STRESS MANAGEMENTDon’t forget yourself

“Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”

INTRODUCTION

• Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research

• It's what we feel when we think we've lost control of events

•  Stress can cause severe health problems and, in extreme cases, can cause death

• stress is normal and even useful

• But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects

• It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping

• It can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease

• If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse

• Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work

TYPES OF STRESS

• Acute Stress

•Chronic Stress

CAUSES FOR STRESS

• Whenever our body feels something not favorable, then it tries to defend

itself.

CAUSE OF STRESS AT HOME

• Death of spouse, family, near relative or friend.

• Injury or illness of any family member.

• Marriage of self or son or daughter or brother or sister.

• Separation or divorce from partner.

• Pregnancy or birth of a new baby.

• Children's behavior or disobedience.

• Children's educational performance.

• Not sufficient money to raise your standard of living.

• Loss of money in burglary, pick-pocketed or share market.

CAUSE OF STRESS AT WORK

• To meet out the demands of the job.

• Your relationship with colleagues.

• To train your staff and take work from them.

• Support you receive from your boss, colleagues and juniors.

• Excessive work pressure.

• To meet out deadlines.

• To give new results.

• Working overtime and on holiday

ADVANTAGE OF BUSINESS STRESS

• Less absenteeism due to stress-related disorders

• Improved job performance

• More efficient workplace

• Improved employee attitude

• Improved employee overall health

DISADVANTAGE OF STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress is a disadvantage because it can potentially raise your heart rate

and weaken your immune system. Also, it can be a factor in poor decision

making because under stress we may not think logically or consider the

consequences of the choices we make.

PEOPLE

1. Tension with family, friends or romantic

partner

2. Incompatibility with roommate’s habits,

lifestyle

3. Change in relationship; love lost/gained new

romantic partner

4. Death of a close friend or family member

BODY

1. Insufficient sleep

2. Frequent colds, sickness

3. Negative effects from caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, etc.

4. Uncomfortable chair, poor posture, excessive time hunched over book

or computer.

MIND

1. Worry about what people think?

2. More time spent thinking about what can go wrong

than what can go right

3. More time spent thinking about what DID go wrong

than where you can go from here

4. No time to think, always having to do

HOW DO YOU MEASURE YOUR STRESS LEVEL?

• You can count on stress during a major life change such as the death of a loved one, getting married, or having

a baby.

• But other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed.

• Everyone feels and responds to stress differently. Tracking your stress may help you

• Get a notebook, and write down when something makes you feel stressed. Then write how you reacted and

what you did to deal with the stress

• Tracking your stress can help you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. Then you

can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it better.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID STRESS?

• You may not be able to get rid of stress, but you can look for ways to

lower it

• Learn better ways to manage your time

• Find better ways to cope. Look at how you have been dealing with stress.

Be honest about what works and what does not. Think about other things

that might work better

• Take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Eat well. Don't smoke. Limit

how much alcohol you drink

• When you find yourself starting to worry, try to stop the thoughts. Or write

down your worries and work on letting go of things you cannot change

• Learn to say "no.“

• Speak up. Not being able to talk about your needs and concerns creates

stress and can make negative feelings worse

• Ask for help.

• Sometimes stress is just too much to handle alone. Talking to a friend or

family member may help, but you may also want to see a counselor.

EXERCISE

• Exercise : Physical exercise not only promotes overall fitness, but it helps

you to manage emotional stress and tension as well. Exercise can also aid

in relaxation and improve sleep.

FOCUSING ON AN OBJECT

It is important for people to feel that they have sufficient personal

space at work and at home.

Where no personal space is available, then you can establish some

feeling of ownership by bringing personal objects such as small

plants or photographs of loved-ones.

Block off a space using furniture, sheet or divider when you

need some space.

Organizational skills

• If your physical surroundings (office, desk, kitchen, closet, car) are well

organized, you won't be faced with the stress of misplaced objects

Spend time with those you love.

Self-talk is one way to deal with stress.

Positive talks :

"I'll do the best I can."

"I can handle things if I take one step at a time."

"I know how to deal with this; I've done it before."

EMERGENCY STRESS STOPPERS

• Count to 10 before you speak.

• Take three to five deep breaths.

• Walk away from the stressful situation, and say you'll handle it later.

• Go for a walk.

• Don't be afraid to say "I'm sorry" if you make a mistake.

• Set your watch five to 10 minutes ahead to avoid the stress of being late.

• Break down big problems into smaller parts. For example, answer one letter or phone call per day,

instead of dealing with everything at once.

• Drive in the slow lane or avoid busy roads to help you stay calm while driving.

• Smell a rose, hug a loved one or smile at your neighbour.

UNHEALTHY WAYS OF COPING WITH STRESS

Smoking Overeating or undereating Zoning out for hours in front of

the TV or computer Withdrawing from friends, family,

and activities

Using pills or drugs to relax Sleeping too much Filling up every minute of the day

to avoid facing problems Taking out your stress on others

(lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence)

HEALTHY WAYS OF COPING WITH STRESS

Go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Call a good friend. Sweat out tension with a good

workout. Write in your journal. Take a long bath. Light scented candles.

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Play with a pet. Work in your garden. Get a massage. Curl up with a good book. Listen to music. Watch a comedy.

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs.

MAINTAIN YOUR EMOTIONAL RESERVES

Develop mutually supportive friendships/relationships.Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you, rather than goals

other have for you that you do not share.Expect some frustrations, failures and sorrows. Always be kind and gentle with yourself – be a friend to yourself.