STRESS MANAGEMENT ProjecT Sachin

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ARYANS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT &TECHNOLOGY

PROJECT ON -:STRESS MANAGEMENT

BB-306- Seminar on Executive Communication

Submitted to:

Ms.Rupinder Kaur

(Lecturer)

Submitted by:

SACHIN KUMAR

BBA 3 rd semester

University Roll No.-80911320030


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INDEX

S.No Title Page No.

1. Introduction 1

2. Stress 2-4

3. Types of stress 5-6

4. Types of Stressors 7-8

5. Stages of stress 9-10

6. Signs and symptoms of stress 11-12

7. Stress Management 13-19

8. Strategies 20-22

9. Stress Management Plan 23-29

10. Exercises 30-46

11. Case Studies 47-53


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure. No. Title Pages

1. Introduction 1

2. Stress(2) 2

3. Levels of stress 6

4 Stress Management 19

5 Reducing stress 23-24

6 Stress Management plan 25,28,29


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Everyone knows what stress is, but no one can agree on a definition. Essentially,stress is the emotional and physical response you experience when you perceive

an imbalance between demands placed on you and your resources at a timewhen coping is important. One of the difficulties about stress is that it can work for you or against you, just like a car tire. When the pressure in the tire is right,you can drive smoothly along the road: if it is too low, you feel all the bumpsand the controls feel sluggish. If it is too high, you bounce over the potholes,and easily swing out of control. What this means is that you experience stresswhenever you are faced with an event or situation that you perceive aschallenging to your ability to cope. If you see the event or situation as only

mildly challenging, you will probably feel only a little stress; however, if you perceive the situation or event as threatening or overwhelming your copingabilities, you will probably feel a lot of stress. Importantly, your perception of how negative an outcome could be will significantly determine what degree of stress you experience. So, having to wait for a bus when you have all the time inthe world triggers only a little stress. Waiting for that same bus when you arerunning late for an appointment triggers much more stress.

This project constitutes the entire topic related to stress, stress management, its strategies, stress plan, stress process, coping strategies, exercises which helpsin reducing the stress, and case studies related to the stress management.


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Stress


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What is stress?

You would think that defining stress would be relatively easy. Yet those whohave spent most of their professional lives studying it still have trouble defining the term. Despite efforts over the last half-century to define the term, no

satisfactory definition of stress exists. Defining stress is much like defining happiness

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us

and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress canhelp compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust,rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems suchas headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure,heart disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a

job promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives. Stress is recognised as a major health hazard of the contemporary century

underlies diverse conditions such as psychosomatic disease, behavioural changes and it is a major contributor to disturbances in ones emotional, social and family life.

Stress is the response of the human organism to noxious stimuli, which arecalled stressors, and defined stress as'The state manifested by the specific syndrome that consists of all the nonSpecifically included changes within a biologic system'.

Most people think of stress as a mental state but it is in fact, very largely, a physical condition.

When a person is subjected to a stress- producing effect known as stressor (achallenge, pressure, stimulus, external influence, etc.) it is registered in the

brain. The brain gives various parts of the body instructions for a chain of reactions known as stress reaction or stress response.


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Types of the stress: There are two types of stress which are as follow:-

Eustress:

Stress is valuable under certain circumstances, e.g. sports, makingspeeches and taking examinations. The stress response puts people ontheir mettle, increase alertness, improves sight, strengthens muscles and

reduces reaction times. Eustress, or good stress, is stress that benefits our health, like physical

exercise or getting a promotion.

Eustress or positive stress occurs when your level of stress is high enoughto motivate you to move into action to get things accomplished

The stress response increases our ability to stand and fight or turn and fleeand to mobilize all our resources to achieve whatever we decide to do.

Another positive is the zest that stress adds to life by stimulating thestress and the passions.

Stress only has a positive effect if it is not allowed to build up or feed onit, i.e. if it can be worked off.

Distress:

The negative effects of stress show particularly when a person allowsstress to remain in the body, usually when a person allows stress toremain in the body, usually when there is no chance to take the necessarysteps to release a stress response that is too strong or lasts too long.

Distress, is stress that harms our health and often results from imbalances between demands made upon us and our resources for dealing with thesedemands.


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Distress or negative stress occurs when your level of stress is either toohigh or too low and your body and/or mind begin to respond negatively tothe stressors.

The negative effects of stress show up in three ways in particular:

1. Unsuitable behaviour

2. Lower energy and performance levels

3. Poorer health

Optimal Level of Stress

Everyone has an ideal level of stress, but it differs from person to person.Basically, if theres not enough stress then performance may suffer, due to lack of motivation or boredom (See Figure). However, too much stress results in a

drop in performance as a result of stress related problems like inability toconcentrate or illness. We must learn to monitor our stress levels, firstly toidentify our own optimum level of stress and secondly to learn when we mustintervene to increase or decrease our level of stress. This way stress works for us. By managing stress we can improve our quality of life and do a better job,either in academic life or professional life. If stress is not handled properly it canincrease the negative consequences for an individual.


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TYPES OF STRESSORS:

The first step in learning to control your stress, and live with it, is to find outwhat your stresses are, i.e. what stresses you personally.

Stressors are divided into physical and social groupings and the social stressescan be subdivided into further :

Physical stressors

Example:

Heat, Fire, Traffic, Violence, Own Illness,

Cold,

Noise,

Poor working conditions and equipment.

