Mental Health and Wellness at OCAD U

In her first book, How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell wrote about the importance of disconnecting from the "attention economy" to spend time in quiet contemplation. But what if you don't have time to spend? In order to answer this seemingly simple question, Odell took a deep dive into the fundamental structure of our society and found that the clock we live by was built for profit, not people. This is why our lives, even in leisure, have come to seem like a series of moments to be bought, sold, and processed ever more efficiently. Odell shows us how our painful relationship to time is inextricably connected not only to persisting social inequities but to the climate crisis, existential dread, and a lethal fatalism. This dazzling, subversive, and deeply hopeful book offers us different ways to experience time--inspired by pre-industrial cultures, ecological cues, and geological timescales--that can bring within reach a more humane, responsive way of living. As planet-bound animals, we live inside shortening and lengthening days alongside gardens growing, birds migrating, and cliffs eroding; the stretchy quality of waiting and desire; the way the present may suddenly feel marbled with childhood memory; the slow but sure procession of a pregnancy; the time it takes to heal from injuries. Odell urges us to become stewards of these different rhythms of life in which time is not reducible to standardized units and instead forms the very medium of possibility. Saving Time tugs at the seams of reality as we know it--the way we experience time itself--and rearranges it, imagining a world not centered on work, the office clock, or the profit motive. If we can "save" time by imagining a life, identity, and source of meaning outside these things, time might also save us.

In this inspiring and humorous book, John C. Parkin suggests that saying F**k It is the perfect Western expression of the Eastern spiritual concept of letting go, giving up, and finding real freedom by realizing that things don't matter so much (if at all). It's a spiritual way that doesn't require chanting, meditating, or wearing sandals. And it's the very power of this modern-day profanity that makes it perfect for shaking us Westerners out of the stress and anxiety that dominates our daily lives.

An essential read for anyone experiencing low level anxiety or stress, this book pulls together the various individual strands of business logic, scientific research, self-care, spirituality and common sense to provide a one-stop guide to thriving at work. The widespread 'more for less' attitude is creating a dramatic rise in work-related stress and a higher ratio of staff sickness. Not only does this create a fiscal impact upon the organisation and the broader economy but it has the potential to create significant long-term mental health issues for employees. You cannot always alter the demands of your professional or personal lives but, by understanding more about how your brain functions and by actively pursuing well-being techniques, you can enhance the skills that help you manage and succeed at the challenges thrown at you and reduce the risks associated with burnout. With a focus on improving mindfulness, motivation and productivity, this book offers sound, practical advice and strategies for self-care whatever your working environment and whatever stage you are at in your career.

Harness your mind-body connection for lasting ease and well-being In our busy, get-it-done-now culture, stress has become the new normal--a normal that's embedding itself into our minds and our bodies. If left unchecked, stress can dictate how we think, feel, and act. Overwhelm, anxiousness, malaise, and unease are a daily experience. And over time, these stress-reactions turn into habits, leaving us stuck in a mental and physical rut. So, how can you soothe stress before it becomes your go-to? In this practical and accessible guide, you'll find powerful and effective tools for calming stress in both mind and body. Based on the innovative Mind-Body Reset (MBR) program, you'll learn how to stop stress in its tracks with simple somatic exercises. You'll also discover how you can "reset" your nervous system, alleviate stress flare-ups, and boost your overall health and happiness. If you're ready to combat stress, cultivate calm, and live a more vital life, it's time for a reset!

Thriving at work and in life doesn't happen by accident: there are teachable skills that can help you unleash your full potential. Mental performance coach Jean François Ménard will give you exclusive access to techniques and strategies that he uses to help Cirque du Soleil artists, Olympians, and pro athletes become the best in the world. With Train (Your Brain) Like an Olympian you'll find the tools you need to discover the Olympian within you.

Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life. Sometimes we manage it well. Other times, not so much. But understanding the role of stress in our overall health and wellness is essential to taking it head-on. It's not just that stress can take over our thoughts; it can take over our bodies. From the flight or fight response to inflammation, from feeling anxious to feeling sick, it can deteriorate our bodies and our minds from the inside out. While many books promise tips on managing stress, this book takes it one step further to consider the science behind stress and how it affects our minds and bodies, offering evidence-based approaches to managing stress for optimum results. Amitava Dasgupta guides readers to a greater understanding of the mechanisms at work when stress is present and provides guidance for dealing with those physical and mental responses. While grounded in the science of stress, this work also helps readers employ those strategies that will best manage stress for better overall health.

Tools, tips and strategies to stop the cycle of 'busy' and start getting ahead Stand Out shows you how to stop working so much, and start achieving instead. Everyone is busy, but working harder to do more isn't getting us anywhere. We're overwhelmed, distracted and detached, and our greatest fear is that this will never change. [...] The goal is not to find your One True Passion, but to identify what's most important right now. When you're clear on purpose and actually making progress, you hit the sweet spot of activity that allows your talents to shine. The concept of 'being at work' has changed. We're expected to be plugged in 24/7, and continually expected to do more and more with the same 24 hours in every day. [...] Treat self-care as an imperative for success Connect to what's important here and now Stop day-dreaming and put action to purpose Take control of your day, your path and your life It's not about productivity training or the latest organisational system - it's about having the tools, mindset and skills in place to make your activities work for you. Stand Out helps you find the courage and optimism to live the life you crave, let go of the 'shoulds' and shows you how to prioritise what really matters.

