the group has a joint discussion about whether noticing stress in others is difficult or not, and whether they notice it in others in their environment.

The following links may help you to carry out the exercise more effectively:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/signs.htm

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/people-planet-profits/202105/how-to-help-a-stressed-coworker

2 - Discuss with group how acute stress can be motivational

In a second step, your task is to hold a group discussion on whether acute stress can me motivational.

Let everyone take the floor and focus on the differences and individual approaches of the other participants.

Try to answer the following questions:

-Can stress motivate you to work better?

-Should stress in the workplace be avoided under any circumstances?

-Does the fact that strong stress motivates others mean that I have to do the same?

-What action do you take if you feel demotivated and/or stressed in the workplace?

Write out in bulletpoints the main findings of the discussion.

Helpful links:

https://www.brainpost.co/weekly-brainpost/2022/3/29/differential-effects-of-acute-stress-on-motivation-in-high-vs-low-anxiety

https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/7-proven-ways-to-redirect-stress-into-a-powerful-success/326644

Step 3. Short meditation and relaxation techniques for acute stress

Watch the video below and try out the 6 minute meditation exercise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix73CLI0Mo0

What are your impressions? Describe whether you think this method works for you.

Then try to create a list of stress management strategies that would most likely work for me. Below are links with helpful resources and examples of stress management techniques. Of course, you can also help yourself with online research.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/stress-management-techniques

https://www.thisiscalmer.com/blog/21-relaxation-techniques-reduce-stress-at-work

Weekly stress management plan

You have already learnt some examples of strategies and ways to relax and manage your nerves, and what might work for you. For this reason, in this step you are tasked with creating something along the lines of a weekly stress management plan. Below is a table with the days of the week listed.

Think about what your standard week looks like, your stress level, and your overall schedule of days of the week. Try to fit at least one activity a day under this that will help you reduce/manage stress and its negative effects.

Remember, it doesn't have to be an hour-long session every day. On tense and busy days when you don't have time, just spend 10-15 minutes on it.

Day of the week	Stress management activity/ relaxation technique
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY

If you need inspiration, browse further types of methods for dealing with stress.

Link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/top-ways-to-reduce-daily-stress

https://happiful.com/stress-management-in-everyday-life/

5. Setting optimistic goals and plans for the future

Now it is time for you to each take time for a brief reflection session and set your optimistic goals and plans for the future in both your personal and professional life.

To do this, fill in the table below:

MY OPTIMISTIC GOALS

PERSONAL LIFE

PROFFESIONAL LIFE

If you need help or inspiration, take a look at the links below:

https://www.angstrom.life/goals

6 - milestones for achieving these goals

Great! In the previous step you managed to write out your optimistic goals for you personal and professional life.

Describe your experience with this task, did you find it difficult to complete?
Then, choose one goal of the professional and private goal and consider what his milestones for achieving it would be.

Below you will find a link from a video that describes what milestones are and how to identify them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgCEnsrJsHk

After watching the video, fill in the table below:

GOAL

MILESTONES FOR ACHIEVING IT

PROFFESIONAL

PERSONAL

7. Gratitude end discussion

In this, the final step, try to discuss the topic of optimism together with the group.

Reflect on positive aspects of life and the importance of positive attitudes and gratitude in general.

In order to facilitate the discussion, watch the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1hYYIMVl_I

After the discussion, each person in turn is asked to reflect and present what they are grateful for today

Evaluation

KNOWLEDGE

SKILLS

ATTITUDE

Basic knowledge of how to harness acute stress for job performance
Basic knowledge of how to control chronic stress
Basic knowledge of the positive impact of optimism on our mental health
Basic knowledge of the role of gratitude in fostering an optimistic outlook
Practical knowledge of strategies to control emotions during a period of chronic stress
Practical knowledge of how to control emotions during instances of acute stress and conflict
Practical knowledge of effective strategies to control temper, anger, frustration, and irritation.

Collaborate with peers to identify triggers of stress within a team
Discuss with colleagues how acute stress can be motivational
Discuss how to harness acute stress in a professional context
Practice mindfulness techniques for chronic stress
Practice short meditations and relaxation techniques for acute stress
Practice different stress management strategies, and create a list of strategies that work for one’s own content
Set optimistic goals and plans for the future (personal and professional life)
Set milestones for achieving these optimistic goals
Practice optimistic thinking each day, and log the impact that this has on mood
Practice reflecting on the positive aspects of life
Develop a weekly stress management plan that will help to alleviate the impact of stress of one’s life

Willingness to practice optimism and gratitude, and to analyse the impact that this has on one’s sense of well-being
Willingness to try different techniques and activities to help to manage one’s stress
Awareness of stress triggers for colleagues
Willingness to support peers to recognise and manage their stressors
Openness to practicing self-care, especially in professional situations

Conclusion

Congratulations! With these activities, you are sure to be able to see the world more positively and respond better in stressful situations. The exercises used in this WebQueue can be used seamlessly in many life situations. Don't be afraid to return to them! Try to use the techniques you have learnt in your everyday life, and practice positive thinking, because as you already know - it has a huge impact on our positive mental health.

Emotional self-regulation strategies

Introduction

It is not only important to know how to detect situations that generate stress and avoid them, but also to learn how to regulate our emotions in these situations if they arise. It is important to have techniques and strategies to manage the situation in the best possible way both for us and for the group. In short, knowing how to self-regulate our emotions in stressful situations is critical to improving performance, reducing anxiety, fostering healthy relationships, improving mental health, and increasing resilience. This can have a significant positive impact on our personal and professional lives.