Social StressorsThere are four main causes of social stress:

Social, economic and political

Unemployment

Inflation

Cost of housing

Taxes

Crime

Pollution

Technological change


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Family

Sharing of workload

Jealousy

Sex roles

Different values

Death or illness in the family

Different lifestyle,

Money problems.

Job and career

Deadlines

Muddled communication

Travelling time

Interruptions

Competition

Power struggles

Education/Training

Interpersonal and environmental

Different values

Obligations

Waiting time

Poor service

Smokers/Non-smokers

Driving habits

Social expectations


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STAGES OF STRESS:

ALARM STAGE

As you begin to experience a stressful event or perceive something to bestressful psychological changes occur in your body. This experience or

perception disrupts your bodys normal balance and immediately your body begins to respond to the stressor(s) as effectively as possible.

EXAMPLES Cardiac - increased heart rate Respiratory - increased respiration

Skin - decreased temperature Hormonal - increased stimulation of adrenal genes which produce an

adrenal rush.

RESISTANCE STAGE

During this stage your body tries to cope or adapt to the stressors by beginning a process of repairing any damage the stressor has caused. Your friends, family or co-workers may notice changes in you before you do so it isimportant to examine their feedback to make sure you do not reach overload.

EXAMPLES Behavior indicators include: lack of enthusiasm for family, school, work

or life in general, withdrawal, change in eating habits, insomnia,hypersonic, anger, and fatigue.

Cognitive Indicators include: poor problem solving, confusion,nightmares, hyper-vigilance

Emotional indicators include: Tearfulness Fear Anxiety Panic Guilt Agitation Depression Overwhelmed.


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EXHAUSTION STAGE :

During this stage the stressor is not being managed effectively and the body andmind are not able to repair the damage.

EXAMPLES

Digestive disorders, withdrawal, headaches, tension, insomnia, Loss of temper.


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Signs and Symptoms of stressPeople will have their own personal signs or reactions to stress, whichthey should learn to identify. They generally fall into three categories:

physical, cognitive and emotional. Many of these symptoms come and goas a result of short-term stress. However, symptoms that are associatedwith more long-term, sustained stress can be harmful. Consequences caninclude fatigue, poor morale and ill health. High levels of stress withoutintervention or management can contribute to mental health problems(e.g. depression, anxiety, interpersonal difficulties), behavioural changes(e.g. increased alcohol intake, drug abuse, appetite disorders) andsometimes involve medical consequences (e.g. headaches, bowel

problems, heart disease, etc.). Some of these signs are listed below.

Physical (physiological and behavioural)

- Racing heart- Cold, sweaty hands- Headaches- Shallow or erratic breathing- Nausea or upset tummy- Constipation- Shoulder or back pains- Rushing around- Working longer hours- Losing touch with friends- Fatigue- Sleep disturbances- Weight changes

There is well established links between stress and many types of illness.However, these physical symptoms could result from medical or physiological

problems rather than be completely stress related. Medical advice should besought whenever someone believes he or she may have an illness, e.g. chest

pain or weight changes.

Cognitive (or Thoughts)- Forgetting things- Finding it hard to concentrate- Worrying about things- Difficulty processing information- Negative self-statements


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Emotional (or Feelings)

- Increased irritability or anger - Anxiety or feelings of panic

- Fear - Tearfulness- Increased interpersonal conflicts

Everyone has developed his or her own response to stress. The key is to learn tomonitor your own signs and become aware of when they are indicating thestress level is unmanageable.


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Stress Management

Stress management is a decision-making process. Whenwe are feeling the effects of a stressful life position or astressful lifestyle, we have 3 major ways we could deal with that stress:

Alter it Avoid it or Accept it

By building our resistance or changing our perception

All 3 of these approaches can be effective coping techniques. The trick ischoosing the proper approach for the situation at hand and the person involved.

The first a stands for Alter which implies removing the source of stress bychanging something. Problem-solving, direct communication, organizing,

planning and time management are common techniques for altering stress.

The second a stands for Avoid which implies removing oneself from the

stressful situation or figuring out how not to get there in the first place. Toconserve stress energy, people sometimes need to walk away, let go, say "no," delegate, withdraw and know their limits.

The third A stands for Accept which involves equipping oneself physically and mentally for stress.

People can increase their capacity to tolerate stress :

Physically through proper diet, regular exercise and relaxationtechniques. Relaxation and exercise provide the double bonus of releasing stored up tension as well.

Mental resistance is bolstered through positive affirmation, taking time for mental health, getting clear about goals, values and priorities.

Social resistance is strengthened by building and maintaining support systems, investing in relationships, clear communication and intimacy.


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Spiritual resistance is especially important in times of high stress.Meditation, prayer, worship, faith and commitment strengthen people.

Another way to accept stress is to change the way you perceive the

situation or yourself . Changing unrealistic expectations and irrational beliefs such as "I should

succeed at everything I try is a good start. Building self-esteem and cultivating a positive attitude help as well.

Coping With Stress

The breadth of coping resources students have at their disposal can be adeterminant of the degree of success and satisfaction they experience at

collegeCoping refers to the use of strategies to deal with problems, real or anticipated,and any possible negative emotions that may arise. This approach helps us tocontrol our reactions to the demands placed upon us. We use actions, thoughts

and feelings to cope.

AIM OF COPING STRATEGIES;

To help students learn to control or manage stress they mayexperience. To provide students with a range of coping strategies.

To allow students the opportunity to practice coping strategies. To encourage students to lay the foundations for a healthy life style that

reduces stress.


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Types of Coping

Different situations or stressors call for different kinds of coping.

