The Pursuit of Happiness: Creating A Sustainable Work-Life Balance
In our rapidly changing world, stress has become ever so invasive in our lives; Information overload, changes in technology, information processing, social networking, and global economic dynamics affect everything from our sleep patterns, work habits and eating behaviors to communication styles and exercise habits; all of which affects health and productivity. This presentation offers wisdom, insights and practical life skills for both personal growth and professional development. Topics to be discussed include establishing healthy boundaries, achieving a work-life balance, and essential coping and relaxation skills to help create and maintain a sustainable work-life balance. Included in this presentation are valuable take-home tools and skills for all participants, based on his WELCOA book, The Road to Wellness. In the past two years, this has become Dr. Seaward’s most popular corporate wellness presentation.
Learning objectives include:
- Define the concept of “Healthy Boundaries” in one’s personal life
- Demonstrate one coping skill for personal work-life balance
- Demonstrate one relaxation skill for personal work-life balance
Digital Toxicity, FOMO and The Art of Mindfulness (Digital Detox) in the 21st Century information Age
The topic of mindfulness is gaining great receptivity in the American culture, and not by coincidence, a parallel use of screen technology. Experts from MIT and Stanford University are now expressing concern with our love affair (screen addictions) with technology (known as FOMO: Fear of Missing Out, and Digital Dementia), citing and increased compromise of cognitive skills including short term and long term memory, attention span and critical thinking. Enter the age of Mindfulness, an ancient practice to quite the mind from sensory overload. This presentation examines the scientific data of “screen addictions“, FOMO, as well as the newest research of neuroplasticity; regeneration of brain tissue produced from meditation and relaxation.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Explain the association between digital toxicity and compromised cognitive skills
- Define the terms “neuroplasticity” and “mindfulness meditation”
- Demonstrate the skill of mindfulness meditation for daily practice
A Good Night’s Sleep: Stress & Insomnia
Over fifty percent of Americans claim to suffer from poor quality of sleep. Stress is ubiquitous in the work setting and one of the most common symptoms of stress is insomnia. Current research from the National Sleep Foundation suggests that over 60% of Americans suffer from insomnia each year. This epidemic is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. Poor quality of sleep translates into poor work habits, poor communication skills, performance deficits, and compromised health, especially the immune system. This presentation outlines the three categories of insomnia (transient, intermittent and chronic), the stress-prone behaviors that contribute to poor sleep quality and poor sleep hygiene, and several suggestions to improve the quality of one’s sleep. Two relaxation techniques will be demonstrated and taught at the end of this session.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Identify the three types of insomnia
- Explain the stages of sleep
- List four “sleep robbers”
- Identify four strategies to improve your quality of sleep
Coming Up for Air: Decompressing From the Stress of Life
Indeed, we are living in stressful times! As personal and professional responsibilities mount, the cry for help begins as a muffled statement: “I need to come up for air!” Staying submerged under the pressures of a high tech world isn’t the answer. The basics of holistic stress management are nothing more than common sense, yet common sense isn’t too common with the stress of umpteen responsibilities. Economic meltdown, information overload, corporate downsizing, urban sprawl, chronic diseases, on-demand everything, global warming, techno-stress, 24/7 accessibility; the list of personal and planetary stressors is nearly endless. Holistic Stress management honors the integration, balance and harmony of mind, body, spirit and emotions where the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts. This presentation highlights the essential tools for stress decompression; from optimism and assertiveness skills (healthy boundaries) to humor (comic relief) and relaxation skills so that you can catch your breath, regain a sense of balance in your life and reclaim your sense of empowerment to navigate gracefully on your life journey in the global community (this is Dr. Seaward’s most popular corporate presentation).
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Define the terms “holistic wellness” and “holistic stress management”
- Identify the four styles of mismanaged anger
- List five effective coping/relaxation skills to decompress from the stress of life
Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backwards: Triumph of the Human Spirit
Learn from the stories of several people who, in the face of stress, beat the odds in their efforts to gain control of their lives and come through gracefully. This inspiring talk provides an intimate look at how six people chose to confront rather than retreat from the obstacles that threatened to consume their lives with angst and torment. They now walk the streets as victors rather than victims. Weaving these stories through the wisdom of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey template, each story becomes an icon of heroic strength and wisdom in dealing with stress. Based on his popular best selling book, Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backward, these stories offer insight and inspiration as to how we too, might learn to diplomatically confront our stressors. The wisdom in “Desserts” teaches us to use our muscles of the soul and turn our threats into challenge, so that we may polish the rough edges of our existence and continue to live, love, and learn throughout the journey of our human existence. Educational, entertaining and inspiring, this by far, is Dr. Seaward’s most popular presentation.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Define the term “stress”
- Identify the three stages of Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey”
- List three effective coping techniques (inner resources) to handle life stressors
The Art of Resiliency: Coping with Stress, Change, and the Pressures of 21st Century Life
In our rapidly changing world, stress has become ever so invasive in our lives (e.g., digital toxicity, insomnia, and social negativity), making work-life balance seem elusive. Resiliency means the ability to “bounce back” from the demands of life; the stress of 21 st century life. Resiliency skills are not gifts for a chosen few, they are birthrights for everyone. In this age of 24-7/on- demand living, the art of resiliency is an essential skill for everyone. This presentation offers wisdom, insights and practical life skills for both personal growth and professional development through the three bones of resiliency: The backbone, wishbone and funny bone. Specific skills to be discussed include establishing healthy boundaries, achieving a work-life balance, and essential coping and relaxation resiliency skills to help create and maintain a sustainable work life balance. Included in this presentation are valuable take-home tools and resiliency skills for all participants for the triumph of the human spirit.
