Hello PWPSD Staff, 

After the wonderful presentations from Dr. Belanger during start-up and on our district PD day we thought it was the perfect time to dedicate some attention to burnout and stress recovery. This will be the first in a series of newsletters devoted to these important topics, each with a different focus.

The days are busy, the needs are high, and we know many of you are feeling the strain. While we may not be able to control or change all of the situations that cause stress, there are things we can do to support our own functioning and take care of the people around us. Small changes that each of us can make which produce big results. So how do we do it when our plates are already full. And without feeling like wellness is yet another thing we must cross off our never-ending to-do list. 

As Dr. Belanger says: "rest is a verb, it's something you do". Much like a workout, the intentional rest days can be as impactful to our overall functioning as the days we give everything we have. Please read on as we share more about engaging in active stress recovery.  

Take care of yourself and each other, 

Kind regards,

Your CSLC Team: Elizabeth Peterson, Emily Kostiuk, Lacy Schramm, Kara Bolch, Lisa Wiseman, and Heather Craigdallie

6 Proven Ways to Recover from Stress
Whatever your stress, you need coping tools. The following are six proven ways to reduce stress or recover more quickly:

1. Slow things down - Our brains and bodies were designed to face acute stressors and then have a period of recovery. The next best thing is to take 5- or 10-minute mental breaks throughout the day to check in with yourself and notice any signs of tension in your body or of worry in your mind. Research shows that mindfulness interventions can lower your blood pressure and help your brain deal with stress more effectively.

2. Exercise - Studies show that aerobic exercise (like walking or running) has many stress-relieving benefits. It can improve your mood, help you sleep better, improve your focus and mental alertness, and make you feel fitter and more confident.

3. Get in the Green - If you walk outside in green spaces, or even look at pictures of nature scenes, you may be able to increase your resilience to stress. A recent study by Stanford researchers showed that walking in green campus parkland reduced anxiety and worry more than walking on a busy street and had cognitive benefits as well.

4. Smile -  Smiling—even if they're fake smiles—can help your body resist stress. Researchers suggest that moving your facial muscles sends a message to your brain that can influence your mood.

5. Stand Upright - Do you remember your mother telling you to stand up straight when you were little? Well it turns out that standing in an upright pose actually helps you perform better under stress, as compared to slouching.

6. Try to See Your Stress as a Challenge - Research shows that your attitude toward stress matters and that people can learn more positive attitudes. So try to see your stressors as challenges that you can learn from (even if it’s just learning to tolerate stress).

                                         Melanie Greenberg Ph.D. - Psychology Today