Problem-Focused Coping is aimed at changing a situation or itsaccompanying demands. It is most appropriate when you have some controlover a situation or when you can manage the problem in the environment. Ituses specific activities to accomplish a task.

For example ,

May be a student is having difficulties with a roommate who creates a lot of distractions thus preventing the student from studying. Problem-focused copingwould involve the student negotiating a contract or using other problem-solvingstrategies to overcome the stressful situation. Using time management or seeking advice is other examples of this type of coping.

Emotion-Focused Coping is aimed at dealing with the emotions caused by asituation and its demands. It is more appropriate when you have little or nocontrol over a situation. This type of coping involves reducing anxietyassociated with the stressful situation without addressing the problem. For example, in parental separation a student has no control over it but he/she couldcope with any anxiety the event may cause.Sometimes people employ strategies to relieve stress that are short-term, andmay actually contribute to stress such as drinking or taking drugs, blamingothers, avoidance or overeating.Many of the situations college students face are best coped with by acombination of problem- and emotion-focused coping. In general flexibility,adaptation and persistence are crucial to success.Research conducted at Trinity College Dublin found an inverse relationship

between believing one has adequate coping resources and the degree of

depression and adjustment students report (Baird, 2001). Therefore increasingthe coping resources of students will likely contribute to a better collegeexperience for students.


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Coping Resources

These resources can broadly be divided into:

o Cognitive coping strategies ando Physical / behavioral coping strategies.

Some of these coping strategies will suit some people, others will not. The keyis to have a range of resources that can be applied, depending upon the situationand the individual. It is important to have strategies one is comfortable using.

Cognitive coping strategies

These refer to ways of dealing with stress using our minds. Cognitive copingstrategies are a good way to combat stress-producing thoughts. AsShakespeares Hamlet said, . . . for there is nothing either good or bad butthinking makes it so. . . Often people already use these cognitive ways of coping, but making them more conscious will increase their efficiency andeffectiveness. Examples of these strategies are:

Reframing focus on the good not the bad; think in terms of wants instead of shoulds. Its best if our thinking is related to our goals. For example, I want toread and understand this chapter in Chemistry so I do well in my lab practicalinstead of I have to read this difficult chapter in Chemistry.

Challenging negative thinking stopping the negative thoughts we may haveabout a situation or ourselves . Examples of negative thoughts include expectingfailure, putting you down, feelings of inadequacy - a thought such as Everyoneelse seems to understand this except me.

In order to gain control of negative thoughts or worries, you must first become

aware of them. Next, yell Stop! to yourself when they occur. Try replacingwith positive affirmations or at least challenge or question any irrationality of the thoughts.

Positive self-talk using positive language and statements to ourselves. Theseare sometimes referred to as positive affirmations; they are useful for buildingconfidence and challenging negative thoughts. For example, I can do this or understand this or Ill try my best. These work best when they are realisticand tailored to your needs and goals.


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Count to ten this allows you time to gain control and perhaps rethink thesituation or come up with a better coping strategy.

Cost-benefit analysis asking you questions about the worth of thinking,

feeling or acting a particular way. Is it helping me to get things done when Ithink this way? Is it worth getting upset over? Am I making the best use of my time?

Smell the roses Experiencing life as fully as possible requires consciouseffort, since we become habituated to things which are repeated. Varying our experiences (such as taking different routes to school or work) can help in this

process Keeping perspective when under stress it is easy to lose perspective; thingscan seem insurmountable. Some questions to ask you: Is this really a problem?Is this a problem anyone else has had? Can I prioritise the problems? Does itreally matter?

Look on the bright side of life! - Cultivate optimism.

Reducing uncertainty seek any information or clarification you may requireto reduce the uncertainty. It helps to ask in a positive way. Situations that aredifficult to classify, are obscure or have multiple meanings can create stress.

Using imagery/visualisation imagining you in a pleasant or a successfulsituation to help reduce stress. One way to use imagery is as a relaxation tool;try to remember the pleasure of an experience youve had or a place youve

been. The more senses you involve in the image the more realistic, therefore themore powerful. This strategy is often combined with deep breathing or relaxation exercises.

Visualisation can also be used as a rehearsal strategy for an anticipated stressfulevent. For example, if you have a presentation to give, practice it in the mind afew times, picturing the audiences reaction and even visualising yourself overcoming any potential pitfalls.


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Behavioral coping strategies

These refer to ways of dealing with stress by doing something or taking action

to reduce the stress experienced. Examples of these strategies are:

Physical exercise aerobic exercise is the most beneficial strategy for reducing stress. It releases neurochemicals in the brain that aid concentration.For some people, even a short walk is sufficient to relieve stress.

Relaxation from simple relaxation such as dropping the head forward androlling it gently from side to side or simply stretching, to more complex

progressive relaxation exercises. Progressive relaxation involves tensing and

releasing isolated muscle groups until muscles are relaxed. Please refer toHandout Five Minute Relaxations. There are also tapes and books available onthis topic (available from the Student Counselling Service or the library).

Breathing from simple deep breaths to more complex breathing exercisesrelated to relaxation and meditation. Please refer to Handout Deep Breaths.

Smile and Laugh - gives us energy and helps to lighten the load; relaxesmuscles in the face.

Time management specific strategies such as clarifying priorities, settinggoals, evaluating how time is spent, developing an action plan, overcoming

procrastination and organising time. These help us to cope with the numerousdemands placed upon us, often a source of stress. (See also the Learning SkillsModule).