Learning objectives include:
- Describe the concept of resiliency and it’s importance to effectively deal with stress
- Define the concept of “Healthy Boundaries” in one’s personal life
- Demonstrate one effective coping skill for personal work-life balance
- Demonstrate one effective relaxation skill for personal work-life balance
The Low Stress Diet: Stress, Nutrition, and the Immune System
Fact: Stress depletes essential nutrients in the body for fight or flight. When people are stressed, good eating habits go out the window; hence these nutrients are not being replenished. Moreover, many comfort foods tend to increase the stress response adding gasoline to the fire of stress. All of this compromises the immune system paving a clear path for disease and illness. Stress greatly impacts everything: from digestion and absorption to metabolism and elimination. Is there a relationship between nutrition, stress and disease? Sadly, the answer is yes, and it is not a pretty picture. But knowledge is power. Learn the latest facts regarding nutrition, stress, disease from Dr. Brian Luke Seaward, who served over 10 years on the faculty of the University of Colorado, teaching his popular course, Nutrition, Health and Performance.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- List the five (5) aspects of healthy nutrition
- Identify the four “stress and nutrition dominos”
- List 10 ways to enhance the health of the immune system through optimal eating habits
Re-filling Your Cup: Care for the Caregiver
All allied health care professionals are noted for their devoted public service. The service of caring, however, is not without its drawbacks. “Burnout” is all to common a problem. Nurses, social workers and caretakers of all kinds are no strangers to the stress of burnout and “compassion fatigue.” This presentation highlights the nature of 21st century stress, caregiver stress, the quadrants of holistic wellness, signs of mismanaged anger (compassion fatigue), the relationship between stress and physical health, digital toxicity, and several effective (timeless) coping skills and relaxation techniques proven to help restore one’s personal energy levels, including: resiliency skills, creating healthy boundaries, humor therapy, energy vitamins, diaphragmatic breathing, guided visualization, and many other effective techniques for personal growth and professional development. (This 1-2 hour presentation can also be extended to a one or two day seminar retreat.)
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe how stress can lead to professional burnout
- Identify four ways to adopt humor as a coping technique
- Demonstrate two effective relaxation techniques for personal/professional growth
Leadership in the 21st Century
What does it take to be a great leader in this day and age? Whether you run a Fortune 500 company or a non-profit organization, regardless of your job title, occupation, or passion in life, we all need to step up to the plate and exhibit the characteristics of great leadership! What derails leadership? In a word, stress. People who rule from anger or fear prove to be the epitome of horrible leaders and business managers and this negative vibration spreads through the entire workforce. While there is no magic formula for who or what makes a great leader, there are specific attributes that are regarded as vital to make things happen well. This presentation highlights the essential qualities of great leadership including: Integrity, vision, perspective, communication, collaboration and many more. Today’s millennium generation (ages 20-40) are now being placed into leadership positions without the skill set to perform at their highest potential. This presentation will help steer them in the right direction.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify two factors that detract from leadership excellence
- Describe five qualities essential for all people in a position of leadership
The Healing Power of Humor
This one-hour multi-media presentation highlights the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of humor therapy, dating back to the Ancient Greeks up to the remarkable recovery of humor laureate, Norman Cousins and beyond. Reasons why we laugh and smile, types of humor that make us giggle, and 10 ways to tickle our funny bone are included in this topic. This presentation is filled with colorful images, hilarious cartoons, video clips, memorable quotations, and a wonderful narrative created by a scholar of humor therapy and comic relief. Perhaps because the nature of laughter is infectious, this is one of Dr. Seaward’s most popular presentations. Bring your sense of humor and get ready to achieve your quota of laughs!
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Define the terms “humor” and “comic relief”
- Identify the four reasons (theories) why we laugh and smile
- List five ways to increase your sense of humor.
- Smile and laugh till your face hurts
Coping with Change at the Worksite
The ever-changing dynamics of our global economy are forcing dramatic changes in the corporate setting, and these ultimately affect every working employee. Change is often synonymous with the word STRESS! Downsizing, right-sizing, early retirements, mergers, and job consolidations are just a few of the repercussions in the worksite today. In addition, emails, blackberries, webinars, text messages, twitters, and cell phones may initially seem to make our jobs easier, but ultimately they remind us that we are forced to adapt to the changes in this high technology age or be swept behind. So how does one cope with change effectively and not feel as if he or she is a victim in the ever-changing world we live in? There are effective coping techniques and non-effective coping techniques that are used in times of stress. Coping with change means learning to adapt positively to change while maintaining a sense of self-control. This presentation begins with an overview of the “change = stress equation” and continues with creative anger management skills, the concept of positive thinking strategies, and several effective relaxation tools to adapt to change successfully.
Presentation Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Define the term “Healthy Boundaries”
- Identify the four styles of mismanaged anger
- Explain three effective coping techniques