Task

We will start the session with a brainstorming session in which participants will brainstorm situations that cause them stress in the workplace.

Afterwards, we will do a role play in which we will analyse how they manage their emotions in one or two of the situations they have mentioned before.

Finally, we will provide them with emotional self-regulation techniques that we will apply in times of stress. We will put them into practice to solve possible doubts about the techniques.

Process

We will start the session by explaining to the participants the concept of emotional regulation: According to the emotional education expert Rafael Bisquerra, emotional regulation is the ability to manage emotions appropriately. It involves becoming aware of the relationship between the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural levels, incorporating good coping strategies, the ability to self-generate positive emotions, etc. Other authors have provided other definitions, such as the one that indicates that people, through this process, modulate their emotions and modify their behaviour to achieve goals, adapt to the context or promote well-being, both personal and social. We will start the dynamics with a brainstorming of possible situations that may arise in the group and that may cause stress or anxiety. Ask team members to think of a stressful situation that they have experienced in the past, but that is not too challenging. We will give each participant a post it and they will have to write down at least two stressful situations, then we will put them together and group them if they are repeated by hooking the post it on a cardboard or continuous piece of paper. Once we have the situations presented, we ask the group to choose one of them, on which we are going to perform a role-play. We will create a small group that will represent the situation to the rest of the participants, one of the people in the small group will be the protagonist who will experience the stressful situation and the rest will be the agents that provoke the stress. The size of the group will vary depending on the situation to be represented. The person playing the lead role should not know what the situation will be that will cause him/her stress, the only brief he/she has is the job he/she is doing and that he/she has to react as he/she would normally do. While the small group performs the role-play, the rest of the participants should write down on a piece of paper what they notice about the reaction of the protagonist, both the positive and negative aspects of their reaction. Once the roleplay is finished, we will share the results. First the protagonist will express how he/she felt and evaluate his/her performance. Afterwards, the rest of the group will give their vision of the situation in a respectful and empathic way. We will end this first dynamic by providing the group with the following tips that they can apply during the stressful situation:

Become aware of your emotions: The first step in self-regulating your emotions is to become aware of them. Pay attention to your emotions and try to identify what

is causing them.

Practice deep breathing: Slow, deep breathing is a simple relaxation technique you can use to self-regulate your emotions. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale

slowly through your mouth.

Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgement. Practice mindfulness in stressful situations to help you

stay focused on the present moment.

Learn to say "no": Learn to set boundaries and say "no" when necessary.

For the second part of the session we will put into practice different techniques of emotional self-regulation in stressful situations that you will be able to apply in your daily work in the team. Technique n° 1: Deep breathing It is very easy to apply and is also very useful to control physiological reactions before, during and after emotionally intense situations. It is performed as follows:

Breathe in deeply while mentally counting to 4.
Hold your breath while mentally counting to 4.
Breathe out while mentally counting to 8.
Repeat the above process.

Technique n° 2: Stopping the thought. This can also be used before, during or after the situation that is causing us problems. Specifically, it focuses on thought control. To put it into practice, you should follow these steps:

When you start to feel uncomfortable, nervous, or upset, pay attention to the type of thoughts you are having, and identify all those with negative connotations

(focused on failure, hatred towards other people, blaming, etc.).

Say to yourself "Enough!"
Replace those thoughts with more positive ones.

Technique n° 3: Muscle relaxation It can be applied before, during and after the situation, but requires training to be effective. If you want to put it into practice, follow the steps below:

Sit quietly in a comfortable position. Close your eyes.
Slowly relax all the muscles in your body, starting with your toes and then relaxing the rest of your body down to the muscles in your neck and head.
Once you have relaxed all the muscles in your body, imagine yourself in a peaceful and relaxing place, for example, lying on a beach. Whatever place you choose,

imagine yourself totally relaxed and carefree.

Imagine yourself in that place as clearly as possible.

Technique n° 4: Logical reasoning Logical reasoning consists of analysing one by one the thoughts that cause us emotional discomfort and reasoning them out in a logical way. Here is an example of how to do this: • Thought: "I am useless and worthless".

Emotion: sadness and crying
Logical reasoning: "To what extent is this statement true? What good does it do me to think that about myself? Do I have proof that this statement is true? What can I

do to change this thought? Technique n° 5: Thought regulation When we are in a moment of mental discomfort and we don't know how to manage our emotions, we tend to experience what is known as a "torrent of thoughts". Often, these uncontrolled thoughts are negative and do not allow us to find a solution to the stressful situation. For this very reason, regulating our thoughts can be an effective technique for emotional control. How can we do this? The first step is to detect the flood of thoughts and identify what kind of ideas come into your head. We can then try writing them down in a notebook if we are alone and then work on those affirmations. We will close the session by watching the following video which addresses all the points we have discussed above.

Evaluation

Conclusion

These dynamics can help team members practice self-regulation of emotions while listening and sharing stressful experiences, which makes them empathise with the partner and create a connection.

We have presented just a few tips for emotional self-regulation in stressful situations. The key is to find what works best for you and practice it regularly. Emotional self-regulation is a skill that can be developed with practice and time.

English

The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Project Number : 2019-1-PL01-KA204-065089