Social Support/Friends encourage the development and nurturing of relationships. There is an association between good social support and a reducedrisk of drop out (Tinto, 1998).

Seek Help to help us cope with unmanageable stress. This is a sign of takingcontrol, not of weakness. There are many supports available in College for students including Student Health Service, Student Counselling Service, CollegeTutors and the Chaplaincy.

More detail on many of these strategies may be found in the pamphlet onmaking Stress Work for you, produced by the Student Health Service and thehandout coping with Stress by the Student Counselling Service.


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Strategies for Effective Stress Management

Table of Contents

Strategy #1: Recognize and Eliminate Common Pitfalls- There are several common patterns among people today that significantly raise stress levels. We willdiscuss 5 interrelated ones: what Charles E. Hummel refers to as the tyranny of the urgent, maintaining a hectic pace, approaching life from a crisis orientation,hanging on to not really so sacred cows, and replacing stability withunnecessary change.

Strategy #2: Build Toward a Full and Balanced Life- To the extent that we are notfully expressive in all major areas of life--spiritual, relational, sexual,vocational, recreative, and physical--and to the extent that we are not makingBiblically-informed choices in these areas, we will not only experience stress,

but find ourselves lacking in the energy and strength necessary to manage andtolerate it.

Strategy #3:

Identify and Challenge False Core Beliefs -Our beliefs are certain to findtheir way into our day-today behavior. To the extent that we are operating out of a system of false beliefs, we are likely to collide with both the teaching of Scripture and the manner in which God intended for us to live. Lack of closureand false core beliefs often blend to create a very stressful burden.

Strategy #4: Achieve Closure; Settle Old Accounts- To lack closure is to haveunresolved concerns from the past messing up the present. The emotional

baggage of unresolved issues is constant, even if unconscious, stressor, and adrain on the resources we need for managing stress.

Strategy #5:Conquer the Symptoms of Stress- There is the danger that doing away withthe symptoms of stress may deter us from addressing the deeper issues that arethe source. Nevertheless, it is wise to consider ways to reduce symptoms andlessen their damaging effects on the body. This section contains instructions andexercises to help reduce present symptoms of stress.


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Reducing Long Term StressFor long-term management of stress, it is important to lay good foundations.Often when we are under stress, we ignore our health and relationships, yetwhen these are poor it can add to our stress. Avoid this cycle!

Health, Nutrition and ExerciseThere is good evidence to support the idea that proper diet and exercise is the most effective way to protectus from the long-term effects of stress. Regular exercise, even of short duration, improves thefunctioning of the body (muscles, lungs, etc.) as wellas psychological functioning (better concentration,feeling good about self, etc.). Even 30 minutescumulative daily moderate exercise improves health.An excess intake of certain foods can encouragestress symptoms. Items that contain stimulants suchas nicotine or caffeine affect the sympathetic nervoussystem which can bring on stress responses such asirritability or jitteriness. To help manage stress it is important to limit our intakeof caffeine (coke, coffee, and tea, chocolate) and large amounts of sugar in ashort time span. Like exercise, regular meals are the key; skipping meals is not a

healthy option. Sometimes people try to cope with the symptoms of stress rather than dealing with the stress itself. For example, using alcohol to relax or takingsleeping tablets to help with sleeplessness. Students are particularly prone to

poor nutrition and exercise, especially around exam time when caffeine intakeincreases, sleep patterns change and meals become even more irregular.

Lifestyle

We make choices everyday that affect our health. How we get to

college or work, what we eat, what we do with our free time - allof these choices will have an impact. We probably all knowsomeone who we think of as being stressed out we may evenavoid being around these people because they make usuncomfortable. In contrast, we also probably know someone whoseems more able to just go with the flow and minimise the amount of stress in

peoples lives. Think about the differences in people you know what seems to be a healthy, balanced approach to life? To prevent being caught up in thevicious cycle of stress, which leads to even higher levels of stress, you need:

rest , to renew your energy; recreation , to provide you with pleasure andfulfilment; and relationships , as a source of support and perspective


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Stress management planKnow it; handle it. To develop your stressmanagement plan, follow these four steps

1. Recognize that you experience stress. Its anatural response to lifes events, not a weakness.Stress can help us to perform at peak efficiency, butwhen stress is higher than normal or leftunaddressed, it produces real and harmful physicaland mental reactions.

2. Recognize the symptoms of stress. Physical signs of stress include aching and/or tight muscles, raised

blood pressure, headaches, fatigue, increased sickness and weight gain or weight loss.

Emotional signs of stress are difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions, irritability, impatience, self-criticism, forgetfulness,repetitive thoughts and a sense of being overwhelmed.

Behavioral signs of stress include verbal or physical aggression,changes in sleeping or eating habits, excessive use of alcohol or tobacco,

being accident prone and avoiding other people.

Relational signs of stress are communication difficulties, conflictand dissatisfaction with relationships.

3. Manage stress by shifting from worrying to problem solving.

Be realistic about what you can control and take responsibility for it byfocusing on those areas within your business and personal life. Four techniques, given here, and others in can help you do this:

Make and implement daily, yearly, and long-term business plans tohelp guide your decisions. Learn to say no to things that hinder your

planning goals. Try to be flexible when unexpected - out of your control - events

occur. Choose the relax response rather than the stress response -take three deep breaths or count to 10.

Do not plan alone. Operating an agricultural business today is


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and are causing you stress. Seek help on these. If you put off bookkeeping because you have fieldwork to do, consider hiring officehelp. Learn to delegate tasks.

