How to relieve stress when you're overwhelmed | Nina Nesdoly | TEDxHECMontréal

Summary

In this insightful talk, Nina, a work stress and burnout prevention consultant, shares her personal experience and professional insights on stress relief. She introduces three keys to alleviate stress: letting tension out through physical activities or creative outlets, limiting information intake to prevent mental overload, and lowering the barrier to entry for stress-relief activities, making them accessible and easy to incorporate into daily life. Nina's approach, backed by neuroscience, encourages proactive stress management to enhance productivity and well-being.

Takeaways

• 🧘‍♀️ Letting tension out is crucial for stress relief and can be achieved through various activities like exercise, creativity, talking to a friend, or meditation.
• 🎉 The speaker's personal experience with going to a party during a stressful time led to increased energy and focus, highlighting the importance of stress relief in productivity.
• 🧠 Neuroscience plays a role in managing stress, and the speaker uses it to inform strategies for stress relief.
• 🔑 Three keys to stress relief are introduced: letting tension out, limiting information intake, and lowering the barrier to entry for stress relief activities.
• 🚫 Limiting information intake is important because the content we consume can contribute to stress, and it's essential to give our brains a break from constant stimulation.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Engaging in physical activities or creative outlets can help release tension and provide a physical manifestation of stress relief.
• 📵 Taking a break from work or screens can be beneficial, but it's essential that the break is genuinely restful and not another form of information intake.
• 🌱 Incorporating stress-relief breaks into the workday can lead to less stress and improved productivity, as evidenced by research studies.
• 🤔 The effectiveness of a break depends on its nature; a break should not involve additional cognitive load or stressors.
• 🎯 Lowering the barrier to entry for stress relief means making it easy to engage in activities that help reduce stress, such as quick journaling or short exercises.
• 🌟 The speaker encourages finding a stress relief method that is easy to implement and适合自己的, ensuring it becomes a part of daily life.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the transcript?

The main topic of the transcript is about relieving stress and the three keys to stress relief as shared by Nina, a work stress and burnout prevention consultant.

What dilemma did Nina face during her bachelor's degree?

Nina faced the dilemma of choosing between working on her term papers, exams, grad school applications, and research proposals or going to a party, which she eventually chose.

How did Nina's decision to go to the party impact her productivity?

Nina's decision to go to the party, contrary to her expectations, resulted in her having more energy, focus, and less stress, making her work come more easily.

What is Nina's profession and how does she use it to help manage stress?

Nina is a work stress and burnout prevention consultant and a Ph.D. student studying work-related stress. She uses Neuroscience to help people manage stress effectively.

What are the three keys to stress relief that Nina refers to in her talk?

The three keys to stress relief Nina refers to are: 1) Let tension out, 2) Limit information in, and 3) Lower the barrier to entry for stress relief activities.

How can physical activities like exercise and movement help in relieving stress?

Physical activities help in relieving stress by allowing the release of tension from the body through actions like sweating and expending energy.

Why is it important to limit information intake during stress relief breaks?

Limiting information intake is important because the content consumed can sometimes contribute to stress, and it allows the brain to focus on relaxation rather than processing additional information.

What is an example of a stress relief activity that has a low barrier to entry?

An example of a stress relief activity with a low barrier to entry is having a 'mad book' where one can quickly scribble or doodle to vent frustration without needing any complex setup or preparation.

How can taking real breaks help in reducing stress during work?

Taking real breaks helps in reducing stress by providing the brain and body with opportunities to recover, preventing the accumulation of stress and promoting better focus and productivity.

What is the significance of the 'mad book' example in the classroom scenario?

The 'mad book' example in the classroom scenario demonstrates how a simple and accessible stress relief tool can help a student like Jamie manage overwhelming emotions and return to tasks more calmly.

How does Nina suggest incorporating stress relief into daily life and work?

Nina suggests incorporating stress relief by choosing activities that allow tension release, limit information intake, and have a low barrier to entry, making them easy to integrate into daily routines.