Stress is the topic of workshop at Jobs Caledon

Stress factors are responsible for up to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians, and the cost alone can exceed $4,000 per Canadian employee annually.

The annual cost in losttime, compensation, rehabilitation, and long term disability from poor health is estimated at $14 billion.

Apart from the obvious monetary losses stress causes, learning to cope with stress can also improve work and family relationships, as well as overall quality and enjoyment of life.

Signs of stress include feeling pressured by work and family responsibilities; difficulty finding time to do enjoyable things; finding oneself in situations and feeling helpless to change them; experiencing back pain; headaches; stomach aches, or muscle tension.

"We must be realistic when focusing on stress. It is not realistic to think you can eliminate it from your life. Understand what causes you stress, be aware of your stress response and take some time to breathe before you react," said Cathy Perennec-McLean, guest workshop facilitator, and president of MotivAction Resource Group Inc. "As individuals we all have different responses to stress. Stress tends to manifest itself in three areas, physically, emotionally and behaviorally. By managing more effectively we can impact our own well being but also the well being of those around us. It is critical for individuals to understand their own personal stress response so they can lead healthier lives."

The 'Frayed and Frazzled after the Holidays?' workshop takes place Jan. 23 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Seating is limited, so please register early. For more information, or to register for this workshop, call 905- 951- 2300 or (905) 584-9460, or go online at www.caledoncommunityservices. org.

Jobs Caledon is located at Caledon Community Services, on the upper level of the Royal Courtyards on 18 King Street East, downtown Bolton. Jobs Caledon is a project funded by Service Canada.