Find someone with whom you feel comfortable and talk to the person

about your feelings or problems. Dont keep them bottled up inside tocause serious health problems. Friends, family, clergy and other farmers can be good listeners.

Get help when needed. Sometimes a neutral third party or trainedcounselor can help you get through tough times. Working with a businessor personal consultant can help you make sound business decisions andlearn new communication skills, and implement stress managementtechniques. Contact your doctor. You should see a doctor at least annually and let

the doctor know which stress symptoms you are experiencing. Somestress symptoms may also be a symptom of a medical condition thatwould respond to treatment.

Communicate your stress-management plans with your family,coworkers and employees. Do not feel guilty or allow others to makeyou feel guilty about taking time for yourself.

If you are experiencing a lot of stress at the moment you are not going to wantto try anything too complex or time-consuming. If you are feeling extremeexhaustion, anxiety, anger, depression or emptiness the following techniquesmay help bring quick relief. ReadThrough the list and try those which you predict could work for you.

Rag Doll This technique has been described by Dr Audrey Livingstone Booth, director of the Stress Foundation in England. It is designed to shut off your stress responsecompletely.The directions are as follows:

"Sit in an armless chair. Do ten deep slow breaths and with every outgoing breath breathe out quite forcefully, deflating like a balloon, and begin to flopforward at the head and neck. Gradually flop further forward with each breathout, letting the shoulders and arms fall further forward until you are hanginglimply from the waist like a rag doll. Hang there for moment or two and thencome up very, very slowly. Rest your head back on the chair and breathe slowly,gently and easily with your hands resting limply and lightly on your lap. Sitquietly like this for as long as you can manage. When you are ready to moveagain, take a deep, forceful energising breath."


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Support Find some time to talk with someone whom you trustand who know you, cares about you and who, if possible,

appreciates your achievements. Don't feel guilty abouttaking up their time. Tell them honestly how you feeland describe the specific things which are getting to you.

Replay of Past AchievementsFind some time to be alone. Think back to thosetimes when you felt good about something that hadgone well for you. Recall any specific positive

comments other people may have made inrecognizing what you did. Replay each scene, slowlysavoring the positive feelings you experienced at thetime.

Listen to MusicListening to music for an hour or more can be very relaxing. You may want totake a music break at a regular time in your day. Lying down listening to your favorite piece of classical music can slow your

system right down. Pieces that have no harshcadences and that can evoke pleasant tranquilimages irrespective of your musical tastes areCanon in D Major by Pachelbel (this has beenin the classical "TopTen"continuously for around 20 years) and Baroque chamber music

by J.S. Bach (E.g. The Brandenburg Concertos)and Vivaldi (e.g. Concertos for Lute &Mandolin).Start your day with music that makesyou feel lively, optimistic and joyful. Music thatcontains melodic, not unexpected, changes in key or tempo can send a tingledown your spine. Brisk tempo music can helpget you in the mood for achallenging day ahead. Decompress at day's end with music that is moderatelyslow (andantes) or slow (adagios).

They reduce blood pressure and slow your heart by encouraging it to beat intime with the music. For many people the most soothing, tranquil sounds arerecordings from nature: from waves to whales.They can keep alive our sense of awe and connectedness with nature.


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Time with Friends

When people get very stressed, they sometimes forget about their friends. Your friends can help distract you from your work or

family commitments. There is nothing like a good laugh to easeyour tension. Call them up and either invite yourself over or invite them over.

Stress Control through Breath Control

Faced with a stressful situation our breathing tends to change. A simpledemonstration is to make a tight fist. Try doing it now.Did you notice anyvariation in your breathing? Many people will momentarily hold their breathduring physical and other stress situations. A sudden noise in the middle of thenight will often freezeour breathing. Everyday stressors like difficult face-to-face encounters and running late can easily alter our breathing patterns. Usuallywe breathe faster,shallower and we can unconsciously forget to breath. Toomuch of this, say over a bad year or so, can create an upset in body chemistrythat results in anything from mild tension to feelings of panic.Chronic (long-term) faulty breathing has been linked to high blood pressure and a range of

other diseases. You may wish to check your ability to relax your breathing.Ideally when under any kind of stress it should be slow, deep and regular .Countthe number of breaths you take over 60 seconds. If you are very relaxed you are

breathing at about a rate of 10 to12 breaths per minute. This converts to 5 or 6sconds for each breath in and out.The normal rate is up to 16 breaths per minuteat rest. To see if you breath deeply place one hand on your stomach and theother on your upper-chest. Take in a big breath. Deep breathing shows as your tummy hand moving first. If the hand on your upperchest moved first you are

probably a shallow breather. Under stress this can mean you only get about a 1/2

to 2/3 of your body's oxygen requirement.The 'fist' exercise above is a guide towhether or not you are more prone to breathe irregularly under stress.Occasional real-life checks are of course more valid and reliable assessments of your breathing style.You can train yourself to breath in a more relaxed wayunder stress with a couple of weeks or so of regular checks. Taking two slow,deep breaths lowers your blood pressure by 2mm of mercury instantly!

Catastrophe Scale


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Think about the one thing which really seems to be causing your stress, likehaving too many things to do at one time, the bank account scraping bottom or having failed at something.On a scale of 1 to 100 where 100 is the worst thing

which could be happening to you, 50 is medium bad, and 10 is a little bad, how bad is it that this thing has happened or will be happeningtomorrow? (Remember the scale only goes to 100!)

