an individual’s adaptive response to an environmental demand that is perceived as

threatening

* the physical, psychological and/or emotional response often places excessive ware and tear on the body

* degree of stress depends upon: the importance of the demand

the strength of the perceived threatoutcome predictability

* stress can be either constructive or destructive

Stress and PerformanceToo little stress Optimal Too much stressLow performance Stress/Performance Low performance

StressBoredom High motivation PanicApathy High energy CollapseLethargy Alertness Indecisiveness

Per

form

ance

General Model of Stress

PotentialStressors(Just about

anythingcan cause stress)

Individual differencesthat serve as moderators

ConsequencesStressExperienced

Stress Management

Are You Experiencing Symptoms of Stress?

• Symptoms are also considered consequences

• Scores – survey p. 126

Common Personal Stressors

• Family• Financial• Health• Inter role Conflict• Life Changes

– Survey – page 129

• Type A Personality– Survey – page 130

Type A Behavioral Tendencies

• Competitiveness

• Life imbalance

• Hostility, anger

• Impatience, urgency

Type A’s

• move and eat rapidly• feel impatient with the rate at which most

events take place• strive to think or do two or more things

simultaneously• have difficulty “hanging out”• can be obsessed with numbers; measuring

their success in terms of how much they acquire or how quickly they accomplished something

Type B’s

• tend not to suffer from a sense to time urgency, with its accompanying impatience

• feel little need to display or discuss their achievements unless such exposure is demanded by the situation

• play for fun and relaxation, rather that to exhibit their superiority

• can relax without guilt

Type A’s when compared with Type B’s

• underestimate the length of a time interval

• tend to work long hours• engage in negative self evaluation• report higher levels of stress in similar

situations• tend to excessively worry about their

work quality and responsibilities

Type A Personality and Health

• Type A’s with high cholesterol excreted higher levels of stress hormones than do type B’s

• Genetics, blood pressure, chronic inflammation and cholesterol levels are better predictors of heart disease than Type A personality alone

More on Type A

• Hostile people die at a greater rate and earlier age than non-hostile

• Hostility, quickness to anger, negative outlook and cynical mistrust are deadly when mixed with a Type A personality

• Classic 13-year study – equal number of Type A and Type B

men died suddenly of a first heart attack

• Type A men only 58% as likely to die from a second heart attack

–The Type A’s - compulsive about lifestyle change to prevent further problems

Potential Stressors - Organizational Factors

• Interpersonal relations• Organizational

performance & social norms

• Role overload, under load, conflict and ambiguity

• Stress inherent in occupation

Four Categories of Occupations and Their Potential Stress Level

1. Active Jobs - High control - high stress– Heavy pressure to perform– Leeway for problem solving– Hours tend to be long but at the worker’s

discretion

Examples:Examples: Doctors, engineers, farmers, executives, and other professionals

2. Low-Strain Jobs High control - Low stress

Low demands

High degree of decision-making latitude

Examples:Examples: Tenured professors, carpenters repair people, successful artists

3. Passive Jobs Low control - Low stress

Low demands on skills and mental processing

Little opportunity for learningLittle leeway for decision makingNo latitude for innovationExamples:Examples: Billing clerks, night watchmen,

janitors, dispatchers, data entry clerks

4. High Strain Jobs Low control - High stress

Heavy pressure to perform

Little leeway in decision making

Long hours

Require following rigid procedures

Little time for taking breaks or time off for personal needs

Examples:Examples: Assembly-line workers, waiters and waitresses, nurse’s aides, telephone operators

Potential Stressors – Unpredictable Environmental

Factors

• Technological

• Economic uncertainty – erratic Dow Jones, changes in monetary

policy, employment prospects

• Political uncertainty

Individual Moderators

• Self confidence / self esteem

• Social support system

• Past experience in a similar situation,

• Locus of control

• Hardiness

• Introversion / Extraversion

Consequences of Stress

• Psychological– Being a pain in the neck– Earning a major trip to the cardiac unit of the

local hospital– Eating so much that the “all you can eat” place

goes out of business– Throwing your computer out the window

More Consequences

• Emotional– Depression– Too much or too little sleep– Absolutely zero patience– Decrease in job satisfaction

Consequences (con’t)

• Behavioral– Taking too many “mental health” days off from

work– Lowered quality or quantity of work– Alcohol and drug abuse– Close encounters with physical violence

Stress Management

Do you have stress under control?

Survey – page 121

Stress Management – Individual Strategies

• Mental Imaging - sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes, concentrate on a specific muscle group, visualize and feel each group relax. Repeat for each muscle group (forehead/scalp, eyes, jaws, neck, etc.) twice a day for 5 - 10 minutes

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation - same as above but first tighten each muscle group for 15 to 20 seconds then relax

Stress Management (cont.)

• Deep Breathing - find a comfortable position, breathe in slowly and deeply, pushing your stomach out as you breathe in, exhale slowly letting your stomach come in. Repeat 10 times without interruption about 5 time a day

More Stress Management

• Prevention - The physical component– Control Cholesterol - order an undressed salad

rather than that double-cheese burger– Don’t smoke anything including straws - on

average, smokers die a miserable death 5-8 years earlier than non-smokers

– Try eating a healthy diet - calorie cutting slows aging and leads to a long life (in laboratory rats and monkeys)

Minimize Negative Consequences

Move your major muscles - both aerobic (swimming, walking, punching a bag with your boss’ picture on it) and anaerobic (weight lifting - note: beer steins don’t count) exercise can help moderate the effects of stress

The Ultimate Stress Buster

• Solve the problem that is causing the stress!! (Easier said than done)

Organizational Strategies

• Solving problems – E.G. ambiguous job assignment – get training,

request a transfer, seek a mentor, etc.

• Get assistance in coping with the emotional components of stress – mentor, better communication, organized

wellness programs or counseling, time management training

TEAM EXERCISE

READ THE CASE ON PAGE 142

FORMULATE TEAM RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS

SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THE RESPONSES TO THE CLASS

TEAM EXERCISE 2

Focus on one or two people in your team who have experiences or are experiencing stress at work.

Ascertain and record:symptoms/consequences of stress (how do you know you are stressed?) source of stress (be specific)

Recommend coping strategiesRecommend stress management – how can the stress

and problem be solved?

Team Exercise #3 – Applying the Time Management Principles to

Your Team ProjectRecord to turn in to me at end of class:

Major goals / objectivePrioritization of objectivesStrategies / activitiesPrioritization of activitiesProposed schedule