We can't stop stressful events from happening, but we can change our lifestyles to better handle stressful situations. The authors of 10 Steps to Mastering Stress, renowned stress and anxiety experts David Barlow, Ronald Rapee, and Sarah Perini, have designed a proven step-by-step program that will help you identify what is causing your stress, teach you calming techniques, and provide you with a realistic approach to reducing your daily stress.This updated edition now includes:*detailed case studies based on real clients the authors have treated, so you can see how every stage of the program is implemented.*new material incorporating mindfulness-based stress reduction strategies and added information on how to deal with real-life problems.*streamlined steps that make the program more efficient and even easier to follow. Based on nearly two decades of research, 10 Steps to Mastering Stress has been scientifically developed and tested to ensure that it is the most effective way to control stress. Readers will learn valuable new skills-new ways of thinking, acting, and organizing their lives to reduce stress to a manageable level.

Creating Healthy Workplaces includes interventions that relate the efforts undertaken by researchers and organizations to reduce stress and improve the mental and physical health of employees through positive change initiatives. Those working in the field of occupational stress have received criticism that too much emphasis has been placed on negative issues and that positive initiatives have been largely ignored. This book delves into both the positive and the stress fields and compares the types of interventions each entail. Some of the interventions described target individuals and their attitudes and behaviours, others target workplace relationships, work units and the wider organization. Outcomes such as reduced occurrences of smoking, obesity, depression, elevated blood pressure, accidents and workplace injuries, absence and staff turnover are reported. The factors associated with the success of these interventions are identified and advice is given as to how you might proceed to develop worksite interventions of your own.

We have all experienced work conditions that tax our ability to cope. Many of us have experienced these demands for long periods of time and have developed psychological, and even physical, problems. Most employees can also recall times when they have dealt with the stress they were under atwork, even coming out stronger. What helps employees to perform well and stay healthy under high levels of stress? What are the factors that distinguish those employees? What are the best ways to recover from a stressful day at work? How can employees proactively address stressors they encounter atwork, and how can they move from "coping" to "thriving" in the workplace?Thriving Under Stress illuminates the ways stressful working conditions can produce positive outcomes when employees approach demands in the right way, focus on the meaning and significance of their work, and recover appropriately from stressful working conditions, both during the day and when athome. Britt and Jex encourage employees to view themselves as active constructors of their work environment-capable of proactively addressing the burdens they encounter, instead of becoming passive recipients of work stressors.

Far too many people in contemporary culture feel they don't have enough time to "get it all done." The stress of this chronic overwhelm creates a disorganized mind that leads to a chaotic life. Based on her highly acclaimed "Energy Management" workshops, and drawn from over 25 years of counseling and coaching experience, professional trainer and speaker Jackie Woodside shares her breakthrough methods that lead to becoming the least stressed, most productive person you know! In Calming the Chaos, you will learn the step-by-step skills and thought processes that lead to increased productivity and peace of mind. Jackie's approach stems from the new frontier of human performance called energetic consciousness. Part philosophy, part psychology, fully practical application, you will learn: - Why there is no such thing as time management and what to do instead. - How to manage your energy instead of your time and stress. - The three-step formula for managing every component of your life for the rest of your life! - Why "to-do lists" are a set up for failure and what really works. - "The Three Strikes Rule" that will end procrastination for good! - How to always know that you have the time for what you want and need to do! Many books promise to change your life. Applying these principles will make this a reality!

Bring calm to the chaos in your life. Whether you find yourself checked out, burnt out, or just plain freaked out; you deserve better. Psychologist Alison Hill takes you deep into the key pillars for our happiness, health and sanity to help you live a life filled with purpose and progress. Productivity training or the latest organisational system will only take you so far. To make lasting change you need the right tools, mindset and skills. Boss of Busy helps you find the courage and optimism to live the life you crave, let go of what is holding you back and learn how to prioritise what really matters.  Originally published in 2016 as Stand Out, this book has been reviewed and redesigned to become part of the Wiley Be Your Best series - aimed at helping readers acheive professional and personal success. 

A practical guide to both managing the pressures of the workplace and coping with the struggles we may have in our personal lives. It incorporates simple techniques and quick solutions to many stressful work-related issues that exist in most working cultures.This book is crucial for today's workplace. The current state of the economy, financial disasters and general instability is having a massive affect on employees. Workers have to deal with redundancies and the pressures of finding new jobs; the number of sick days is on the rise; drug use and alcoholism is increasing; and depression and anxiety are becoming more and more common.Although more people are seeking help, there is still a stigma in the workplace about depression, anxiety, and other very real mental illnesses. As a result, many employees suffer in silence for fear their contemporaries will find out they are not coping, see it as a sign of weakness and think badly of them. In this book, Michael Sinclair has taken a lighter approach and used language common to the workplace with which the reader can identify. In short, this book aims to remove this stigma about mental health, and promote a sense of acceptability about seeking help and resolving problems in a healthy way.