Rate how bad the problem is on this scale (mentally record or writedown a number).

|------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------|

0 10 50 90100

Not A little bad Medium bad Very bad The bad worst|- 100 World war; death of a loved one; life-threateningillness; permanent paralysis.|- 90 You have a serious car accident; house burns down;family member very ill; you lose your job; you break your leg ; house burgled.|- 50 You break an antique vase; you have a fight witha friend.|- 10 You have a flat tyre.|- 0

Above is a list of catastrophes rated by severity. While you might not agree withall the ratings you'll probably agree with the ones listed above and just belowninety. Using this objective scale, where would you now rate the problem whichseems to cause you so much stress? Place crosses on the scale where yougenerally place it and where you now rate it. A scale such as this enables peopleto see how, under stress, they blow the stressful event out of proportion andmake it worse than it is. We often react to minor stress ors as strongly as, if notmore than, to more serious events. If you did, join the club. It's human nature.However, repeated high intensity reactions can harm our physical and mentalhealth. Try to develop, over time, the capacity to detach and look at your

problems from 30,000 feet. Appropriate humour under stress is regarded asone of the most mature and effective coping strategies of all. This is because itinvolves this oftentimes demanding ability to detach and take life less seriously.


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EXERCISES


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EXERCISES-1 A Balanced Life Style

1. Calculate the number of hours you spend on college/studying (lectures,labs and independent work).

2. Calculate the number of hours you spend socialising (including coffee breaks).

3. Calculate the number of hours you spend exercising.

4. Calculate the number of hours you spend doing paid work.

Now go back and calculate the same items, this time using the number of hoursyou would ideally like to spend on each item.If you think there is an imbalance between what is ideal for a balanced life styleand what you actually do, consider the following questions.

What needs to change in your lifestyle?

What might be the difficulties in changing?

What help might you need to make changes?


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EXERCISE-2

S T R E S S Q U E S T I O N N A I R E

Here are eight questions for which you can score 1 or 0 for each.

In the last three days:

1. For two of them have you engaged in some activity that puffed you

for a little while?

2. Have you eaten mainly (2/3) protein rich plant foods, fruit andvegetables and whole grain products?

3. Have you laughed?

4. Have you touched someone? Like humour it's good for the immunesystem.

5. Have you been aggressive? If you lost your cool you lost a point.

6. Did you physically relax? Not just flop in front of the TV but did somethingthat unwinds physical tension like deep breathing.

7. Did you give yourself some mental bonuses? Did you watch a nice movie,dream a little, stop to smell the roses, go for a walk in the garden(s),reada trashy novel or magazine?

8. Have you done anything for someone else like give a compliment or write a nice note?

A score of one or two means you are seriously stressed!


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EXERCISE-3 STUDENT STRESS RATING SCALE

The following are events that occur in the life of a college student. Placea check in the left-hand column for each of those events that hashappened to you during the last 12 months.

___ Death of a close family member - 100 points ____ Jail term - 80 points ____ Final year or first year in college - 63 points ____ Pregnancy (to you or caused by your) - 60 points ____ Severe personal illness or injury - 53 points

____ Marriage - 50 points ____ Any interpersonal problems - 45 points ____ Financial difficulties - 40 points ____ Death of a close friend - 40 points ____ Arguments with your roommate (more than other day) 40

points ____ Major disagreements with your family - 40 points ____ Major change in personal habits - 30 points ____ Change in living environment - 30 points ____ Beginning or ending a job - 30 points ____ Problems with your boss or professor - 25 points ____ Outstanding personal achievement - 25 points ____ Failure in some course - 25 points ____ Final exams - 20 points ____ Increased or decreased dating - 20 points ____ Changes in working conditions - 20 points ____ Change in your major ____ Change in your sleeping habits - 18 points ____ Several-day vacation - 15 points ____ Change in eating habits - 15 points ____ Family reunion - 15 points ____ Change in recreational activities - 15 points ____ Minor illness or injury - 15 points ____ Minor violations of the law - 11 points

Score: _________________

INTERPRETING YOUR SCORE Less than 150 points: relatively low stress level in relation to life events


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150 - 300 points: borderline rangeGreater than 300 points: high stress in relation to life events

EXERCISE-4 Stress Prescription


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Identify stressful situations or demands. These can be academic, personal,family or job related.

Why do you think it is stressful? What are your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours?

What can you do about changing these situations/demands?

Are you able to think about them/appraise them differently?

What resources do you have to cope with the demand/stressor?Do you need other ways of coping? What might you try?

Behavioural Strategies:

Cognitive Strategies

EXERCISE-5 Plan of Action


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To take charge of stress, it is important to identify sources of stress and skillsthat you have for managing it. Use the following guide to set up your own

plan of action for stress managementtake charge.

I. Identify your three strongest sources of stress and the degree of stress you feelregarding each.1. ______________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________

II. How do you respond to each source of stress? (Review Lesson One)

Physical _________________________________________________ Emotional _________________________________________________ Mental _________________________________________________ Social ________________________________________________

III. Why are you dissatisfied or unhappy with each of the three stressors?1. ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________________

IV. What would you like to change in each of the three situations?1. ____________________________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________________

V. Identify skills you possess that could help in managing stress.

Physical skills (energy, strength, agility)1. ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________ Emotional strengths (self-confidence, empathy, calm)1. ______________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________

Support from others (family, friends, clubs)

1. ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________


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3. ___________________________________________________________ Mental resources (humor, problem-solving, insight)1. __________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________ Present lifestyle (rituals, hobbies, health)1. __________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________________

VI. Develop a plan of action. Describe each step you will take to reduce thelevel of stress and solve the situation.

1. ___________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________

VII. What goals would you hope to achieve and when?

Ideal goal: _____________________________________________________ Challenging goal: _________________________________________________ Acceptable goal: _________________________________________________

VIII. Act on your plans.

Knowing When To Get Help

Although most stress can be managed, monitored, and maneuvered, it isimportant to obtain professional help before the situation is completely out of control. Such resources as the family doctor, mental health professionals,counselors, and clergy may help in dealing with extreme levels of stress and the

physical and emotional trauma that often accompanies it.


