• To discuss and explain the concept of work detox (3 minutes)
• To explain the benefits and recognize the importance of work detox(24minutes)
• To identify and discuss ways to workdetox(33minutes)
• To identify different factors that causestress(20minutes)
• To create a work detox plan (40 minutes)
Mental health problems also affect the person holistically. The state of one’s mental health is sometimes reflected in their physical state. There are various stressors around us, such as our environment, finances, lifestyle choices, and poor work-life balance. Moreover, mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, eating, and sleeping disorders may also increase a person’s vulnerability to physical health problems. For instance, people with depression have lower levels of Dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that indicates happiness. Smoking, on the other hand, contains nicotine that increases dopamine production. Therefore, people with depression are more likely to smoke since it decreases stress and improves mood. This makes them more prone to addiction and lung problems. However, this type of coping mechanism only worsens one’s health.
Here are some activities you may do for body detox that does not only remove toxins in your body, but also improves your overall health:
Drink a lot of water
It is recommended to drink eight 8 oz glasses of water since it keeps you hydrated and helps removes the toxins in the body
Maintain a journal
Although it is not required every day, it is important to write and acknowledge how you feel. It helps in knowing yourself more, venting out, and shows your progress.
Breathing is connected to our stress level. Taking deep breaths helps you relax and increases your concentration.
Physical activities, such as exercising, and walking improves sleep and increases endorphins, which decreases stress.
Have something to look up to Doing or having something you love relieves stress. May it be an order from online shops, meet-up with friends, or going out for movies, and shopping.
The main goal of work detox is to get us to relax and clear our heads to get our heads back into the game. And one of the first steps to start our work detox journey is to recognize and identify the stressors that cloud our minds and cause us to be physically and mentally overwhelmed and exhausted.
Watch Madhumita Murgia’s Ted-Ed animated presentation “How stress affects your brain” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuyPuH9ojCE). After watching the video, recall and list down a minimum of three (3) effects of stress on your brain and identify at least five (5) causes and manifestations of stress from your current work environment.
After reading "How to Work Detox," fill the box below with at least ten ways you think someone can practice work detox. After listing them, underline every activity that you can apply to yourself. After doing so, encircle the simple practices you can incorporate into your everyday life starting tomorrow (e.g., drinking a lot of water). Meanwhile, box activities you think will take time to conduct or you would like to incorporate into a one-week detox plan (e.g., going on a vacation).
After reading "Benefits of Taking a Work Detox," reflect on your answers from Activity 1 and 2 and write down reasons (at least 3) how work detox practices can affect you and alleviate manifestations of stress.
Access and print the “Daily Work Detox” and “Week/Day-Long Work Detox” template (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G9xDQ6oVggXIBQ4fdJD6ZOJnHIzL1eU?usp=sharing) and fill-in the needed information.
From Activities 1, 2, and 3, revisit your answers and create your detox plan: one that you can apply in your daily work life and one that you can do over a week or day of break or vacation. Check the notes below for added information:
• Be specific as much as possible with your words.
• For the targeted manifestations of stress or stressors, review your answers in Activity 1.
• The activities can be from your answers from Activity 2, but you can add other practices.
• For the expected outcomes from the activities, review your answers in Activity 3
• For the daily work detox, you can repeat activities.
• It is encouraged to place as much work detox activity in the daily work detox plan. However, only a minimum of one activity is needed per day to give respect to your schedule and work.
• The minimum duration for the daily work detox is one week.
Michigan State University. (n.d.). Breaks During the Workday. Toward a RespectfulWorkplace.https://workplace.msu.edu/breaks-during-the-workday/
INTEGRIS Health. (n.d.). Why It’s Important to Allow Yourself to Rest. https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2021/april/why-its-importantto-allow-yourself-to-rest
Barman, J. (2020). 18 Lesser-Known Stress Relief Activities & Ideas for Office. Vantage Fit. Retrieved from https://www.vantagefit.io/blog/stress-reliefactivities/
Dickson, D. (2016). 10 Ways to Detox from Work-Related Stress. Linked In. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-ways-detox-from-workrelated-stress-derek-dickson-1
Examples of Stressors. (n.d.). Concordia University. Retrieved from https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/offices/provost/health/topics/stressmanagement/examples-stressors.html
How Does Mental Health Affect Physical Health. (2021). Web MD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-does-mental-health-affect-physicalhealth
Mental Illness. (2019). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptomscauses/syc-20374968
Smoking and Mental Health. (n.d.). Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/smokingand-mental-health
Jabr, F. (2013). Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime. Scientific American. Retrievedfromhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mental-downtime/
Davidson, O. B., Eden, D., Westman, M., Cohen-Charash, Y., Hammer, L. B., Kluger,A.N.,Krausz,M.,Maslach,C.,O'Driscoll,M.,Perrewé,P.L.,Quick,J.C., Rosenblatt, Z., & Spector, P. E. (2010). Sabbatical leave: who gains and how much?. The Journal of applied psychology, 95(5), 953–964. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020068
Gaiam. (n.d.). 10 ways to detoxify your body naturally. Gaiam. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/10-ways-todetoxify-your-body
Pictures.RetrievedinCanva NSTP HEALTH MODULE
