JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Finding out the causes of stress and using time management strategies to reduce stress is the focus of a class by the 359th Medical Operations Squadron Mental Health Flight from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Human Performance Resource Center in building 999.
The Life Skills class, “Stress and Time Management,” will be facilitated by Gina Ramirez, 359th MDOS Mental Health Flight outreach resiliency coordinator. Ramirez said the class will examine the physiology of stress, the mind and thought processes that keep individuals stressed and how time management skills can be used to reduce stress.
“We really look at a holistic approach to stress and time,” she said. “We are looking at the mind, body and behaviors of the stress response. The class focuses on how stress affects the physiology of the body and what happens if you stay stressed for long periods of time. Not all stress is negative. Stress can be positive by keeping us motivated to reach our goals. But we shouldn’t stay in a heightened state of stress for a prolonged period of time.”
Class discussions will explore the thought processes that contribute to individuals being stressed and behaviors that can reduce stress, including exercise, sleep, proper eating habits, meditation, mindfulness and gratitude.
A values-based framework will be used for discussing stress and time management, Ramirez said.
“We all have core beliefs that are central to who we are and how we make decisions,” she said. “We talk about those values that are important to you and how you live your life based on those core values. Then we take a look at time management based on that same framework of values.”
Spending time on areas of life that you value can help in living a balanced life, Ramirez said.
“People, in my mind, need to step back and take a look at what’s important to them and spend time on that,” she said. “When you spend time on things and people that you value, your stress level comes down.”
Ramirez said active-duty members have to deal with stressors which are unique to the military, including deployments, temporary duty assignments and work. The class will have information on the types of resources available to active-duty members and civilians who work at JBSA locations.
“Even though we have unique stressors, we also have an abundance of unique resources,” she said.
At the end of the two-hour class, Ramirez said attendees will participate in a relaxation meditation exercise.
“We do a nice relaxation imagery technique that really focuses on using your mind to relax your body,” Ramirez said.
The class is free and open to all Department of Defense ID cardholders. To register for the class, call 652-2448.