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EXERCISE-6 DAILY STRESS LOG DATE: ----/----/-----------

( WORKSHEET)

TIME PLACE SOURCE OF STRESS

TENSION LEVEL*

COPING STRATEGY

*TENSION LEVEL 1=SLIGHT 2=MODERATE 3=STRONG 4= INTENSE Major source of stress today: ------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment of how you managed stress today: --------------------------------------Todays Exercise: ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duration: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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EXERCISE-7 Study Questions

Stress ManagementTaking Charge

1. What are the three ways to reduce unwanted stress or manage it productivel ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ______________

2. Is it desirable to reduce all stress from your life? ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

3. How can relaxation be helpful in managing stress? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________


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4. Establishing a personal plan of action is one way of learning to manage stress.What are other ways of learning more about stress management?

________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ___________

Study Answers

Stress ManagementTaking Charge

1. Manage your physical and psychological well-being. Monitor your presentlevel of stress. Maneuver to eliminate the cause of stress and change your reaction to stress.

2. It is not possible to remove stress completely. In fact, some stress may beuseful in helping us perform well or to use care in dangerous situations. What isnecessary is for each person to find an optimal level of stressnot too much or too little.

3. Relaxation can provide a diversion or period of calm in a hectic day. Relaxingalso lowers blood pressure for short periods of time. This can be helpful beforeimportant meetings, during stressful encounters, or at times when control andcomposure are needed.

4. Reading books, magazines, pamphlets, listening to stress tapes, Attendingworkshops and seminars, Contacting professionals in stress management,talking with others about stress management skills.


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EXERCISE-8 Performance Quiz

2 H 7 Q 9 R Z 8 A 15

X 3 B 10 P 1 5 G 12 N

The above is a key. If the presenter calls out 2, you put the letter X in the box, if he or she calls out H you put the number 3 in the box. The quiz is

timed.

1.

2.

3.

4.


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EXERCISE-9 STRESS TEST

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

1. Do you worry about the future?

2. Do you sometimes have trouble falling asleep?

3. Do you often reach for a cigarette, a drink, or a tranquillizer in order to

reduce tension?

4. Do you become irritated over basically insignificant matters?

5. Do you have less energy than you seem to need or would like to have?

6. Do you have too many things to do and not enough time to do them?

7. Do you have headaches or stomach problems?

8. Do you feel pressure to accomplish or get things done?

9. Are you very concerned about being either well liked or successful?

10. Do you perform well enough in life to satisfy yourself?

11. Do you get satisfaction from the small joys or simple pleasures of life?

12. Are you able to really relax and have fun?

Scoring:

Give yourself one point for each question 1 9 with a yes response and one point for each question 10 12 with a no response.

If your score is four or more, then you may be under significant stress. You maywant to find out more about managing stress.


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EXERCISE-10 How Do I Respond to Stress?

Take a minute to think about past experiences of performing under stress. Think about times when you did well and also times when you felt you could have

performed better. When you have thought of a few examples from your life of performing under stress, answer the following questions in order to becomemore aware of your own optimal level of stress.

1. A time when I performed well under stressful circumstances was . . .

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, at the time my stress level was _____.

3. I prepared for this task by . . .

4. I did the following things to manage the stress I felt . . .

5. A time when I would have liked to perform better under stress was . . .

6. On a scale of 1 to 10, at the time my stress level was _____.

7. I prepared for this task by . . .

8. I did the following things to manage the stress I felt . . .

9. Right now, my stress level on a scale of 1 to 10 is _____.

10. In order to get to a more optimal level of stress I need to . . .

(Get organized, get some exercise, practice relaxation or ??)


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EXERCISE-11

Sorting Exercise Stress and Coping

Instructions: Here are 24 cards (presenter will have to print and cut) which havea stressful situation, a symptom of or reaction to stress, and a way of helping a person to cope with the stress printed on them. You have to sort these cards intothree bundles, according to the categories mentioned above.

Stressful SituationsBeing arrested by the Gordian

Moving living premises

Losing ones best friend

Being in a car crash

Losing your part-time job

Having to go for an operation

Having a fight with a friend

Getting a poor mark on essay/exam

Symptoms or Reactions Not being able to concentrate

Dry mouth

Avoiding people

Muscle tension

Sweating hands

Forgetting things

Not being able to sleep

Being very moody


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Ways of Coping

Think of positive things

Talk to a friend

Eat good food

Share your problem with others

Tell yourself that you can make it

Do relaxation exercises

Take part in sports

Go out with a friend


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EXERCISE-12

TO DO LIST

Priority Item (be specific) Reward (if necessary)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________


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CASE

STUDIES


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1. Volunteer Stress at a Northern California Rape CrisisCenter

This research project is a case study of a rape crisis centers volunteer program.Becausethe volunteers respond to recent victims of sexual assault in hospital emergencyrooms, the study was designed to examine the stressors arising from their confrontation of such emotionally volatile situations. The study focused on thestressors volunteers experienced, how they coped, how the rape crisis centerstraining program prepared volunteers for job stress, what rape crisis center employees did to mitigate volunteers job-related stress, and how effectivevolunteers perceived by rape crisis volunteers and the ways in which they copedwith it to the stress and coping mechanisms of paid counselors in similar situations, as identified by two related studies. The study found manysimilarities between the stress and coping behaviors of the volunteersinterviewed and those of paid counselors in the other studies. All facedemotional stress and stress related to interactions and operational factors in their work, and all dealt with stress through personal relaxation and social support.The differences between the two groups lay in factors related to the volunteer nature of the interviewees job, which led to dread of the unknown and isolation,and in the political leaning of the rape crisis center which was both a source of conflict and an inspiration for volunteers.


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2. CBI RESPONSE TO HSC DISCUSSION DOCUMENT MANAGING STRESS AT WORK

1. The CBI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Discussion Document.Our substantive views on the issues raised in it are set out below.

Question 1: Our definition of stress points out the difference between pressureand stress, and that stress is not an illness. Is this definition useful?

2. We believe the definition requires modification, in particular to relate it to theindividual rather than people since stress can not be universalised. Stress is

perceived and experienced by individuals in different ways. Its extent is alsodependent on varying susceptibility to pressure, broadly defined. It is possibleto see stress, therefore, as that which arises when the pressures placed upon anindividual exceed the perceived capacity of that individual to cope. This notonly accommodates the day-to-day variability in a persons nature, but also theinterplay of relevant forces, including those out with the workplace.

Question 2: Do you think more needs to be done generally to tackle stress at work?

Question 3: Please give reasons for your answer:

3. Yes because its incidence has links with sickness absence and loss of productivity, for example. The 1999 CBI absence survey Focus on Absencefound that, for non-manual employees, workplace stress was found to be thesecond highest contributor to absence although it scored well below minor illness. We believe therefore that it is essential for employers to consider theimpact of stress on their employees, recognising that it is frequently difficult for

employers to respond to factors contributing to employee stress when the causesso often arise from a combination of work and home pressures.

4. The CBI believes that the survey findings reflect the awareness of senior managers of the problems posed to their businesses by stress, wherever generated and underpins our support for the promotion of best practiceapproaches in support of further guidance, perhaps along sectoral lines, settingout practical case study strategies.


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Question 4: Who needs to do what?

5. We believe the Executive, as well as employers and employees in partnership; have roles to play in identifying and developing advice on themanagement of key risks. It is also clear that the various government and non-government agencies identified at paragraph 45 have important roles to play.

Question 5: Do you think stress at work is a health, safety and welfare issue?

6. The CBI believes that stress does fall within the ambit of health, safety andwelfare but that employers should only be legally responsible for managing risk demarcated as being borne of the workplace, as for any other health and safetyrisk.

Question 6: Please give reasons for your answer:

7. In general, business would acknowledge the contributing factors atparagraph 13.

Question 7: How serious should stress at work have to be before we treat it asa health, safety and welfare issue?

8. Any confirmation of stress incidence in the workplace requires appropriaterisk-based management. Effective strategy should also aim at preventionthrough provision of relevant job training, communication with employees and

performance monitoring.

Question 8: How, and to what extent, should we treat issues such as acombination of work and non-work pressures as a health, safety and welfare

problem?

9. Stress is rightly represented in the discussion document as a broadly-basedissue, transcending the work/home life boundary and business needs to factor in the impact of non-work issues on the workplace within an holistic approachto stress management. Nevertheless, the CBI believes that the consideration of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive should be limited to theworkplace dimension. It should be recognised that stress, as pointed out earlier,is an individual based issue. Identification and improvement action should be

co-ordinated by the occupational health and personnel functions withincompanies overall risk management strategies.


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Question 13: How do you think we can cover the challenges about enforcement that HSE and Local Authorities have identified (listed in

paragraph 39)?

14. It is not clear how they may be overcome and indeed their existence strikesat the heart of the credibility that such an Approved Code would, we believe,need and in its current guise, seriously lacks. An unenforceable Code wouldclearly be bad law and risks undermining the high level of confidence thatstakeholders have in the UK system of health and safety lawmaking.

Question 14: What do you think of the approach discussed in paragraphs 43to 46?

15. We endorse the contribution that the broad range of organisations bothwithin and outside government can make to the debate.

Question 15: What would you or your organisation be willing to do to tackleto contribute to tackling stress?

16. The CBI is committed to promoting best practice in the management of this issue and is aware of a various sophisticated management strategies pursued

by member companies. We also fully endorse the programmes in this areainitiated by a number of our trade association members on behalf of their respective memberships. We will also use our networks to promote any further guidance developed by the Executive.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY


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BOOKS NAME: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOR

SASHI K. GUPTAROSY JOSHI

MANAGEMENT STYLES -Dr. JOHN DEARLESProf. JANNY BORLOUG

MANAGE YOUR MINDBUTLER G. HOPER

BUILDING RESILIENCE TOJOB STRESS

VALERIE OHARA

INTERNET:

WWW.MINDTOOLS.COM

WWW.SKILLSESCAPE.COM

WWW.BEYONDBLUE.ORG.AU

WWW.CRUFAD.ORG

SEARCH ENGINES: GOOGLE MSN ASK YAHOO ALTAVISTA
http://www.mindtools.com/http://www.skillsescape.com/http://www.beyondblue.org.au/http://www.crufad.org/http://www.mindtools.com/http://www.skillsescape.com/http://www.beyondblue.org.au/http://www.crufad.org/

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